In the wake of Tuesday’s fracas between Serbia and Albania, which was ignited when a Greater Albania flag was flown by a drone over the Belgrade stadium during the Euro 2016 qualifying match, UEFA has charged both national teams.

UEFA, the governing body of football in Europe, has opened disciplinary cases against the Serbian and Albanian football associations on the matter that culminated to an on-field melee involving players and fans. Consequently, the Group I game was abandoned.

The European governing body declared disciplinary proceedings have been opened against the Football Association of Serbia (FSS) for

1. the setting off/throwing of fireworks and missiles,
2. crowd disturbance,
3. field invasion by supporters,
4. insufficient organization, and
5. use of a laser pointer.

The Football Association of Albania didn’t escape the wrath of UEFA either, and were charged with:

1. for refusing to play, and
2. display of an illicit banner.

In the aftermath of the unceremonious sequence of events, UEFA President Michel Platini expressed his sadness at the occurrence.

“Football is supposed to bring people together and our game should not be mixed with politics of any kind.

“The scenes in Belgrade last night were inexcusable.”

The case will be dealt with by the UEFA Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body on October 23.

READ MORE — Serbia-Albania game abandoned after drone incident results in violence (video)

Her beauty matches her brains, and football pundits often take the mickey out of Chelsea players for staying down injured a tad too long, only to have their first team medic attend to their injury. Yes, she is Chelsea’s highly qualified eye-candy, Eva Carneiro.

For many, the knowledge on this damsel ends at the beauty that manifests on her facade along with her acute know-how on how to diagnose and treat several immediate injuries that players that succumb to while sweating for the jersey – their jersey. But there’s more than meets the eye.

Carneiro was born in Gibraltar to a Spanish father and English mother. Having studied medicine at Nottingham University, she also practiced her trade in emergency surgery in the Highlands. She then swapped continents to study in Australia, before doing her MSC in London and a subsequent thesis at West Ham.

Rolling the clock a few years back, ironically, despite her rich knowledge in medicine aided to her love for sport, the medic struggled with injuries growing up, thus was relegated to the recovery bed all too often.

“It made me think there had to be more than rest to treatment of injuries and this sparked my evolving fascination with sports medicine,” Eva was quoted to have said, back in 2009.

Her professional career saw her have stints in weekly Sports & Orthopaedic Clinics at Whittington Hospital and the Olympic Medical Institute. This was followed by what was arguably her biggest post yet; being appointed to the UK Sports and Exercise Medicine Specialist training program. Her post saw her working closely with athletes in the UK in the build up to the 2008 Summer Olympics. Eva also worked with the UK women’s football team.

In 2009, Eva joined Chelsea Football Club, first working with the Reserves, before being promoted to first team at the brining of 2011-12 season. And today, she graces the screens with a cameo appearance only on a worrying note –when one of the players she is tasked with keeping fit bends the other way.

We may be only seven games into the season, however Chelsea have already proved they are the team to beat, after a blistering start that has seen them amass 19 points from a possible 21. They have been putting sides to the sword with the lethal core of Nemanja Matic, Andre Schuerrle, Cesc Fabregas, Eden Hazard, Oscar and Diego Costa forming an almost telepathic understanding amongst themselves. The Blues have already scored 21 goals and opened up a five-point lead at the summit. That begs the question – are they unstoppable? This writer believes so.

Firstly, history has revealed that the Blues have made rapid starts to seasons that have not culminated in winning the league. Under manager Luiz Felipe Scolari in the 2008/09 season, they won 10 of their first 13 games, but later suffered a torrid run of four wins in 12 games that derailed their title aspirations. Two seasons later under Carlo Ancelotti, they won eight of the first 10 games before hitting another lull – one win in eight matches. More recently in 2012/13, under Roberto Di Matteo, Chelsea made it seven wins and a draw out of the first eight games before running out of steam to accumulate a paltry four points from the available 21. Will history repeat itself? Perhaps so, given the rapid pace with which they play and the energy exerted in these games. If an opposition can get a hold of possession – as has been the case in the past – and adopt a ‘park the bus’ tactic made famous by the Portuguese, they will definitely tire and frustrate Chelsea into mistakes.

Secondly, although Chelsea have scored 21 goals, they have also conceded seven goals – two worse than Southampton, who boast the least goals conceded thus far. If anything epitomises the goals they have conceded or the chances they have afforded their opponents, it is at set-pieces. As often as is the case at any club – and Chelsea is susceptible to it too – deliveries into the box can result into comical and unwanted errors. Despite the superior height advantage afforded by the Gary Cahill, John Terry and Matic, the Blues often tend to crowd their box. This occasionally allows players to slip their markers and gift their side a goal due to the unceremonious confusion caused. Intelligent headers of the ball will look to capitalise on this small chink in their armour.

Thirdly, keeping Costa quiet. This may arguably be the hardest task for any defender, given his imperious form and commanding physique. However, one need always have to man-mark the individual. The first three games of the season saw Costa’s ill-temper emerge as a result of rash tackles, frustration and the occasionally decisions going the other way. If defenders can legally frustrate him, the chances of them triggering a hot-headed response are respectably high, resulting into the flashing of yellows or red cards. This will in turn shift the dynamics of the team, as Chelsea may have to taste life without the mercurial powers of the diminutive forward.

Fourth and finally, expose their fullbacks. It is no secret the Blues – under Mourinho – are a lethal machine going forward. With fullbacks Ivanovic and Azpilcueta spending a lot of time marauding forward to join in the torrents of attacks they unleash on their opponents, they could be left exposed. Although more often than not the side has recovered from the compromising situations, they are bound to slip at one point or another. Managers must be wary of that possibility.

Had it not have been for the injuries to Englishmen Chris Smalling and Phil Jones along with that of a senior Jonny Evans and the suspension of the recently first-teamer, Tyler Blackett – millions of fans around the world would have been oblivious to the name Paddy McNair – at least for a couple of seasons.

The young and previously unheard of defender made his bow for the senior team against one of the league’s most unpredictable sides – West Ham United – at Old Trafford in their 2-1 victory over the weekend. While many fans had their hearts in their mouths, perhaps expecting the worst of the 19-year-old, come the final whistle, the youngster received applause from all quarters of the Theatre of Dreams.

With his debut now out of the way, we pull out the encyclopaedias as we seek to uncover the defender who has been deemed ‘a future defensive midfielder’ by United’s youth team coaches.

McNair – born in Ballyclare, Northern on April 27, 1995 – arrived from Ballyclare Colts as a midfielder in 2011, at the age of 16.

