Wayne Rooney has told Manchester United to make Michael Carrick head coach on a permanent basis after his former team-mate oversaw a 3-1 win over Aston Villa on Sunday. Casemiro, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko were all in target as Carrick recorded his seventh victory out of nine matches since succeeding Ruben Amorim until the end of the season.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot opted for a significant shake-up of his starting XI ahead of Liverpool’s clash with Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield in Matchday 30 of the Premier League, making five changes from the side that fell to defeat against Galatasaray in the Champions League in midweek. The most notable omission is Mohamed Salah, whose recent dip in form has led to him losing his place in the line-up to teenage prodigy Rio Ngumoha.
Barcelona re-established their healthy lead at the top of La Liga on Sunday afternoon, beating Sevilla 5-2 to move back four points clear of Real Madrid. It was another fruitful outing for Raphinha, who bagged a hat-trick in the win. Two of his strikes came from the penalty spot, with his third a looping deflection that put the game to bed early in the second half.
Barcelona sporting director Deco has broken his silence regarding the club's plans for Marcus Rashford, who is currently on a season-long loan from Manchester United. Despite the forward's impressive form for the Catalan giants, the former Portugal international stressed that any final decision remains pending due to various internal and external pressures.
Portuguese playmaker Bruno Fernandes has created more history at Manchester United. By providing two assists in a 3-1 win over Aston Villa, he surpassed David Beckham's mark of 15 to reach 16 assists, setting a new Premier League single-season club record. This vital victory also represents a massive step forward in United's quest to secure Champions League qualification.
Lauren James' brilliance took centre stage as Chelsea retained the Women's League Cup on Sunday, the England international once again coming back to haunt Manchester United as her goal was backed up by Aggie Beever-Jones' opportunistic finish to give the Blues a 2-0 win and the first piece of silverware of the season. In a tight game of few chances, James' clinical touch looked set to prove decisive before Beever-Jones made sure of the win in the latter stages, rounding off a remarkable effort from a Chelsea side plagued by injuries.
Manchester United came up short in Sunday's Women's League Cup final, losing 2-0 to Chelsea after a catastrophic Dominique Janssen error gifted Lauren James the opening goal. Marc Skinner's side did have plenty of the play in Bristol across the course of the 90 minutes, but their hopes of a fightback were extinguished by substitute Aggie Beever-Jones in the second half.
Bruno Fernandes made history by inspiring Manchester United to a 3-1 win over Aston Villa as they homed in on a return to the Champions League. The Red Devils captain recorded his 15th and 16th assists of the season as United saw off fellow top-four contenders Villa and tightened their grip on third place, opening up a three-point gap with Unai Emery's side.
Former referee Mark Clattenburg has strongly criticised match official Paul Tierney for standing inside a Chelsea pre-match huddle during their Premier League clash against Newcastle United at Stamford Bridge. Following Newcastle's 1-0 victory, Clattenburg described the bizarre moment as a terrible look, insisting Tierney's perceived arrogance understandably angered the visitors.
Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick has opted for caution regarding Lamine Yamal at a crucial time in the season. The German boss has left the teenager out of his starting XI for his team's league match against Sevilla at Spotify Camp Nou. Barcelona are hoping to take all three points and restore their four-point lead over Real Madrid at the top of the table.
Joao Felix found his name on the scoresheet in the Saudi Pro League for the first time in 2026. The former Chelsea and Barcelona man had gone 14 matches without a goal, a streak stretching back to a 2-2 draw with Al-Ettifaq in December. Despite the lack of goals, Felix remained a vital cog in the Al-Nassr machine, providing seven assists in his previous 10 outings before finally finding the back of the net again with a brace.
Real Madrid face a dilemma over Kylian Mbappe's fitness ahead of their Champions League clash with Manchester City clash as France and Nike demand his presence for international friendlies. The World Cup winner may be called upon by his country despite sitting out matches at club level.
Everyone wants to win the World Cup, but what does the trophy actually symbolise? GOAL takes a deep dive into the meaning behind the grandest prize in football.
The numbers behind Erling Haaland's recent performances make for grim reading by his own sky-high standards. After a blistering start to the campaign that saw him net 19 times in his first 17 Premier League appearances, the goals have dried up significantly. The striker has now managed just three goals in his last 12 league outings, a run of form that has left pundits stunned.