Glasgow (AFP) – Brendan Rodgers hailed his fringe players on Saturday after a 2-1 home win over Dundee allowed Celtic to restore their 11-point lead in the Scottish Premiership. With one eye on a busy festive fixture list that includes another four games before the turn of the year, Rodgers made five changes to the […]

Stoke-on-Trent (United Kingdom) (AFP) – England's Football Association will study referee Craig Pawson's report before determining whether to take punitive action against Leicester City following their eventful 2-2 draw at Stoke City. The main flashpoint of Saturday's Premier League game saw Leicester striker Jamie Vardy dismissed in the 28th minute by Pawson for a two-footed […]

Leipzig (Germany) (AFP) – RB Leipzig's goal-scorer Willi Orban is relishing the prospect of Wednesday's Bundesliga showdown and the chance to stop hosts Bayern Munich topping the German league table at Christmas. Leipzig knocked Bayern, who are at bottom side Darmstadt on Sunday, off the top of the German league on Saturday with a 2-0 […]

West Bromwich (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Jose Mourinho hailed Zlatan Ibrahimovic after the veteran striker scored twice to secure Manchester United a fourth consecutive victory with a 2-0 win at West Bromwich Albion. The United manager sang the praises of the evergreen Ibrahimovic after he struck early in each half as United moved alongside fifth-placed […]

London (AFP) – Antonio Conte insists there is more to come from Chelsea after a 1-0 victory at Crystal Palace gave the leaders a club record-equalling 11th successive league win. Conte's side moved nine points clear at the top ahead of third placed Arsenal's trip to face Manchester City on Sunday and second placed Liverpool's clash […]

London (AFP) – West Ham fans were so relieved by their team's 1-0 win over Hull that they named a goalpost as man of the match after the woodwork saved the Hammers three times. A Mark Noble penalty gave Slaven Bilic's side the three points in the Premier League clash at the London Stadium but […]

Turin (Italy) (AFP) – Captain Gianluigi Buffon hailed a "fundamental" win for Juventus after Gonzalo Higuain's first-half strike secured a 1-0 victory over Roma and sent the champions seven points clear at the top on Saturday. "It's a fundamental win for us because the championship still has a long way to go," Juventus goalkeeper Buffon […]

Madrid (AFP) – A stunning four-goal blitz in 10 minutes allowed Sevilla to leapfrog Barcelona into second in La Liga on Saturday as Luciano Vietto scored twice in a 4-1 win over Malaga. Atletico Madrid registered a first win in four games as Saul Niguez's excellent 25-yard strike earned a nervy 1-0 victory against Las […]

Turin (Italy) (AFP) – Gonzalo Higuain struck a first-half winner as record-equalling Juventus underlined their credentials for a record sixth consecutive title with a battling 1-0 win over Roma on Saturday. Roma travelled to Turin determined to reduce their four-point deficit to the five-time consecutive Serie A champions before the Christmas break. But despite an […]

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 […]

London (AFP) – Championship leaders Newcastle ensured pole position at Christmas thanks to a 2-1 win at Burton Albion, while Gianfranco Zola's debut as Birmingham manager ended in a frustrating 2-1 defeat against Brighton on Saturday. Rafael Benitez's Newcastle took the lead in the 15th minute of their first ever meeting with Burton when former […]

Milan (AFP) – AC Milan lost ground on leaders Juventus and second-placed AS Roma after being held to a lacklustre goalless draw at their San Siro stronghold on Saturday by Lombardy rivals Atalanta. Milan stay third two points behind Roma and six off leaders Juventus, with the top two going head to head later Saturday […]

West Bromwich (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored twice as Manchester United secured their fourth consecutive victory with a comfortable 2-0 victory at West Bromwich Albion on Saturday. The Swedish striker struck early in each half as Jose Mourinho's side pursued their recent upturn in form to move alongside fifth-place Tottenham Hotspur on 30 […]

London (AFP) – Diego Costa earned Chelsea a 1-0 victory at Crystal Palace on Saturday as the Premier League leaders claimed a club record-equalling 11th consecutive league victory. Costa headed home Cesar Azpilicueta's cross in the 43rd minute at a foggy Selhurst Park to send Antonio Conte's men nine points clear. "The run is fantastic," […]

Sunderland (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Patrick van Aanholt's goal earned Sunderland a potentially priceless 1-0 win over Watford on Saturday as they climbed off the foot of the Premier League table. The Dutch left-back struck for the third time this season in the 49th minute at the Stadium of Light as David Moyes's men returned […]