Among the qualities that immediately became evident was his comfort while on the ball. However, in the season 2012/13, citing injuries in defence, coach Paul McGuinness was forced to deploy the promising midfielder alongside Liam Grimshaw at the back.

Through his performances, it became obvious McNair was a precious talent, whose versatility only made him more valued. According to McGuinness back then, he explained the Northern Irish’s best position would not be pinpointed for another couple of years, although believed the player would ultimately cement a position as a defensive midfielder.

In the season 2013/14, McNair signed on as a third-year scholar in time and looked set to be handled carefully before being thrust into Under-21 action. Warren Joyce soon introduced the lad into the U-21 squad, describing the player as ‘one of the most improved players in the squad.’ Thus, it became inevitable that those sparkling remarks would be followed by a regular place in the starting XI. And such was the pivotal role he played for Joyce’s side, it was his last-gasp strike at Reading that ensured a top-four place in the Barclays Under-21 Premier League.

At the tender age of 19, McNair has already begun accumulating European competition games under his belt, albeit the U-21 Champions League campaign. Last season, the young Northern Irish was sent off against Bayer Leverkusen for two bookable offences – already proving a vital lesson for the player.

Having tasted first team football in Europe’s elite league – the Barclays English Premier League – the youngster will be more than determined to turn out for the senior side. While it is naive to believe one accomplished display would equate to a frequent first team appearances, the youngster – just as Reece James did during pre-season – seems to have seized his chance to impress and will now provide an option for the star-studded Manchester United outfit.

Cesc Fabregas, Thiago Alacantara and Gareth Bale – these are but a few names that turned down a move to Manchester United after the club lifted its 20^th English title – 11 points ahead of second place, Manchester City. Stars Angel di Maria, Luke Shaw, Daley Blind, Marcos Rojo, Ander Herrera and Radamel Falcao – all of them joined United in the transfer marked that followed the club’s most disastrous season since 1992. How did chief executive Ed Woodward clinch these mercurial signings on the back of a poor season? That has been attributed to off-field matters as opposed to on-the-greens.

United may have had a torrid 2012/13 campaign, however, that has done little to deter their global brand. Over the last two decades, the club has grown from strength to strength on the field, epitomised by their treble of 1999 as well as recent league triumphs during the tail end of the Sir Alex Ferguson era.

Now a club in transition, the hierarchy – in a bid to make the Theatre of Dreams a desired destination once again – have capitalised on the might of the club’s commercial operation along with the popularity of the team to provide lip-licking add-ons for players. But how? That’s the easy part; by donning the red jersey.

In 2013, through a survey carried out, the club announced its official global fan base of 659 million fans; a fraction over a tenth of the entire world population. And a followership tantamount to a religious faith further enhances the image of the club, culminating into astronomical popularity and commercial gains.

When Aon launched its sponsorship with the club in June 2013, the company’s hit counter on their website increased over 150%, with traffic trampolining up to as much as 500% on match-days.

Manchester United’s summer Dutch signing for a reported fee of £13.8 million, Blind saw his Twitter following increase by 72% since arriving at Old Trafford on August 30. His daily followers went up an astounding 5,336% during the same period.

Google counters too felt the effect of United’s purchases. During United’s pursuit of Di Maria, there was a great spike in interest following his £59.7 million move; Google searches went up by 1,111% compared to when he completed his move to Real Madrid from Benfica in 2010. Meanwhile, on the day Falcao moved to United from AS Monaco, Google recorded an increase of 909% on searches for the Colombian. This was a stark comparison to the day of he moved from the French club to Atletico Madrid in 2013.

In terms of shirts sales, United racks in millions as well. Robin van Persie, a lethal striker who blossomed in the later years of his career at Arsenal, topped the Premier League shirt sales chart in each of his two seasons at United. The Dutchman failed to make the top five in any year during his eight years at the Emirates. Juan Mata – a £37.1 million signing from Chelsea – entered the shirt sale top 10 for the first time following his move from Stamford Bridge.

And the trend doesn’t seem to be slowing down. Currently, United account for 51% of the league’s entire worldwide television audience and accumulates over £300 million through press coverage alone. On the back of a successful £750 million kit deal, United need not be the best on the pitch to attract galaticos to the side..

Libya lost the rights to host the 2017 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals today, citing the country’s “unstable security situation” due to ongoing conflicts and political volatility in the nation.

Libya has been plagued with turmoil since 2011 following the downfall of former leader Muammar Gaddafi’s regime. The country has failed to recover from the political instability that engulfed the nation ever since.

The African nation was originally scheduled to hold the AFCON in 2013, but swapped with the 2017 host country South Africa as the former grappled with civil war.

Just last year, the Libyan government expressed its hope of hosting the continental tournament as it would allow the country to demonstrate to Africa and in extension, the world, that normalcy had prevailed in the country, so as to attract foreign investments. Such was their dedication to the cause that the North African country had been planning to build 11 stadiums amassing a total cost of $314 million – including a new 60,000-seat Austrian-built stadium in Tripoli, on the site of a former military camp.

Moreover, former World Cup winner Franz Beckenbauer had earlier accepted a role as an ‘ambassador’ to aid in championing the tournament as well as the country itself, while former Spain coach Javier Clemente was hired by the nation to prepare their team for the tournament.

The decision was made after a delegation from the Libyan FA had traveled to Confederation of African Football’s (CAF) headquarters in Cairo earlier this week to justify their case in vain, as it turns out. CAF further invited new bidders for the tournament, as was declared on the body’s Twitter account. The deadline for submission for new applications to host the tournament is September 30, 2014.

Just days prior, the African continent was rocked by another potential continental soccer scare after rumors emerged that FIFA would snatch away Morocco’s chance of hosting the Club World Cup scheduled in December. As the continent struggles to contain the Ebola epidemic that has pervaded West Africa, there were fears FIFA would change the venue of the event citing health concerns.

“The health of players, officials and fans is a top priority in any FIFA competition,” said the world soccer body in a statement.

“According to the World Health Organization, there are currently no reported cases of Ebola in Morocco. Therefore, there is no need to discuss a possible change in the host country. If the situation were to change, we will be in contact with the participating clubs,” it concluded.

Manchester United and Sporting Lisbon have agreed to the purchase of Marcos Rojo on a fee believed to be £16 million, in addition to a season-long loan deal for Nani.

Rojo first signed for Spartak Moscow on a five-year deal back in 2011, but lasted only one season in Russia before moving to Portugal to play for Sporting Lisbon. There, he aided and abetted his side as they finished their campaign as runners up, playing second fiddle to Benfica last season, before his latest move to the Theatre of Dreams.

