London (AFP) – Southampton swept to the top of the Premier League for the first time since 1988 with a 2-0 win against Newcastle, while Burnley remain without a victory this season after they were held to a 0-0 draw at Brighton on Friday. Goals from Che Adams and Stuart Armstrong ensured Southampton finished the […]

Olivos (Argentina) (AFP) – Argentine football great Diego Maradona is not allowed to leave hospital yet following brain surgery on a blood clot, his doctor said on Friday. Maradona, 60, underwent surgery on Tuesday to remove the clot lodged between his brain and skull. And while the World Cup winner is determined to leave the […]

Rio de Janeiro (AFP) – Neymar will miss Brazil's November 13 World Cup qualifier against Venezuela because of a thigh injury, but will travel with the team in the hope he will be fit to play four days later against Uruguay, officials said Friday. "We believe that with an intensive week of treatment... there is […]

London (AFP) – Burnley remain without a Premier League win this season after they were forced to settle for a 0-0 draw at fellow strugglers Brighton on Friday. Sean Dyche's side have made their worst ever start to a season and are without a victory in eight games dating back to last term. The Clarets […]

Rome (AFP) – Italy coach Roberto Mancini has contracted coronavirus but is asymptomatic, the Italian football federation (FIGC) announced on Friday. "As part of the periodic controls undertaken by the FIGC on the Italy coaching staff ahead of the coming break for UEFA competitions, head coach Roberto Mancini tested positive for COVID-19," the governing body […]

Lausanne (AFP) – Sevilla attacker Munir El Haddadi, who has already been capped by Spain, has again had his hopes of playing for Morocco dashed after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) rejected his appeal on Friday. It marks a second disappointment for the 25-year-old who originally applied for a switch of colours before […]

London (AFP) – Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti has told goalkeeper Jordan Pickford to trust his instincts on the pitch as he returns to the side after being dropped. Pickford has come under scrutiny for a number of errors this season and was criticised after his reckless tackle sidelined Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk for several […]

Johannesburg (AFP) – All 48 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers between November 9 and 17 will be played behind closed doors because of the coronavirus pandemic, a Confederation of African Football (CAF) statement said Friday. While Africa has avoided a second wave of Covid-19 that much of Europe is experiencing, there have been more than […]

London (AFP) – Frank Lampard has hailed Thiago Silva's "huge" influence on Chelsea's new-look defence after they recorded five consecutive clean-sheets for the first time in a decade. The Brazilian centre-back arrived at Stamford Bridge on a free transfer from Paris Saint-Germain in August as one of the pieces in an extensive summer rebuild. "His […]

London (AFP) – Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho is unhappy that Gareth Bale's return to the Wales squad next week will be partly overseen by a coach at North London rivals Arsenal. Wales boss Ryan Giggs is not taking charge of games against the United States, Ireland and Finland later this month after being arrested on […]

Buenos Aires (AFP) – Paris Saint-Germain winger Angel Di Maria has been recalled to the Argentina squad announced by coach Lionel Scaloni on Friday ahead of World Cup qualifiers against Paraguay and Peru. The 32-year-old has not played for his country since the 2019 Copa America. He is amongst 25 foreign-based players selected by Scaloni […]

London (AFP) – Pep Guardiola has compared Manchester City's Premier League challenge with the US presidential election in a bid to downplay the impact of Sunday's clash with Liverpool, pointing out "all the votes must be counted". City and Liverpool have been the two dominant sides in England for the past three years, with the […]

London (AFP) – Ole Gunnar Solskjaer vowed on Friday he would not "fall like a house of cards" after damaging defeats ramped up the pressure on the Manchester United manager. The Norwegian boss has come under intense scrutiny following a nightmare start to the Premier League season and a humiliating defeat to Istanbul Basaksehir in […]

Rio de Janeiro (AFP) – Neymar will miss Brazil's November 13 World Cup qualifier against Venezuela because of a thigh injury, but will travel with the team in hopes he will be fit to play four days later against Uruguay, officials said Friday. "We believe that with an intensive week of treatment... there is a […]

Paris (AFP) – Lyon's Houssem Aouar has replaced injured Real Betis midfielder Nabil Fekir in the France squad for Nations League matches against Portugal and Sweden, the French federation announced Friday. Fekir picked up a left hamstring injury, opening up a spot for 22-year-old Aouar. France play Finland in a friendly at the Stade de […]