Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Pep Guardiola's rejuvenated Manchester City face a potentially tricky challenge at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers on Monday as they continue their Premier League title defence. But the early days of 2019 suggest their uncharacteristic December collapse is firmly behind them. The final month of last year saw City lose successive […]

Milan (AFP) – Hong Kong investors are ready to purchase Indonesian businessman Erick Thohir's 31 percent stake in Italian club Inter Milan, according to reports in Italy on Saturday. The Chinese Suning Commerce Group purchased a controlling 68.55 percent stake in Inter in 2016. Thohir had remained as president with 31 percent, but Gazzetta Dello […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Manchester United's caretaker manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer insists his side's trip to Tottenham should be about the players and not his head-to-head battle with Mauricio Pochettino. Sunday's Premier League match at Wembley will see Solskjaer face off against the man widely considered his main rival to become United's full-time manager […]

Milan (AFP) – Gonzalo Higuain has made up his mind to leave AC Milan, coach Gennaro Gattuso said on Saturday amid speculation linking the striker to Premier League side Chelsea. Higuain joined Milan on a season-long loan from Juventus in July with an option to make the deal permanent, but he has struggled to settle […]

Johannesburg (AFP) – A mid-season recovery by promoted Black Leopards in the South African Premiership extended to three straight wins Saturday when they triumphed 2-0 at home against SuperSport United. Zambian Mwape Musonda bagged a brace for the club from remote northeastern town Thohoyandou, converting a penalty early in the second half and banging in […]

Johannesburg (AFP) – Controversial decisions helped record eight-time CAF Champions League winners Al Ahly defeat V Club 2-0 Saturday in their opening group-stage clash. The Tunisian referee gave a straight red card to Dharles Kalonji from the Democratic Republic of Congo team on 36 minutes when most in the Alexandria crowd expected a yellow. Already […]

Milan (AFP) – Lazio were embroiled in controversy on Saturday after racist and anti-Semitic chanting which scarred a Coppa Italia tie was dismissed by the club as a "psychosis focusing on a minority or non-existent incidents". Lazio crushed third division Novara 4-1 in their last-16 game at Rome's Stadio Olimpico. However, their hardcore ultra fans […]

London (AFP) – David McGoldrick scored the lone goal as Sheffield United beat Queens Park Rangers 1-0 on Saturday to move up to second place in English football's second-tier Championship. McGoldrick's first-half header, the former Ipswich striker's fifth goal in his last six league games, saw the Blades move to within four points of Yorkshire […]

London (AFP) – Willian insisted he had no intention of leaving Chelsea after his superb goal sealed a 2-1 win at home to Newcastle on Saturday. Newcastle, threatened with relegation from the Premier League, had seen Ciaran Clark score a surprise equaliser before half-time after an early goal from Pedro put Chelsea ahead at Stamford […]

London (AFP) – Mohamed Salah's second-half penalty moved Liverpool seven points clear at the top of the Premier League thanks to a 1-0 win away to Brighton, while Arsenal's hopes of a top-four finish suffered another body blow in defeat by West Ham on Saturday. Chelsea now lead the Gunners by six points in the […]

London (AFP) – Chelsea cemented their grip on fourth place in the Premier League as Willian's sublime strike sealed a 2-1 win over struggling Newcastle on Saturday. Maurizio Sarri's side took the lead through Pedro's early goal, but Ciaran Clark snatched a shock equaliser before half-time. With Chelsea fans beginning to lose patience at their […]

Johannesburg (AFP) – CAF Confederation Cup trophy-holders Raja Casablanca and former winners CS Sfaxien and Stade Malien all drew Saturday in play-off first legs. But while Moroccans Raja and Tunisians Sfaxien will fancy their chances of overall victories next weekend after drawing away, Malians Stade are in trouble having being held at home. Raja, whose […]

London (AFP) – Arsenal manager Unai Emery indicated Mesut Ozil did not deserve a place in his squad after he missed a London derby loss to West Ham on Saturday. Ozil, Arsenal's highest-paid player, has returned to full training over the last week following a knee injury. But the former Germany international did not even […]

Abu Dhabi (AFP) – Back-from-retirement Sardar Azmoun fired Iran into the Asian Cup knockout phase on Saturday as Carloz Queiroz's side were joined by arch-rivals Iraq and fellow former winners Saudi Arabia in the last 16. Azmoun, 24, quit the national team after fans rounded on him following Iran's exit at last year's World Cup, […]

London (AFP) – Mohamed Salah's second-half penalty was enough to give Premier League leaders Liverpool a 1-0 win away to Brighton on Saturday that saw them go seven points clear at the top of the table. Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp admitted it had been "no opera" watching his side struggle on the south coast in […]