The 24 year-old had attracted interest from mega-selling English club, Southampton, after a remarkable World Cup 2014 campaign, but failed to agree personal terms, leading to his move to the Barclays English Premier League fall through the cracks.

With his arrival at Manchester United, what will he add to a United defense horribly shy of experience and steel? Well, exactly that.

Truth be told, Rojo is not a blue-chip signing aimed at instantly changing the fortunes of the club, as was the case for Luis Suarez to Liverpool, Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale to Real Madrid and Zlatan Ibrahimovic to PSG. Instead, just like his teammate, Ander Herrera, the Argentine will be a star for the future but immediately effective.

The versatile defender who operates either as a centre-back or a left sided defender was in impeccable form in Brazil, playing in six of Argentina’s seven games, missing out in their win against Belgium due to suspension.

Rojo brings tenacity and experience to a defense that looked relatively invulnerable during pre-season yet comically porous in their first game of the league against Swansea. It was no secret that the players would have to adapt to manager Louis Van Gaal’s system, with a period of transition and errors on the horizon. However, it was evident that the back three were yet to settle into the unorthodox system – one that Rojo feels comfortably at home in.

Rojo can slot into the team playing as a centre-back or a left-back, possessing the pace to maraud forward when needed. Therefore, his versatility and knowledge of the system will be greatly beneficial. Rojo displays energy, flair and a natural sense of anticipating danger, three qualities United require in a defender. What may concern Van Gaal is his dodgy disciplinary record – Rojo has racked up 20 yellow cards and 4 red cards in just two seasons.

Furthermore, his confidence in keeping the ball and his good distribution sees his as a credible avenue to begin attacks – building from the back. And if he will not build from the back, he will definitely intercept from that area; the Argentine averaged 2.18 interceptions at the World Cup per 90 metrics for Argentina. This highlighted his quality off the ball.

The 24 year-old defender is not only almost impregnable at the back – bar a few occasional errors – but is relatively potent in front of goal, often boasting the composure of a forward. Last season, Rojo scored four goals in 25 appearances for the Portuguese side in 2013/14.

Therefore, Rojo will add experience to an inexperienced back three in Van Gaal’s system, speed as well as calmness and stability as United try and reciprocate their pre-season form into the new season.

Paris Saint-Germain has been rocked by the news that their talismanic striker, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, will be out for close to six weeks due to injury.

Ibrahimovic was forced off with an injury after just 15 minutes into the Ligue 1 clash against Bastia, with the score still tied at 0-0. The Swedish international suffered the injury following a innocuous attempt to turn away from his man while in possession. Although he managed to play on for a couple more minutes, manager Laurent Blanc pulled him off a third-way through the half, replacing him with Ezequiel Lavezzi.

“At first I thought he had taken a knock, but no, it was as he was turning that he hurt himself in the side. It is a strange injury,” said Blanc after his side’s 2-0 victory over Bastia – courtesy of goals from Lucas Moura and Edison Cavani.

Blanc further added “I am not a doctor. I don’t know if it is serious, but knowing Ibra, for him not to finish the match the pain must have been quite intense. We will need to see with the medical staff if it is serious or not.”

However, after the paramedics ran their tests on the 31 year-old striker, it had been confirmed the club that the he would be sidelined for at least six weeks due to the abdominal injury he sustained during the game.

In a statement revealed by the club on Monday documenting the precise nature of the problem, it read, “Zlatan Ibrahimovic suffered a partial avulsion of the left oblique muscle under the 12th rib and will not play again for some time. His absence is estimated at approximately six weeks.”

The game against Bastia also saw another player added to the injury list; Thiago Motta is set to miss the upcoming clash against Evian, after he sustained a broken nose afflicted upon him by the inexplicable head butt by Bastia striker, Brandao on Saturday. However, Motta may make a swift return and be forced to don a protective mask, similar to that worn by Thiago Silva last season.

Ibrahimovic, who scored a record 41 goals for PSG in all competitions last season will nowcertainly miss the ties against Evia, St Etienne, Rennes, Lyon, Caen and Toulouse in the league, but stands an outside chance of making his return against last season’s big spenders, Monaco.

Monaco have endured a disappointing start to the campaign having lost 2-1 to Lorient in their opening fixture, before being hammered 4-1 by Bordeaux in the following match.

Ibra’s injury is a huge blow for the French champions; his injury marked the second serious setback for the champions in a week. Earlier, diminutive defender, Thiago Silva, injured his hamstring in a friendly against Napoli and is set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines.

From the French Riviera to India’s Taj Mahal; from the environs of the Statue of Liberty in America to the wilderness of Kenya’s eccentric landscapes, there is one common language that pervades topological boundaries – the global dialect of soccer.

While soccer fanatics in these countries may be thousands of miles away from the Anfields, Emirates and Old Traffords of this world, their passion for the Barclays English Premier League remains at fever pitch levels. Week in and week out, millions of fans across the world congregate at sports bars, cook out joints, the occasional cinemas and homes to fill up on their weekly dose of the English Premier League.

Also, the Premier League provides fans with the reward of soccer after a tiresome week at work.

“I thoroughly enjoy my weekends when the EPL is on,” said Ajay Singh, a Manchester United fan who lives in Nairobi, Kenya. “I often get home from work, take a cat nap and awake to the thrills of the league.”

Just like pubs across Europe and other continents, Kenyan bars and clubs are often packed with throngs of soccer fanatics, wildly cheering their sides on diligently with pure passion, in the naïve hope their top-of-the-lungs yelling and expertly weighed comments may impact the proceedings of the game. Plus a good turnout at such avenues equates to good business for owners.

Pratik Kamdar, one of the directors at Spartans Lounge, situated in the heart of Nairobi’s Westlands area, discussed how good the Premier League is to his business.

“It spells great news for business. Looking back at the World Cup 2014 that was, the carnival mood of the game brought with it an escalated sense of harmony amongst friends and strangers,” Kamdar said, “Furthermore, on a business level, our sales rose by 50% with a packed lounge – that is always a welcoming sign for any business. With the commencement of the EPL, I expect the same ambiance and turnout over the weekends.”

For years, the country of Kenya has been synonymous with supporting a handful of soccer teams, pre-dominantly Manchester United and Arsenal. However, nowadays you do find a respectable number of Liverpool fans, with pockets of Chelsea and Manchester City followers, while Everton and Tottenham make up but a minority of the soccer-supporting fanbase.

