Match

Wrexham ace Ollie Rathbone has revealed that his parents talked him out of retiring from the game due to his injury problems. The Red Dragons star limped out of a pre-season friendly after suffering a severe ankle injury, and the issue was so bad, he contemplated hanging up his boots altogether.

Ayoub El Kaabi, one of the early stars of the African Cup of Nations, has achieved a remarkable feat after scoring his second bicycle kick of the tournament. The 32-year-old Olympiacos star scored his first headline-grabbing goal against Comoros, and has now done the same against Zambia.

Jose Mourinho launched into an extraordinary sarcastic rant after Benfica's 2-2 draw with Braga, as he refused to accept the result, and instead insisted his side won 3-2. Controversial refereeing decisions were at the centre of his complaints, as Braga scored an equaliser after being awarded a penalty for handball, and Benfica's potential winner was ruled out for what appeared to be a soft foul in the build-up.

After a breakout year at both club and international level, Gilberto Mora now sits atop Liga MX’s market value rankings heading into the Clausura 2026. Transfermarkt’s final update of the year lists the 17-year-old Xolos de Tijuana standout alongside Club América’s Allan Saint-Maximin. U.S. international Alejandro Zendejas also made the top 10.

Florian Wirtz has been likened to a Liverpool legend after finally scoring his first goal for the club in Saturday’s 2-1 Premier League victory over winless Wolverhampton Wanderers. The Germany star has been praised for ending his long wait to break his duck, while team-mate Federico Chiesa has been defended following a quiet performance at Anfield.

Wrexham made it back-to-back Championship victories with a 2-1 win over Preston North End on Monday, but Phil Parkinson's side will be sweating on the fitness of talisman Kieffer Moore after the striker limped off with a suspected injury at the SToK Cae Ras. Goals in either half from Nathan Broadhead and Oliver Rathbone saw the Red Dragons build on their eight-goal thriller against Sheffield United by inflicting the Lilywhites' first defeat since late November.

Seven-time champions Egypt remain unbeaten in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) despite resting star man Mohamed Salah in the 0-0 stalemate with Angola on Friday. The Liverpool forward remained on the substitutes bench for the entire match as the much-changed Pharaohs wrapped up their Group B obligations with a goalless draw at the Adrar Stadium in Morocco.

Enzo Maresca has conceded he is struggling to put his finger on why Chelsea keep throwing away leads this season following their latest collapse against Aston Villa on Saturday. The Blues head coach admits he is at a loss to explain why his side are failing to maintain “control” in the Premier League - a worrying trend which he says is "not random".

Aston Villa head coach Unai Emery has labelled former club Arsenal as Premier League title “favourites” ahead of Tuesday’s crunch clash between the two teams. The Spaniard has taken the opportunity to add plenty of extra spice to a mouth-watering fixture which will see Mikel Arteta’s leaders play host to the high-flying Villans at the Emirates Stadium.

Amad Diallo hailed Manchester United team-mate Bryan Mbeumo as a "good lad" after the pair swapped shirts following their Africa Cup of Nations clash between Ivory Coast and Cameroon. The former scored a brilliant goal as the two African heavyweights played out a 1-1 draw on Sunday as both nations inched closer to the knockout stages of the competition.

Ruben Amorim has praised Bruno Fernandes for his exemplary attitude while he is out injured. The Manchester United captain suffered a soft tissue injury against Aston Villa, ruling him out for the busy festive period. He still attended United's 1-0 win over Newcastle and Amorim said he continues to take a deep interest in the team, watching training sessions after doing his recovery work.

Gary Lineker believes that struggling Arsenal striker Viktor Gyokeres needs to take a leaf out of in-form Leeds United striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin's book. The Gunners hoped the Sweden international would be the final piece of the jigsaw in their bid to end their decades-long Premier League title drought. But as the former Sporting CP star underwhelms, ex-England international Lineker has pinpointed a way the forward can improve in front of goal.

Manchester United star Amad Diallo scored a stunning goal but his Ivory Coast side were held to a 1-1 draw with Cameroon at the Africa Cup of Nations. The United wing-back, who lined up against club team-mate Bryan Mbeumo, scored his second goal of the competition for the tournament holders but their lead was short-lived when Junior Tchamadeu's deflected effort came just six minutes later.

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has suggested that it is only the start for Florian Wirtz at Anfield, after the German scored his first Premier League goal against Wolves on Saturday. Wirtz has had a challenging adaptation period since his £116million ($156.5m) summer arrival and Van Dijk emphasised he is "very happy" for his team-mate, citing his hard work for the team and stating that there is hopefully much more to come from Wirtz in a Reds shirt.

Chelsea have launched an internal probe and agreed to cooperate fully with the Premier League after Aston Villa complained that a bottle was thrown towards their bench, with reports suggesting that the projectile was launched from behind the Chelsea dugout. The flashpoint followed the Villains’ dramatic 2-1 comeback win, with CCTV footage now being reviewed to identify the culprit.

Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney believes it was right to allow Rayan Cherki's Manchester City goal to stand despite Sean Dyche's protestations that Nottingham Forest's Morgan Gibbs-White was fouled in the build-up. The France international scored a late winner in a 2-1 victory at City Ground but Forest boss Dyche felt his side were robbed of a point - something Rooney disagrees with.

David Moyes says Jack Grealish missed Everton's goalless draw with Burnley due to illness, days after the Manchester City loanee partied with ex-team-mate Kyle Walker in London. The two England internationals were spotted for a pre-Christmas bonanza last weekend, and while Grealish was absent for the trip to Turf Moor, 35-year-old Walker still featured and didn't seem worse for wear.

Diogo Jota's widow Rute Cardoso has issued an emotional statement after their children got to act as mascots for Liverpool's Premier League clash against Wolves. The footballing world was left reeling in early July when news emerged that Jota and his brother Andre Silva had died in a car crash. Months on from that tragic incident, both his former clubs led tributes to the 28-year-old on Saturday at Anfield.

Ollie Watkins has hailed Aston Villa boss Unai Emery as a "tactical genius" following the forward's match-winning brace against Chelsea. The 29-year-old came off the bench shortly before the hour mark when the Blues were a goal to the good but two clinical finishes secured the visitors a 2-1 comeback win at Stamford Bridge on Saturday. While he changed the game, Watkins admitted that Emery's tactical tweaks made it possible.

Mikel Arteta says Arsenal are ready to push Manchester City all the way for the Premier League title as both teams continue to slug it out at the top of the table. The Gunners were momentarily replaced at the summit following City’s late victory over Nottingham Forest on Saturday, before the north Londoners reclaimed top spot following their win over Brighton and Hove Albion later in the day.

Aston Villa equalled a centuries-old club record as Unai Emery’s side came from behind to defeat Chelsea 2-1 in the Premier League on Saturday. A second-half double from Ollie Watkins cancelled out Joao Pedro’s opener and inspired the Villans to an 11th consecutive victory in a remarkable feat which has left fans dreaming of big things this season.

Liverpool boss Arne Slot has backed Florian Wirtz to continue finding the back of the net after the midfielder finally scored his first goal for the club in Saturday’s 2-1 Premier League win over Wolverhampton Wanderers. The Germany star ended his painful wait for a maiden goal in red as the Merseysiders moved into the top four with a tight victory at Anfield.

Rayan Cherki has opened up about borrowing Erling Haaland’s goalscoring role - and his celebration - as the Manchester City midfielder produced a match-winning performance against Nottingham Forest on Saturday. The France international continued his remarkable form for Pep Guardiola’s side, who secured their eighth successive victory in all competitions with a 2-1 win at the City Ground.

Monterrey are reportedly moving closer to a key addition for the Clausura 2026, having reached a preliminary agreement with MLS side FC Cincinnati for the transfer of winger Luca Orellano. The Argentine attacker built a solid spell in the league, totaling 77 appearances while contributing 15 goals and 11 assists, numbers that underline his attacking impact.

Paul Scholes has named his worst ever team-mate during his long career at Manchester United, tearing the culprit apart for his lack of professionalism. Scholes spent 20 seasons with the Red Devils, winning 12 Premier League titles and two Champions Leagues. He shared a dressing room with the likes of Eric Cantona, Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney but not every player impressed him.

Cristiano Ronaldo starred with a brace on Saturday night as Al-Nassr registered a record 10th consecutive win in the Saudi Pro League. The Portuguese legend scored twice, while Joao Felix added a third, as the Saudi giants beat Al Akhdoud 3-0 and increased their lead over Al-Hilal at the top of the table to four points after collecting 30 from their first 10 outings in the 2025-26 campaign.

Rayan Cherki has revealed he had Erling Haaland's blessing when he mimicked the Norwegian's iconic lotus celebration after firing Manchester City to victory at Nottingham Forest. The Frenchman's 83rd-minute strike gave City a sixth straight Premier League victory to keep the pressure on Arsenal in the title race after a hard-fought contest with Sean Dyche's side.

Manchester United have usurped Arsenal as the Premier League's set-piece kings after their 1-0 win over Newcastle United. Patrick Dorgu's stunning volley secured Ruben Amorim's side a vital three points, a result that saw them surge up to fifth in the Premier League. The Gunners are renowned for scoring from corners, free-kicks, and throw-ins but now the Red Devils have surpassed them in that regard.

Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand has hailed goalkeeper Senne Lammens as an "absolute lifesaver" and backed the summer signing to be a first-team regular for the next decade. The 23-year-old swapped Royal Antwerp for United in September and has made a steady start at Ruben Amorim's side. And after keeping a clean sheet in a 1-0 win over Newcastle United on Boxing Day, Ferdinand has waxed lyrical about the Belgian.