London (AFP) – Raheem Sterling has been dropped by England manager Gareth Southgate for Thursday's Euro 2020 qualifier against Montenegro after the hostilities between Manchester City and Liverpool spilled over into the England camp. Liverpool beat Sterling's City 3-1 on Sunday to move nine points clear of the defending Premier League champions at the top […]

Los Angeles (AFP) – Netherlands-born teenager Sergino Dest was named in the United States squad for upcoming CONCACAF Nations League qualifiers on Monday for the first time since rejecting overtures from the country of his birth. The talented Ajax fullback qualifies for the United States through his American father, and last month confirmed he planned […]

Lausanne (AFP) – The day after Liverpool beat Manchester City in a crunch match where VAR decisions were hotly disputed, the Premier League leader's coach Jurgen Klopp and other top football figures have suggested improvement is needed to the fledgling system. Klopp, his City opposite number Pep Guardiola, Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane, and Thomas […]

Johannesburg (AFP) – Former English Premier League winger Ramadan Sobhy equalised and then created the winner as Egypt pipped Ghana 3-2 Monday and edged closer to a place at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. Ghana led twice in a seesaw thriller at the Cairo International Stadium before ex-Stoke City and Huddersfield Town attacker Sobhy levelled […]

London (AFP) – Cardiff manager Neil Warnock has left his position by mutual consent, the club announced on Monday with the Welsh side languishing 14th in the Championship table. "Today I am leaving my beloved Bluebirds after over three years of which have been some of the best days in my long football career," said […]

London (AFP) – Unai Emery has been offered the backing of the Arsenal board for now, but has been warned that results must improve. The Spaniard has come under mounting pressure following a string of poor performances and a record of just two wins from their last 10 Premier League games. A 2-0 loss at […]

Clairefontaine-en-Yvelines (France) (AFP) – Blaise Matuidi has been ruled out of France's Euro 2020 qualifiers against Moldova and Albania after fracturing a rib cartilage, the midfielder's club Juventus announced on Monday. "Blaise Matuidi will not participate in the National Team retreat with France, after he withdrew from yesterday's match against Milan," the Italian champions said in a statement on […]

Milan (AFP) – Italy coach Roberto Mancini said on Monday he would not name Mario Balotelli in a national squad simply to make a statement against racism. "When I call Mario Balotelli it will be because he deserves it, not because of the colour of his skin," Mancini told a press conference before the Azzurri's […]

Clairefontaine-en-Yvelines (France) (AFP) – Blaise Matuidi has been ruled out of France's Euro 2020 qualifiers against Moldova and Albania with a rib injury, the Juventus midfielder announced on Monday. Matuidi picked up the knock in the 1-0 win over AC Milan that kept champions Juve top of Serie A, and failed to make the trip […]

Liverpool (AFP) – Liverpool have lived through too many false dawns to take a first Premier League title in 30 years for granted, but in overpowering their biggest rivals Manchester City 3-1 to open up an eight-point lead at the top of the table, they showed why the long wait looks set to end. Only […]

Paris (AFP) – Defending champions Manchester City have become the latest English Premier League club that could not contain irresistible Liverpool attackers Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah. Mane scored his seventh league goal this season and Salah his sixth as the Reds overcame the champions 3-1 at Anfield to take an eight-point lead 12 rounds […]

London (AFP) – Granit Xhaka may have been stripped of the Arsenal captaincy due to his public run-in with the club's fans but he says he will be staying and fighting for his place in the team. The volatile 27-year-old Swiss international midfielder has not played since he mouthed an obscenity at a section of […]

Paris (AFP) – A record home crowd saw Marseille beat Lyon in a fiery encounter and Freiburg's coach was barged over by the opposing team's captain in a weekend of European football when passion spilled over into anger. AFP Sport looks at three of the main talking points: Record crowd and bus attack in Marseille […]

Milan (AFP) – Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Marco Verratti, AS Roma defender Leonardo Spinazzola and Sassuolo striker Domenico Berardi have all been ruled out of Italy's final Euro 2020 qualifiers, the country's football federation (FIGC) confirmed on Monday. Brescia's 19-year-old midfielder Sandro Tonali comes in for Verratti, but Spinazzola and Berardi have not been replaced. Tonali […]

London (AFP) – Three-time Premier League-winning defender Jonny Evans moved to calm rising expectations among Leicester fans that the club can repeat their fairytale title win of 2016, saying the hectic Christmas period will give a more realistic picture. The 31-year-old Northern Irish international — who won his three league winners medals with Manchester United […]