While it is obvious fans will not catch all the weekend’s action due to games being played at the same time, the probability of watching six to seven games over various satellite channels, coupled with the weekend highlight shows as well as online streaming and radio commentary means fans are never left in despair.

“Due to work, I rarely get to watch the games. However, through BBC as well as local radio stations, I keenly follow the commentary. Sometimes, I just check the scores online (via mobile phone),” said Abdulmajid Karama, a tuk tuk (rickshaw) operator manning the streets of Kenya’s coastal city of Mombasa.

Therefore, when the furore of the Premier League sets in, be sure Kenya will not be sidelined on the action for the soccer-frenzy country that will go to great extremes to catch the game.

Burnley has worked the transfer market in a typically low budget manner, spending only £1.5million pounds while acquiring other signings on a free. That comes as no surprise as manager Sean Dyche had spent only £450,000 on transfers in less than two years.

Dyche proved that his side had the perfect chemistry and unity to make it into the Premier League. Now he must focus in stabilizing the club in the top flight. In order to accomplish this, his focal points will be on organization, defending well and hitting sides on the counter-attack or from set-pieces. While they may be confident in front of their home crowd at Turf Moor, it is their travels that are cause for concern – Burnley bagged four points on its travels the last time they visited the league.

Dyche adopted the  4‑4‑2 throughout last season, but to succeed in the Premier League, he may need to add more steel to his midfield or risk being outclassed, outrun and outdone in the middle of the park.

Players in:

Lukas Jutkiewicz (from Middlesbrough, £ 1.5million), Michael Kightly (from Stoke, undisclosed), Matt Gilks (from Blackpool, free), Matthew Taylor (from West Ham, free), Marvin Sordell (from Bolton, free) and Steven Reid (from West Bromwich, free).

Players out:

Chris Baird (to West Bromwich, free), David Edgar (to Birmingham, free) and Junior Stanislas (to Bournemouth, free).

The arrivals of Matt Taylor, Michael Kightly and Steven Reid are likely to add invaluable experience to the just-promoted side, as they seek to cause upsets and escape relegation. Of mammoth relief and boost to their survival hopes is the retention of clinical men, Danny Ings and Sam Vokes. The pair notched up a total of 41 goals last season. Although the latter is out with an injury, the team doctor pencilled his return within the first month of the league. Hopefully, the adrenalin rush and Ings can add a few points to the league table by then.

Predicted finish: 17th

Former Juventus coach, Antonio Conte, has been appointed as the new coach for the Italian national team, the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) confirmed today. Since the unexpected resignation of former Italian coach, Cesare Prandelli, in the wake of their dismal World Cup 2014 group stage elimination, the position had remained vacant.

The 45 year-old tactician has subsequently signed a two-year contract worth £2.8million per annum to fill in that void.

Conte – who is coming off the back of three supremely successful seasons with Italian outfit, Juventus – was appointed as the coach of Italy, pipping the likes of Francesco Guidolin, Alberto Zaccheroni and Roberto Mancini; all of whom had been heavily linked with the vacancy.

Conte led the Turin side to three back-to-back Serie A titles, before suddenly calling time on his affiliations with the club. Speaking in the aftermath of his resignation in Turin, Conte said “I have decided to terminate my contract with Juventus,” to the club’s official website. “I have matured with time and my feelings led me to make this choice. It may be more difficult to keep winning with Juventus.”

Despite his appointment, there had been rumors that the former Old Lady manager would not assume the position. While Conte was believed to have been content with the financial package on offer, one of his demands included taking hands-on technical control of the national team set-up; that included of the youth sides.

However, uncertainty gave way to optimism after Carlo Tavecchio, the FIGC President was yesterday quoted to have told La Repubblica “I got up at 7am and immediately set to work,”

“I spoke to Conte and three or four more… I have no answers just yet, otherwise I would say so, but Conte seemed a decent person.”

Tavecchio was further quoted to have mention “I am optimistic for the federation and for Italy, so we’ll see. Would Conte be a nice gift for Italians? I have to say yes.”

Soon after, an official statement from the FIGC was released, reading: “President (Carlo) Tavecchio and Antonio Conte spoke directly by phone to define the final aspects of the collaboration that will bind Antonio Conte to the FIGC until July 31, 2016.”

“The new coach shared in the president Tavecchio’s vision to revitalise the national team and the project of training of new Azzurri players, and has a strong commitment towards the technical sector as coordinator of the youth teams.”

The federation’s statement further read: “The contract between the FIGC and Antonio Conte provides compensation in line with the cost of the previous management, with a bonus for qualifying for Euro 2016, an added bonus in case of improvement of at least five places in the FIFA rankings, and a third bonus in case of participation at the Euro 2016 finals.”

Manchester United has started the post-Moyes era in remarkable fashion, having not lost in any of their six pre-season friendlies as they settle relatively well into Louis Van Gaal’s unorthodox 3-5-2 system. Their last friendly fixture – against Valencia – saw Marouane Fellaini notch his first goal for the club in injury time, which is typical to the Red Devils’ way in what Van Gaal labeled as the ‘worst game’ under him. His peculiar words are as clear an indication as any that results will not be enough to shield the players from his wrath as he re-imposes the attacking and eye-catching flair that went amiss under predecessor, David Moyes. First up is Saturday’s Premier League opener against Swansea City.

Transfers in:

Luke Shaw (Southampton, £30 million), Ander Herrera (Athletic Bilbao, £28.8 million) and Vanja Milinkovic (FK Vojvodina, Undisclosed).

Transfers out:

Alexander Buttner (Dynamo Moscow, £4.4 million), Bebe (Benfica, £2.25 million), Patrice Evra (Juventus, £1.2 million), Jack Barmby and Louis Rowley (Leicester City on a free), Federico Macheda (Cardiff City on a free), Nemanja Vidic (Inter Milan on a free), Rio Ferdinand (Queens Park Rangers on a free) and Vanja Milinkovic (FK Vojvodina on loan).

Last season:

The EPL 2013/14 season saw United finish seventh – their worst ever performance since the inception of the English Premier League back in 1992. While Moyes’ forerunner, Sir Alex Ferguson, focused on attacking soccer, as they bullied teams about, Moyes adopted a pragmatic approach as he opted to defend first before attacking. That approached yielded no fruits as Moyes and United endured a torrid season dotted by disappointment, impotency in front of goal and a diminishing self-belief.

Player to watch:

Wayne Rooney.

