Madrid (AFP) – Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos struck twice within eight first-half minutes to get the European champions back to winning ways with a 2-1 victory over Malaga at the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday. Madrid's 40-game unbeaten run had come to a crashing halt with back-to-back defeats to Sevilla and Celta Vigo in the […]

Birmingham (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Clinical first-half volleys from Darren Fletcher and Chris Brunt gave buoyant West Brom a 2-0 win over Sunderland on Saturday, leaving the visitors bottom of the Premier League. For Tony Pulis's West Brom this was three wins from four Premier League games and leaves them in a lofty eighth place […]

Stoke-on-Trent (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Wayne Rooney became Manchester United's record scorer when he netted his 250th goal for the English giants in a 1-1 draw away to Stoke City in the Premier League on Saturday. Rooney equalised in the fourth minute of stoppage time to break fellow England great Bobby Charlton's United record of […]

Liverpool (AFP) – Jurgen Klopp slammed Liverpool's careless defending as his side's Premier League title challenge suffered a damaging blow in a shock 3-2 home defeat against Swansea on Saturday. Reds boss Klopp was furious Swansea striker Fernando Llorente was allowed to score twice in quick succession in the second half after lapses in concentration […]

Liverpool (AFP) – Gylfi Sigurdsson's decisive goal boosted Swansea's hopes of Premier League survival as they inflicted Liverpool’s first home defeat for almost a year with a 3-2 triumph at Anfield on Saturday. Iceland international Sigurdsson, who has repeatedly been linked with a move away from the Welsh club, struck with 16 minutes left after […]

London (AFP) – Granit Xhaka admits Arsenal's Premier League clash with Burnley on Sunday marks the start of a defining period as the Gunners battle to get back in the title race. Arsene Wenger's side have fallen eight points behind leaders Chelsea and can't afford many more stumbles if they are to catch their London […]

London (AFP) – Chelsea will bid to put the Diego Costa crisis behind them when the Premier League leaders host Hull, while title chasing Tottenham aim to maintain their hot streak at troubled Manchester City on Saturday. Blues striker Costa reportedly clashed with Chelsea boss Antonio Conte last week over the club's treatment of his […]

Shanghai (AFP) – Argentine forward Carlos Tevez said Saturday he will have to earn every yuan of his reportedly world-leading salary as he officially joined Chinese Super League side Shanghai Shenhua, declaring it his "new home." Tevez, who arrived to a rapturous fan welcome Thursday, is arguably the highest-profile foreign player to ever play in […]

Libreville (AFP) – Veteran Gabon goalkeeper Didier Ovono has called for the country to unite behind the team as they face the prospect of having to beat Cameroon on Sunday to stay in the Africa Cup of Nations. The Panthers have so far only managed two 1-1 draws against Guinea-Bissau and Burkina Faso, form that […]

London (AFP) – Premier League leaders Chelsea will hope to draw a line beneath the controversy that has embroiled striker Diego Costa when they welcome Hull City to Stamford Bridge on Sunday. Costa missed last weekend's 3-0 win at champions Leicester City after reportedly rowing with fitness coach Julio Tous amid reports of an eye-watering […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has acknowledged England left-back Luke Shaw is enduring a testing period in his Old Trafford career due to illness and injury. Shaw, 21, spent most of last season recovering from a double leg break sustained in September 2015 and has made only 12 starts since […]

London (AFP) – Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino has declared his club have a more storied history and more supporters than Saturday's Premier League opponents Manchester City. City have won two league titles, two League Cups and one FA Cup since their 2008 takeover by Sheikh Mansour and enrolled superstar manager Pep Guardiola prior to […]

Oyem (Gabon) (AFP) – Reigning champions the Ivory Coast will need to beat the Morocco of their former coach Herve Renard to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals after a second draw in as many games on Friday. The Ivorians had to come from behind twice to draw 2-2 with DR Congo in […]

Bastia (France) (AFP) – French title hopefuls Nice edged provisionally a point clear of Monaco but were Friday lamenting the loss of two points in a 1-1 draw at lowly Bastia. The match was marred by an ugly incident beforehand when police reported some Bastia fans stoned the Nice team bus, breaking two windows, as […]

London (AFP) – Liverpool defender Joel Matip has been cleared to return to action with the Premier League club after FIFA resolved the Cameroon international's status on Friday. Matip recently claimed he had retired from international football and did not want to play for Cameroon despite their attempts to call him up for the ongoing […]