There was high drama in the dying seconds of the thrilling match between Newcastle and Chelsea as Harvey Barnes appeared to be pulled down by Reece James, but VAR denied the Magpies' desperate pleas for a penalty at the end of the pulsating clash which ended two-all. And James has spoken after the match, claiming the contact was “too soft” for a spot-kick to be awarded.

Our soccer expert offers his Everton vs Arsenal predictions, ahead of Saturday’s Premier League clash, at 3:00pm ET (12/20).

Newcastle United were left feeling deeply aggrieved after being denied what many believed was a clear penalty in a pulsating Premier League encounter that ultimately slipped from their grasp against Chelsea. A breathless contest at St. James’ Park swung dramatically on a controversial second-half moment, with Anthony Gordon sent sprawling inside the area after contact from Trevoh Chalobah, only for referee and VAR to wave play on.

Selected first overall by D.C. United in Thursday’s MLS SuperDraft, the imposing center back joined GOAL Convo to explain why a rebuild doesn’t intimidate him.

D.C. United selected North Carolina State center back Nikola Markovic with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 MLS SuperDraft, turning to the Generation adidas defender to address defensive needs after a difficult 2025 season. The 21-year-old helped lead the Wolfpack to their first NCAA national championship appearance.

GOAL takes a look at five of the top prospects in the 2026 MLS SuperDraft, with plenty of highly-rated players hoping to make an impact from Day 1 in the pros.

GOAL takes a look at the biggest transfer news and rumours from around the world

Alexander Isak has spoken out on his Liverpool struggles after a controversial $167m transfer from Newcastle in the summer. The forward has so far failed to find his form at Merseyside, leading to tension which rose to unprecedented levels as the Reds paid a record sum to the Tyneside club to bring their talismanic forward to Anfield.

Liverpool legend John Barnes has told his old club not to sign Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo in the January transfer window. The Premier League champions have been linked with the 25-year-old but Barnes thinks they have enough strength in depth at present. The former England winger also believes that Reds forward Mohamed Salah isn't going anywhere despite his outspoken outburst against Arne Slot and the Merseyside outfit.

West Ham United Women have parted company with head coach Rehanne Skinner after a difficult run in the Women’s Super League, with just one win from their opening 11 matches of the 2025-26 season. Sitting second from bottom and struggling at both ends of the pitch, the Hammers have opted for a mid-season reset as they search for a new direction in a bid to improve results.

Defending champions Arsenal will face London rivals Chelsea in the Women's Champions League quarter-finals, if they can defeat OH Leuven in the knockout play-offs. The Gunners beat the Belgian minnows 3-0 in the last round of the league phase and will be heavily favoured to do so again, making an all-English quarter-final incredibly likely.

Sophia Wilson will return to the Portland Thorns for the 2026 NWSL season after exercising the player option in her contract. The 25-year-old U.S. women’s national team forward missed the 2025 campaign while on maternity leave, but is set to resume her career with the club where it began after she was selected No. 1 in the 2020 NWSL College Draft, and became a central figure in Portland’s sustained success.