From the brink of the exit door to captaincy, Wayne Rooney has made a tremendous U-turn. While his work ethic and endurance has never been questioned, his goal scoring record dipped over the last two seasons. However, with five goals to his name during his pre-season exploits, the striker is already showing glimpses of regaining his potency in front of goal. Now wearing the captain’s armband, the striker will exhibit the extreme maturity, determination and hunger that evaded him last season as he steers his side on in the battle for the top four. Trust him to bang in more goals as he tries to bring his teammates into play.

Coach’s corner:

In Louis Van Gaal, the club has an extraordinary personality. His blunt approach sees him possess an aura of no nonsense. As shown during pre-season friendlies widely reported by the media, the Dutchman will not shy away from criticizing his players when they go astray, as he won’t from praising them when they get it right. Furthermore, the Dutchman is also his own man, a message he expressed to the world during the World Cup 2014 when he hooked off Jasper Cillissen in favor of Tim Krul for the penalty shoot-out against Costa Rica in quarter-finals.

Prediction:

The only way for United is up. What remains unknown is how high they will end up come May 2015. In Van Gaal, United has a stern figure not scared of disappointing the bigwigs who fail to impress. However, with the unpredictable nature of the league, Van Gaal may be forced to sacrifice or alter his 3-5-2 formation in search of the magical three points. While winning the league will be a huge ask, a spot in Europe’s elite competition is not far-fetched.

Everton FC announced the club has reached an agreement in principle to sign the Chelsea winger, Christian Atsu, on a season-long loan, according to Everton manager Roberto Martínez.

Martinez’s men finished fifth last season, running out of gas in the dying stages of the campaign, and the Spaniard is eager to go one better as he seeks to guide his side into Europe’s elite first tier competition – the UEFA Champions League.

Having already brought in Gareth Barry from Manchester City, Muhamed Besic from Ferencvaros and Romelu Lukaku from Chelsea, Atsu becomes the club’s fourth summer acquisition – albeit on loan.

SEE MORE — What to expect from midfielder Christian Etsu

The deal provides an ideal win-win situation for all three parties involved in it. Chelsea benefit from temporarily offloading a winger off their heavily populated midfield, while Everton gain the services of a technically astute 22-year-old Ghanaian international. As for Atsu, he will get a better chance at first team soccer as he seeks to emulate former Chelsea man, Romelu Lukaku, by impressing on loan.

Speaking to the Liverpool Echo newspaper, Martinez was quoted to have said, “Everything has been agreed with Christian – it’s just a matter of finalizing little details more with his work permit and personal situation.”

The club website quoted the Spaniard manager as describing the Ghanaian as “a player who fits in with the culture and the way we want to play. He’s a very gifted technical footballer and he’s got the right personality and character to fit in with the group, which is vital.

“He will excite fans because he brings something completely different and a different way of playing to what we’ve got in the squad… He’s a left-footed player who loves taking people on and he’s got a really good understanding of the game for such a young man.”

Martinez however mentioned that it would take a couple of days for the player to attain a work permit as well as address his personal situation.

Atsu, who joined Chelsea  from Porto for £3.5 million last summer, was shipped to Vitesse Arnhem on loan, before momentarily joining Chelsea and subsequently agreeing to a loan move to the Merseyside Blue.

“I’m very happy to be joining Everton because it’s a great club, which likes to play football, and it’s a great pleasure to be here,” said the winger to evertontv. “Playing in the Premier League has always been a dream for me and I have achieved that dream.

“This is the biggest level for me to play at. I know that it’s a very competitive league and I believe with hard work we’re going to be successful this season,” he concluded.

Martinez new acquisition will provide “extra competition in a position in which we felt we needed a player full of desire and hunger, who really wants to make things happen in the final third of the pitch.”

Everton begin their Premier League campaign away at promoted Leicester City on Saturday. For viewers in the United States, the game will be shown live on NBCSN at 10am ET. View the Premier League TV schedule for the latest updates.

This match has all the ingredients to serve a titanic meal to soccer fans all around the world twice over. Whether it will be France avenging their 1982 loss in the World Cup semi-finals to the Germans on penalties or Die Mannschaft looking for a first World Cup title since West Germany won the title in 1990. One thing remains certain; you won’t want to miss this game.

Germany, playing in their ninth consecutive World Cup quarterfinals seem the bookies favorites, but in truth, they have failed to impress after their jaw-dropping 4-0 opening Group Stage win over Portugal. Having suffered a scare against Ghana, they were able to defeat USA to top the group before scrapping past Algeria in an extra-time thriller.

Coach Joachim Low will want to have captain Philipp Lahm in his defensive role for this game, especially after Shkodran Mustafi’s hamstring injury ruled him out for the remainder of the tournament.

Mario Gotze’s lack of form should be cause for concern, leaving Low contemplating dropping the Bavarian in favor of Lukas Podolski who was recently ruled match fit. Alternatively, he could deploy Andre Schurrle after his match-winning performance, instead of using him as a substitute.

With Thomas Muller still impressing, there will be no room for Miroslav Klose, as he seeks to break the World Cup scoring record – unless called upon from the bench.

On the other side of the technical box, Didier Deschamps has his own conundrums to solve. France – despite having shown moments of brilliance – have been on a nervy path, often relying on the bursts from Paul Pogba and Blaise Matuidi to bail them out. However, they come into this match the fresher of the two sides, having played the last of their group stages before Germany finished its group campaign. France also concluded their round of 16 match in regular time. In nine of the last ten matches in the World Cup knockout stages where a side that has won in regular time faced off with a side that needed extra-time to advance, the fresher team won.

In defense Deschamps has a decision to make, either he starts off with Laurent Koscielny who was part of keeping a clean sheet against Nigeria – or opt for the physical presence of Mamadou Sakho, who has recently recovered from a thigh injury.

The midfield is likely to see Yohan Cabaye, Matuidi and Pogba remain intact, as Les Bleus hope to bully their opponents off the ball. France’s midfield has been a consistently strong presence in this tournament.

Up front, Olivier Giroud looks likely to drop to the bench after being ineffective during the game against Nigeria, with pacey Real Sociedad winger, Antoine Griezmann filling the void, alongside Karim Benzrma and Mathieu Valbuena. If things do not go well for Deschamps’ men early on, Giroud could offer a plan B for the team in the attacking department.

Projected Lineups:

France – (4-2-1-3): Lloris; Debuchy, Varane, Koscienly, Evra; Matuidi, Cabaye; Pogba; Griezman, Benzema, Valbuena.

Germany – (4-3-3): Neuer; Lahm, Hummels, Mertesacker, Howedes; Schweinsteiger, Khedeira, Kroos; Özil, Müller, Schurrle.

