The words, "It's Carrick, you know, it's hard to believe it's not Scholes" reverberated around Old Trafford during Manchester United's stunning 2-0 win over Manchester City on Saturday, and watching the Red Devils tear into their local rivals with gusto while putting the ball in the net five times, it was hard to believe that Ruben Amorim was in charge of this team for so long but never got them to play like this.
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has shared his thoughts after seeing his team booed off on Saturday after a disappointing 1-1 draw with Burnley in the Premier League. Dominik Szoboszlai wasted the chance to give the Reds the lead when he missed a penalty before Florian Wirtz opened the scoring. However, Burnley hit back through Marcus Edwards to earn Scott Parker's strugglers a point at Anfield.
Tottenham Hotspur fans turned on Thomas Frank during Saturday's 2-1 loss at home to rivals West Ham United, breaking into chants of "you're getting sacked in the morning" against the head coach. Callum Wilson scored a stoppage-time winner for the visitors after Cristian Romero had cancelled out Crysencio Summerville's opening goal.
Nigerian singer-songwriter Burna Boy is shouldering the responsibility of championing African culture and heritage by launching a landmark new campaign ahead of Sunday's Africa Cup of Nations final in Morocco. The initiative comprises music, fashion, sport, film and storytelling, aiming to assert ownership of African narratives. To mark the occasion, Burna Boy has dropped a new music video featuring a host of influential figures from the football world.
Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner has launched a stinging attack on the Eagles' board over their handling of the departure of another key player after a deal to sell captain Marc Guehi to Manchester City was revealed on the eve of their 2-1 defeat by Sunderland. Glasner used his post-match interview to reveal his anger at events at the club he will also leave at the end of the season.
Barcelona boss Hansi Flick has taken a thinly-veiled swipe at the people advising wantaway starlet Dro Fernandez after the midfielder edged closer to leaving Camp Nou, with Paris Saint-Germain his most likely destination. Fernandez has reportedly paid off his own release clause in a desperate bid to force through the move, which has incensed Flick.
Tottenham are reportedly considering the future of manager Thomas Frank after yet another terrible defeat under the Dane. Spurs were beaten 2-1 on Saturday afternoon by West Ham United, who are 18th in the Premier League and five points from safety, and home fans aimed their frustration at the former Brentford boss at full-time.
There was heartache for Mohamed Salah who missed his shootout penalty as Egypt finished fourth at the Africa Cup of Nations on Saturday. The Egyptian icon’s spot kick was saved after his side drew 0-0 draw in the third-place play-off against Nigeria, which the Super Eagles won 4-2 on penalties. Salah was one of two Egyptian players to miss his penalty alongside Omar Marmoush.
Bayern Munich thumped RB Leipzig 5-1 with Harry Kane scoring the second goal for the Bavarians, helping to spark an epic second-half comeback. Leipzig took a 1-0 lead into half-time, but high-flying Bayern were rampant in the second period, scoring five unanswered goals and Kane was at the heart of the thrilling turn around as their unbeaten season continued.
Arsenal missed the chance to move nine points clear of second-placed Manchester City at the top of the Premier League as they played out an underwhelming goalless draw at lowly Nottingham Forest. Viktor Gyokeres and Gabriel Martinelli wasted excellent chances for Mikel Arteta's side as Forest more than matched the leaders, and while the Gunners widened the gap over their title rivals, they failed to take full advantage of City's earlier loss to Manchester United.
After falling to beat Morocco in the post-match penalties in the semi-final, this time around, the Super Eagles were sharp as they outclassed the Pharaohs. The West Africans clinched a record-extending AFCON bronze medal following their win over Salah-led Egypt. Now that the battle for bronze has been settled, all eyes are on the ultimate prize, which will be contested for on Sunday between Senegal and the hosts, Morocco.
Haji Wright was the hero for Coventry City after scoring the decisive goal in a 2-1 win over Leicester City at the 85th minute, a result that keeps the Sky Blues at the top of the Championship table. Coventry remain leaders with 59 points, six clear of second-place Middlesbrough as they continue their push for promotion.
Roy Keane has downplayed calls for interim Manchester United boss Michael Carrick to be given the job full-time after their 2-0 win over Manchester City. The former Red Devils midfielder has been tasked with guiding his old club for the rest of the season but ex-Liverpool man Daniel Sturridge suggested Carrick could take the position permanently. United legend Keane, though, was having none of it.
Inter Miami have intensified their pursuit of Germán Berterame and are prepared to trigger the striker’s reported $15 million release clause. While no agreement has been finalized, both clubs have acknowledged ongoing talks. The move could see the Rayados star leave Liga MX for MLS, drawn by a new challenge and the chance to play alongside Lionel Messi.
Michael Carrick’s announcement as the new Manchester United manager had a stunning, instant impact in one of the most important matches of the season and Lisandro Martinez has revealed how the new boss inspired the 2-0 win over Manchester City on Saturday. Carrick issued one clear message to his players, who responded with their best performance of the season.
