The Africa Cup of Nations is back this December and January, with the continent's very best set to battle it out in Morocco as they aim to take Cote d'Ivoire's crown after their unlikely victory at the start of 2024. AFCON's prestige, drama and quality remains up there with the Euros and Copa America, but the downside for European clubs is it's another tournament which falls slap bang in the middle of their seasonal calendar, meaning most teams will be losing players for up to a month.
The United States Men's national team have been handed a major injury boost ahead of the 2026 World Cup as star defender Antonee Robinson finally returned from his knee injury and started for Fulham in their Premier League clash against Burnley on Saturday. Robinson has remained sidelined for the majority of the current season due to a persistent knee problem.
Burnley midfielder Hannibal Mejbri has been hit with a four-game suspension and a £15,000 fine after the FA found him guilty of spitting at or towards Leeds United supporters during October’s six-pointer Premier League clash. The Tunisia international admitted the charge, with an independent commission issuing the ban as Burnley continue fighting to escape the drop zone.
Out-of-favour Manchester City goalkeeper James Trafford reportedly wants to leave the club, just five months after returning to the Etihad Stadium. The 23-year-old played a crucial role in helping Burnley earn promotion to the Premier League last season, but he has struggled to gain regular minutes following his summer switch to Pep Guardiola’s side.
Enzo Maresca has revealed Reece James' half-time substitution during Chelsea's 2-0 win away at Burnley was a planned switch. The Blues' skipper was replaced by fellow right back Malo Gusto, as the west London club prepare for a crucial week in their season. Maresca's men square off against Barcelona in the Champions League on Tuesday, before hosting rivals Arsenal next Sunday.
Pedro Neto and Enzo Fernandez scored in either half as Chelsea closed the gap on Premier League leaders Arsenal with a 2-0 victory over Burnley at Turf Moor. Enzo Maresca’s Blues moved up to second in the table with a performance which saw Andrey Santos shine in place of Moises Caicedo, who was rested ahead of Tuesday’s mouth-watering Champions League clash with Barcelona.
Enzo Maresca has revealed that star midfielder Moises Caicedo was forced to start from the bench for Saturday's Premier League tie against Burnley due to the player's late arrival in London after the international break. The Ecuadorian played every minute of his country's two friendlies against New Zealand and Canada, reporting back to the west London club on Thursday evening.
There's been a lot of talk lately about the Premier League as a product. Is modern football actually boring? Are teams now too reliant on set pieces to score goals? Are the mavericks and the willing protagonists being silenced just to preserve their manager's tactics? Have we gone too far in pursuit of sporting perfection?
Former Manchester United defender Axel Tuanzebe has pointed the finger of blame at the Old Trafford club over the handling of a spinal injury that has left him unable to play "without restriction or impediment" at the age of 27. Once the jewel of the academy, the current Burnley player is now seeking more than £1 million ($1.3m) from the Red Devils to compensate lost career earnings.
Burnley midfielder Hannibal Mejbri is in hot water with the FA after being accused of disgusting behaviour towards Leeds supporters during the recent Premier League clash between the clubs. The former Manchester United player has been charged over a spitting incident and has just under three weeks to respond, facing possible sanctions for his conduct.
Preston North End attacker Milutin Osmajic has been handed a nine-game ban after being charged with racially abusing Burnley midfielder Hannibal Mejbri. The incident took place during Preston's goalless draw with Burnley in February and now he will be out of action until late December. The forward denied the allegations but he has been fined £21,000.
Midfielder Declan Rice has revealed he pointed to the sky as he celebrated his goal in Arsenal’s 2-0 victory over Burnley in honour of his late auntie. The England international paid a beautiful tribute after scoring in a Premier League win over Scott Parker’s Clarets which saw Mikel Arteta’s in-form side move seven points clear at the top of the Premier League table.
With the title race having already swung back and forth while the top-four and relegation battles are as open as they have been for a few years, the Premier League is becoming increasingly difficult to predict. Sure, the odd match still follows the formbook, but a number of teams are proving tough to pin down and figure out what to expect from them on a game-to-game basis.
Former Manchester City star Kyle Walker's wife Annie Kilner is set for a court trial after she was caught speeding in a luxury car worth £100,000, only months after being penalised for holding her phone while behind the wheel. Kilner's trial is scheduled to take place in March 2026, and if found guilty of the charges, she could be banned from driving.
Bayern Munich’s perfect start to the season continues with 13 wins in 13 games across all competitions, setting a new European record under Vincent Kompany. Yet, history could’ve looked very different. Schalke’s former sporting director Rouven Schroder has now revealed that before Kompany took charge of Burnley, talks were held for him to take the reins in Gelsenkirchen.
Wolves manager Vitor Pereira explained why he clashed with the home fans at Molineux after his side went down 3-2 against Burnley on Sunday. This was Wolves' seventh defeat in their last nine Premier League matches as they continue to struggle at the bottom of the league table with just two points. Wolves are also the only club in all of England's top four divisions yet to win a game this season.
Lancashire Police are investigating an allegation of spitting made against Burnley midfielder Hannibal Mejbri during Saturday's Premier League clash against Leeds United at Turf Moor. The former Manchester United man was a late substitute in the 2-0 victory which saw the Clarets rise out of the relegation zone thanks to goals from Lesley Ugochukwu and Loum Tchaouna.
The Premier League is reportedly set to vote on proposals that could see a “salary cap” of sorts introduced at the top end of English football. An “anchoring” plan has been drawn up, which would limit spending for elite clubs, with shareholders expected to address that issue in November. Several teams, including Manchester rivals United and City, are said to oppose the concept.
Alan Pace, who owns Premier League outfit Burnley, has successfully completed the takeover of Spanish side Espanyol, who are the second-biggest team in Catalunya behind Barcelona. Pace spoke ambitiously about his plans to make the Catalan club into a top six side in La Liga, with his dream not only to win the Champions League, but also to turn them into a global brand.
Kyle Walker has admitted that he never should have left Manchester City to go on loan to AC Milan last season, criticising his own decision as ‘selfish’. The English defender made the six-month switch to the Italian giants in January and, looking back, believes it was the wrong move to make at the time, given City had been uncharacteristically struggling under Pep Guardiola.
JJ Watt has added La Liga side Espanyol to his European football club portfolio after Velocity Sport Limited's takeover was completed on Thursday. Barcelona's rivals become the second club under VSL's ownership after Premier League side Burnley, where Watt is a minority investor. The former NFL star is also involved in the acquisition and quickly posted his first message on X after the deal was finalised.
Kyle Walker's ex-partner Lauryn Goodman is said to have moved on from the former Manchester City defender after going on a date with British tennis star Jack Draper. The reality TV personality, who shares two children with Walker, reportedly met the 23-year-old sportsman on a celebrity dating app, months after the England international reunited with wife Annie Kilner.
Erling Haaland scripted more history with his brace against Burnley on Saturday as he beat former Manchester United star Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's record. The Norwegian goal machine starred with two goals and an assist as City thrashed Burnley 5-1 at home. The brace took Haaland's tally to nine goals this season in seven matches across all competitions.
Burnley
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