No African team has managed to qualify past the quarter-finals stage in the World Cup, but based on their last game against Argentina, Nigeria look the most likely side of the two African teams to go furthest in Brazil.

Nigeria qualified through to the round of 16 with a win, draw and loss apiece – scoring three goals and conceding three. While that stat reveals their solid defense, it equally highlights their impotency in front of goal. However, their fast-paced wingers and aggressive play will definitely work in their favor.

John Obi Mikel and Onazi will need to be at their best if they to break down play and allow Nigerians the rare chance to dictate play throughout. As inevitable as it may be, sending the ball to front men Emmanuel Emenike, Ahmed Musa and Odemwingie may bring them the goals. However, they need to involve other players in the game or risk being configured all too easily.

However, with keeper Enyeama solidly marshaling his defense, coupled with France’s attacking style of play, Nigeria can be silently confident of punishing France on the counter.

Nigerian coach Stephen Keshi does have some injury problems ahead of the clash. Midfielders Michael Babatunde and Victor Moses look unlikely to make the tie. The former is nursing a freak arm injury while the later is yet to return to full fitness. In the case of Moses failing to make the team, Michael Uchebo could be called up.

Meanwhile the once fallible French squad has been transformed into a spirited, gutsy, counter-attacking and flamboyant side. Les Blues have been impressive in the group stage, they managed to put eight past their opposition, conceding only two. And with the likes of Evra, Valbuena and Cabaye all rested against Ecuador, they will fancy their chances. In Benzema and Giroud, France have plan A and B to rely in their arsenal of tactics to outwit Nigeria.

French manager Didier Deschamps will however have to shuffle his back four after Liverpool and Arsenal defenders Mamadou Sakho and Laurent Koscielny are struggling with injuries. This should see Eliaquim Mangala and rapidly rising youngling, Raphael Varane, deputise in their absence.

Further up field, Paul Pogba looks likely to start ahead of Moussa Sissoko, while Benzema will lead the men upfront.

France: (4-3-3) Lloris; Debuchy,Magala, Varane, Evra; Cabaye , Matuidi, Pogba; Valbuena, Griezmann, Benzema.
Nigeria: (4-3-3) Enyeama; Ambrose, Oshaniwa, Omeruo, Yobo; Mikel, Onazi, Uchebo; Emenike, Odemwingie, Musa.

The clash between Spain and Chile at the iconic Maracana stadium is an example of two teams at opposite ends of the spectrum. The former are smarting from a 5-1 demolishing at the hands of Netherlands, while the latter will be brimming with confidence after their dominating victory against Australia in the opening fixture.

If Spain loses, the World Champions could be eliminated depending on the other group result today.

Spanish coach Vicente del Bosque revealed that he would bring in the changes, staying true to his tiki-taka style of play. Although del Bosque has never lost back-to-back games since taking over the team, he will be wary of a similar threat offered by the electric and counter-attacking Chile side; after all, ‘once bitten, twice shy.’

Despite letting in five goals, del Bosque is likely to stick to the ever-dependable Iker Casillas, his level head will be key in this must-win clash already being dubbed ‘a final.’ However, he may opt to sacrifice the stability of Juanfran for the attacking threat of Azpilcueta in defence, while axing the visibly lethargic Pique in favour of Javi Martinez.
Sacrifices will continue in midfield as a 4-3-3 system seems on the cards, with Alonso and Busquets providing cover for the back four – lest history repeat itself twice in a week. In place of David Silva, del Bosque may opt to introduce Pedro into the fray, hoping to reap the benefits of his creative pressure and pace.

Diego Costa looked displaced in the Spanish team, thus limiting his contribution. His ineffective display is likely to see him dropped in favor of the highly experienced and lethal striker, David Villa, if they are to maintain their commendable record of eight wins and two draws against the Chilean side.

For Chile, Sampoli is likely to stick to the same side that brushed past Australia in a game that threatened to turn into a rout after his side’s two goals scored in the first 10 minutes. Yet again, Chile will be relying on Barcelona’s Alexis Sanchez – who turned up the style, scoring one and assisting another – to provide the wind that would propel the side to another three points.

Also under the radar is Juventus star, Arturo Vidal. Despite looking a tad rusty on his return from a knee injury, having lasted over an hour in the first game, Sampoli hopes he will be more assertive and influential in the coming games.

What Chile must work on if they are to gain an invaluable three points, is their suspect defending of crosses and set pieces. With the likes of Villa and Martinez willing to pounce on the most minute of errors, Sampoli may introduce Francisco Silva at centre-back, although may opt not to tinker a winning formula.

Before the Chelsea-Arsenal match, many Gooners were looking forward to the game against Jose Mourinho’s team, as they dreamed of a memorable victory in Arsene Wenger’s 1000th game in charge that would take the Gunners to one point behind Chelsea with a game in hand. To Chelsea however, this was but their next minor obstacle in their march to the Barclays English Premier League title.

It took Chelsea just 17 minutes to set up an unassailable lead, with Samuel Eto’o opening the scoring, followed merely 100 seconds later by Andre Schurrle before a hullabaloo incident in the 15th minute saw Andre Marriner inexplicably send off the wrong player for a horrendously unsporting act from the Ox.

While Gunners fans will be quick to divert the attention of their mauling to the fairly rare wrong sending off, they simply started off with their heads elsewhere. They were punished for their almost casual approach to the game, already one goal down. And if ever the soccer world had doubts on Arsenal’s title credentials, it was laid bare by the unorthodox move by milestone manager when he substituted the attacking Lukas Podolski for Thomas Vermaelen. That tactical change sent two messages out to the players and fans; the first was that it was all about damage limitation for Wenger’s men – who have been on the receiving end of a 5-1 and 6-3 mauling by Liverpool and Manchester City in the league this season. The second was a freshly sealed envelope inviting Mourinho’s men to unleash torrents of attacks.

By the end of the first half, even goal-shy Oscar had got his name on the score sheet. Oscar – who broke his 10 games goalless run – went on to double that tally. To rub salt in their wounds, winter signing Mohamed Salah added to the score line, his first for the club. The not-so-long-ago solid and impenetrable back four had – over a 90 minute period – become an error capital for which Chelsea were unapologetic in capitalizing upon. And what prevented the score line from spiraling into double digits was the reliable-but-occasionally-shaky hands of Szczesny.

While many will rue the red card that marred what would have been a pinnacle game for the title, Arsenal paid dearly for their lax play in the opening minutes of the game, coupled with the peculiar move by Wenger to go for safety with more than an hour of the titanic clash still to go.