Pep Guardiola has been sensationally tipped to leave Manchester City in the coming week, but if he doesn't, the Spaniard will "definitely" depart this summer. The former Barcelona boss cut a glum figure after his City side were well beaten in the Manchester derby on Saturday. Now, pundit Richard Keys thinks Guardiola will move on from the Etihad before their next Premier League match.
Alisha Lehmann has been linked with a return to the Women's Super League, just over 18 months after she left for Italy. The Swiss international ended a three-year stint at Aston Villa in mid-2024 before signing for Juventus with then-boyfriend Douglas Luiz. Last summer, she made the switch to Como after struggling for game time, and now Lehmann could be coming back to English football.
Chelsea supporters staged a mass protest at Stamford Bridge, demanding the return of previous owner Roman Abramovich and the reinstatement of recently-sacked boss Enzo Maresca. Chants of "BlueCo Out!" and "We want Roman back!" echoed around the ground in a direct challenge to the club's American owners. A recent string of poor results pushed hundreds of fans, organised by a group called "Not a Project CFC", to share their anger.
Wrexham lost ground in the race for the Championship play-offs with a disappointing 2-1 home loss against lowly Norwich City. The Canaries flew out of the traps and took the lead through Ben Slimane. Sam Smith cancelled out their opener not long after with his third league goal in as many games but Jovon Makama restored the away side's advantage. Despite some late pressure, the toothless Welsh side couldn't find a way through as their unbeaten run ended in sombre fashion.
Liverpool were held to a disappointing 1-1 draw by relegation-threatened Burnley after Dominik Szoboszlai missed a penalty in a match where Arne Slot’s side squandered numerous opportunities to win at Anfield. Florian Wirtz fired the Reds in front, but it was a brilliantly-taken strike from Marcus Edwards which earned the second-bottom side a precious point.
Liam Rosenior's first Premier League game in charge of Chelsea ended in victory against Brentford, largely thanks to the heroics of the club's much-maligned Spanish goalkeeper Robert Sanchez. The 28-year-old made a massive save to deny Kevin Schade what looked a certain equaliser in the second half, with Cole Palmer adding to Joao Pedro's first-half thunderbolt to secure a somewhat unconvincing 2-0 win for the Blues.
Wayne Rooney has revealed there are only two teams he would return to management for after his sorry spells at Birmingham City and Plymouth Argyle. The former Manchester United and England striker has struggled for success in his coaching career so far, being sacked very early on during his two most recent roles. However, he has not ruled out a return to the dugout if two certain clubs come calling.
James McClean is reportedly set to leave Wrexham and return to his homeland by joining Northern Irish side Derry City. The Red Dragons captain, who has played a key role in the club’s remarkable rise from non-league football to the Championship under Hollywood owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac, recently served a three-game ban for violent conduct following an incident against Swansea City in the Welsh derby.
Real Madrid turned an unconvincing first half into a clinical second, with Kylian Mbappe leading the charge as they saw off Levante, 2-0. Los Blancos were initially languid under new manager Alvaro Arbeloa, but clicked into gear once the deadlock was broken, and were ultimately good value for the victory - even if some questions about individuals remain.
Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham were booed by a section of Real Madrid fans before and during their clash with Levante. Following Xabi Alonso's sacking and Los Blancos' Copa del Rey humiliation at the hands of second-tier side Albacete, the Santiago Bernabeu faithful turned their ire towards the attacking duo and club president Florentino Perez.
Bryan Mbeumo and Bruno Fernandes starred as Manchester United pulled off a wholly unexpected 2-0 win over Manchester City in a euphoric return to the Red Devils' dugout for Michael Carrick. United made a blistering start and scored two offside goals in a convincing first half. After the break, they continued where they left off and deservedly won the game thanks to strikes from Mbeumo and Patrick Dorgu.
Manchester City ceded more ground in the Premier League title race as they went down with a whimper in Saturday's 2-0 defeat to local rivals Manchester United. Erling Haaland failed to lay a glove on the home side's defence, while an inspired Gianluigi Donnarumma kept the scoreline respectable. This was one of City's worst performances of the season, with Pep Guardiola's side left hoping that leaders Arsenal will slip up at Nottingham Forest later in the day.
Defending champions Chelsea opened up their Women’s FA Cup campaign with a comprehensive 5-0 victory over Crystal Palace on Saturday. The free-scoring Blues booked their place in the fifth round thanks to a brace from Sam Kerr and goals from Millie Bright, Guro Reiten and Alyssa Thompson, with Sonia Bompastor's side a class above their WSL 2 opponents at Kingsmeadow.
Antonio Conte has slammed sacked Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim’s “arrogant” handling of Rasmus Hojlund, accusing the Portuguese of failing to “adapt” his rigid methods to the striker’s qualities. The Denmark international has been in fine form since swapping Old Trafford for Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, scoring nine goals in all competitions for the Serie A side.