Matt Jones

Even though both Manchester United and Liverpool were involved in EFL Cup semi-final matches this week, with a clash between the two sides at Old Trafford on Sunday looming, the fixtures felt somewhat insignificant. Duels between these two massive rivals have felt diluted in recent years, with neither club in a position to challenge for […]

It may have come a little too late for the liking of Everton manager Ronald Koeman, but on Thursday the Toffees boss finally got his man, as the club completed a deal for Morgan Schneiderlin from Manchester United. Although the Frenchman wasn’t at Goodison Park in time to prevent the team’s FA Cup exit to […]

If 2017 is to see Barcelona reel in Real Madrid in the race for La Liga glory, a roadmap for their recovery must begin at El Madrigal against Villarreal on Sunday. With Madrid, currently three points clear of Barcelona having played a game less, poised to set a Spanish record for games unbeaten on Saturday […]

So what are this version of Arsenal? A team stiffened and settled by the acquisition of some gritty players, ready to challenge for the Premier League title? Or the same crop of supremely talented footballers prone to frailties in feisty situations? As the Gunners get ready to take on Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium […]

“The best in the world.” For any sportsperson or any team from any discipline, is there a more satisfying moniker? It’s a tag Japanese champions Kashima Antlers and European champions Real Madrid will both be looking to secure on Sunday, when they meet in the final of the FIFA Club World Cup. Granted, in football […]

If we are going to get an overdue title race in Serie A this season, we’ll find out on Saturday. That’s as leaders Juventus, with four points in hand at the top of the pile, host their keenest pursuers in Roma. Juve may have been a shade under their very best for the majority of […]

Surprise Ligue 1 leaders OGC Nice will face the toughest possible test of their title credentials on Sunday, as they make the trip to champions Paris Saint-Germain for what should be a fascinating contest. Lucien Favre’s enterprising team have excelled in the French top flight this term, scoring goals at will, defending resolutely and after […]

The top four teams in the Premier League this season—Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City—have all been talked about in different quarters as title challengers. But Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, who will meet at Old Trafford on Sunday, have evaded such reverence. The Red Devils should be in the mix after their summer of […]

Every footballer supporter thinks their club has a fine crop of young players bubbling underneath the senior setup. Ask any fan of any team about a prospect in the youth setup and there’ll be one in particular that has everyone excited. Investing down the rungs of the club hierarchy can be a crutch when times […]

Players who can take control of a game and wrestle it the way of their team at the highest level are rare in the modern game. But at their absolute pomp, it’s exactly what Lionel Messi did for Barcelona and Cristiano Ronaldo did for Real Madrid. The former has been at the hub of all […]

Matches between Barcelona and Real Madrid are always enormously significant, regardless of the underpinning circumstances heading into the game. But Saturday’s at the Camp Nou feels particularly pertinent, even in the anthology of iconic contests we’ve witnessed between the two. Indeed, it’s been rare for Barcelona to enter this fixture in a lull of form […]

Around this time of year, Sky Sports begin to churn out their adverts for festive football, delineating the plethora of fascinating fixtures they’ll be showing over the Christmas period to viewers in the the United Kingdom. Unfortunately for those subscribers that enjoy the broadcaster’s wide-ranging coverage of La Liga, this Saturday’s Clasico showdown between Barcelona […]

After five major honors in his first two seasons in charge at Barcelona, manager Luis Enrique set himself high standards at the Camp Nou. Indeed, Luis Suarez and Ivan Rakitic arrived in the same summer as the former Blaugrana midfielder and in the main, they haven’t looked back since. Enrique tweaked the system to get […]

As far as starts to a managerial tenure go, Zinedine Zidane’s opening stint in the Real Madrid hot seat is about as good as it could get. After being appointed on January 4 to replace the maligned Rafael Benitez at the Santiago Bernabeu, the Frenchman has enjoyed a remarkable beginning to his first position in […]

By the time Chelsea kick off against Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League on Saturday, the chances are that the Blues will have been provisionally usurped in top spot. It’s a factor that’ll add another extra dynamic to what has become one of the most ferocious fixtures in English football in recent […]