What was far more worrying than the score line itself was the relative ease and innumerous occasions Chelsea overran, outsmarted and peeled open the Arsenal back four. At one point in the game, it was almost as if Chelsea were facing a shambled Sunday morning side. With no player willing to pick the baton from the other, Arsenal’s abysmal performance was plainly evident.

Perhaps nothing better summed up Arsenal’s performance better than former England international Dion Dublin’s post-match comment:

“Arsenal have been all over the place, nobody taking responsibility, nobody talking and nobody wanting the ball. They have fallen apart, it is not like Arsenal to do that. Chelsea though have been awesome.”

Truth be told, Wenger’s reluctance may have affected the Gunner’s chances for silverware, but the score line is nowhere close to the reality of what a striker would have added to the clueless side. Injuries seemed to have handicapped the team, but Wenger is well-aware that the likes of Podolski, Oxlade-Chamberlain and Sanogo are capable of producing assists, if not goals for the team to flourish.

For their part, Chelsea were simply telepathic today as no player was a passenger in the rampant performance in the supreme performance. Their breathtaking counter attacks always saw them have three or four players charging at the feeble-looking Arsenal defense. Put simply, Chelsea were simply on another level against an Arsenal side who had lost the game “in [the first] 10 minutes” as Mourinho put it in his post-match interview.

Arsenal are now tasked with having to pick up what is left of their gut-wrenching defeat and prepare – both tactically and mentally – for their next game.

Today saw Arsenal’s Premier League title hopes erased.

While Manchester United were recently protecting a precious one goal lead against Southampton, manager David Moyes made the most negative change in his short United career thus far. He took off the energetic Wayne Rooney, and replaced him with Chris Smalling. Two minutes later, a defensive lapse in concentration saw Southampton level, and the game ended 1-1. The Old Trafford faithful were questioning the wisdom of that change, as many doubted Sir Alex Ferguson’s successor’s mentality. While Fergie would have brought on a fresh pair of feet upfront to kill the game off, Moyes did the contrary.

Manchester United boast a tradition of counter-attacking, wing play and flair in their play. The change Moyes made almost defied the very principles of the club; opting to defend a lead against ‘minnows’ as opposed to attack them and contain them in their own half.

In the Champions League match against Bayer Leverkusen, Moyes modestly tinkered his starting line-up but sent on a talented squad onto the pitch, carrying on the philosophy of Fergie’s rotation policy. And when the going was good, Moyes gave some players a rest, availing game time to the others. Rotation is the name of the game.

Five games smarter in the league, Moyes made substitutions much accustomed to at Old Trafford. While drawing at White Hart Lane against a side that has been struggling for goals and form, Moyes brought on an attacking trio of Hernandez, Nani and Young. Two months ago, many fans would have expected a cautious approach — perhaps Fellaini, Welbeck and Anderson. This time around, Moyes knew better. And this season, more than in previous ones, every point is crucial as United chase the elusive top spot currently occupied by Arsenal.

Although United may not have garnered all three points against Tottenham, they certainly have improved their game. Their unappealing play has slowly transformed into eye-catching football. However, just like Arsenal in previous campaigns, the Red Devils seem to lack the killer finish.

Sitting nine points behind the Gunners, United can ill-afford to drop any more points as they try to cut down the ever widening gap. However, if Manchester United can replicate the desire and hunger they have shown in recent weeks, the only way is up as Moyes slowly settles in to life at Old Trafford, coupled with the never-say-die attitude that has seen United flourish in previous campaigns. It may take patience, a concept alien to United fans, to achieve success, but if recent games are anything to go by, the Red Devils are certainly on the road to recovery.

Editor’s note: Read the latest Red Devils news, opinion and analysis on the Manchester United team page.

Manchester United and England footballer Phil Jones has made it no secret that he is most comfortable playing for both club and country at the heart of defense. Yet he often finds himself playing at right-back or central midfield for the Red Devils.

Jones, who joined Manchester United from Blackburn Rovers in 2011 for a fee in the region of £16.5 million, provides the missing piece of the midfield puzzle for the Scotsman.

Since his arrival at Old Trafford, the 21-year-old has featured in the centre of defense, as a right-back and in the midfield role, with former manager Sir Alex Ferguson crediting his versatility, which provided him with various positions in which to play the Englishman.

But Jones is keen to nail down a fixed position.

“When I came, it was always the plan to establish myself as a centre-back and I hope to do it this season. If the manager keeps faith in me, I’ll make sure I can cement a spot there and get a good run there.”

But is that his best position for Manchester United? Maybe not.

Phil Jones is an individual with an immense physical presence and an imposing, good understanding of the game. He’s highly confident and has stamina, all of which make him extremely versatile. While he may have the desired attributes to pose a commanding figure in front of his keeper, he is better off protecting the back four.

While Jones does not necessarily possess flair and finesse, he is incredible effective in closing down spaces and breaking the opposition’s play, something that has been missing since Fletcher managed to fill that gap after Roy Keane’s absence. However, due to Darren Fletcher’s chronic stomach problems, Ferguson tried Cleverley and Anderson in that position, with no success until Carrick assumed that responsibility.

For seasons on end, Carrick has been Manchester United’s unsung midfield hero, playing box-to-box consistently. But you cannot rely on one player all season. Thus, the purchase of Fellaini, who is yet to find his feet at United.

However, it was against Arsenal that we saw Phil Jones put in one of his most impressive performances of the season thus far. He harrowed the opposition, closed down spaces, pressured and broke the attacks of his opponents with unmatched consistency. And when Nemanja Vidic didn’t return for the second half after a head injury, fans and the manager alike got the chance to make a comparison of Jones’ performance in midfield and at centre-back. While he did a good job in shutting out his opponents in defense, he was much more influential in the middle of the park as he made interceptions and several forays into Arsenal’s half.

For seasons now, United have lacked a plan B when things went wrong in midfield. But with Jones in the middle of park, they need not worry too much about when Fletcher is fit enough to play, or when Fellaini will settle in the side. Jones, rotating with Carrick, is reason for optimism. For all United’s attacking quality, it is the holding-midfield position that seems the weak link and is porous enough to allow a lot of dangerous play through that channel.

Moyes calls the shots, and he has been pleased with what Jones has produced so far. With him imperious performance against the Gunners, Moyes is likely to follow in the footsteps of his predecessor and shun the opportunity to have Jones at centre back, instead opting him to play the midfield role for the Red Devils, and quite rightly so.

Editor’s note: For the latest Red Devils news, analysis and opinion, visit our Manchester United team page.

After having failed with a late bid to land Demba Ba from Chelsea in the summer transfer window, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is back at it again. Arsenal is reportedly considering a £15million bid for the Senegalese international in January, in the wake of their recent 1-0 defeat to Manchester United.

As was the case in early September, Wenger is in the hunt to provide an able cover for his preferred striker Olivier Giroud. The Frenchman has been in terrific form, having bagged five goals in the English Premier League and three goals in the UEFA Champions League, while playing a pivotal role in his side’s recent success.

Currently, Wenger is left relying on Gunners’ outcast Niklas Bendtner to provide cover to the French international, in the absence of injured Yaya Sanogo, Theo Walcott, Lukas Podolski and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, all of whom can deputize in the centre-forward role in the absence of Giroud.

If Bendtner’s cameo against the Red Devils is anything to go by, then Arsenal desperately need another striker. The Danish international’s almost casual approach, lack of match fitness and missing killer instinct were visible to all. Although in his defense, Bendtner has not started a league game for Arsenal in over two years. He failed to repay Wenger’s faith in him when he was considered an integral part of the squad.

Demba Ba meanwhile has failed to make the expected impact at Chelsea this season, after his January move to the west London club. However, that does no justice to the immense talent he possesses. Not only does Ba have a lethal right foot, good physique and temperament, his ability to bring teammates into play makes him a desirable player. And despite his peripheral figure at Chelsea, Ba has managed to score three English Premier League goals and two UEFA Champions League goals thus far.

Were he permitted to switch allegiance, Ba would definitely be a priceless asset to a resurgent Arsenal. Not only will he provide Wenger the luxury of rotating his forwards, but will definitely boost their chances of succeeding in the remaining three competitions they are fighting for. For Chelsea, the rotation of Samuel Eto’o and Fernando Torres is finally starting to click for the Blues. Perhaps the only way Ba doesn’t move across London to the Emirates is if Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho wants to be spiteful and doesn’t want to give Arsenal any added firepower especially if it ends up being a title race between the two sides. For Demba Ba’s sake, however, he needs the playing time especially if Senegal qualify for World Cup 2014.

Editor’s note: For the latest Gunners news, opinion and analysis, visit our Arsenal team page.

In the past 13 years, roughly 0.38 goals per year have been scored by goalkeepers in the Premier League. So when a goalkeeper does score, it’s such a rare treat that it’s something you want to embrace and watch over and over again.

Only five goalkeepers are in the folklore of Premier League keepers who have scored in England’s top flight. Here are the five goals from 2001-2013:

Peter Schmeichel

After having a mightily successful career at Manchester United, epitomized by the unforgettable 1999 treble, Peter Schmeichel was back in England, after a spell at Portuguese club Sporting CP, when he signed for Aston Villa.

In 2001, he befittingly became the first goalkeeper to score a goal in the English Premier League against Everton. However his record breaking feat was not enough against the Toffees, as Villa went down 3-2 at Goodison Park.

His goal, deep into injury time capped a personal milestone, further etching his name into the echelons of the English Premier League.

However, Schmeichel did leave Manchester on a sour note, having played for United’s city rivals before hanging up his boots, and even managed to muster a clean sheet against his former employees — an action that definitely left a sour taste in the mouths of many United supporters.

Brad Friedel

The game was as tense as it could get, with Blackburn trailing 2-1 against Charlton in stoppage time back in 2004. Having won a corner, as had become the norm, even the goalkeeper joined in on the last action. Nine Blackburn players flooded the opposition’s penalty area in the hope of salvaging a draw. It was an unlikely source that came to the rescue.  Brett Emerton’s corner ended up at the feet of Paul Gallagher, who sent the ball back into the crowded penalty area, and goalkeeper Brad Friedel reacted first to the ball, unleashing a vicious left-footer into the net, much to the merriment of his colleagues and fans alike.

The delighted American had surely rescued a point for his side — at least that was what he thought, only to let in an even later goal from Claus Jensen’s effort. Poor Brad was left licking his wounds, after having gone from hero to villain almost instantly.

Paul Robinson

We had all grown accustomed to the mammoth kicks by the England international. However, even with such knowledge having resided in our sub-conscious, no one was prepared for his magnificent punt back that led to a goal back in his Tottenham days.

In 2007 at White Hart Lane, Paul Robinson made a mockery of Watford with his uncalculated yet perfectly executed goal against his then English nemesis Ben Foster, who had taken away the number one jersey from him in England’s game against Spain.

Robinson launched the ball forward in a typical goalkeeper style, all the way into the opposition’s penalty area. Then, jaws dropped as the ball took an unexpectedly high bounce that deceived young Ben, bouncing over the Manchester United loaned keeper and settling innocently into the net. Wowzer!

Tim Howard

The American international, playing in a windy Merseyside encounter against Bolton in 2012, was yet another goalkeeper to have produced what seemed unthinkable — mostly due to the fact it was unintended. With the score at 0-0, what seemed like a routine clearance 92 yards away from the Bolton goal turned catastrophic for the Trotters when a gust of wind made the ball travel faster than anticipated, and was helped by an enormous bounce. The ball looped over Adam Bogdan and went into an empty net.

Howard was left bemused by the goal, as too was Bogdan — albeit for different reasons. While Howard refused to celebrate, after being on the receiving end of a similar goal years back, Bogdan was left scratching his head, bemused by the sudden gust of winds that left him red faced, despite the cold temperatures.

After the game, much to the consolation of Bogdan, Howard said, “Defenders were missing clearances that normally they would put up the field.”

‘I let [Bogdan] know that I was feeling for him. It’s not a nice place to be. I’ve been there before, a long, long time ago, and that was why I didn’t celebrate.”

In a befitting twist of fate, Everton surrendered their lead, ultimately losing 2-1 at the final whistle.

Asmir Begovic

Perhaps none came as surprising to the league as goalkeeper Asmir Begovic’s goal for Stoke City against Southampton, who scored 13 seconds into the match. Begovic’s long kick forward — approximated at 97.5 yards — cleared the Southampton defense, before devilishly bouncing over Artur Boruc for the opener.

With the aid of strong winds, Begovic, who ironically made his debut in England playing for Portsmouth, punted a long ball forward from his own penalty area. The ball looked destined to be ably collected by Boruc, but took a bounce that caught him off guard, before landing in the net.

And as was the case for Tim Howard, both keepers looked bemused at the series of events that led to that freak goal.

However, Southampton leveled through Jay Rodriguez to salvage a point for the red faced and red home jersey Saints.