Match

Marcus Rashford needs to improve in two key areas in order to convince Barcelona to sign him from Manchester United permanently. The England forward has impressed in his first six months for Hansi Flick's side but there is still work for him to do and he is one of three players whose future at the Camp Nou is up in the air heading into the second half of the season.

Pep Guardiola was in a positive mood after Manchester City drew 0-0 at Sunderland even though it meant his side fell four points behind Arsenal in the Premier League title race. City failed to score for the first time in 10 league matches and lost Nico Gonzalez and Savinho to injury. Guardiola, however, could be seen smiling during his post-match interview.

Liverpool boss Arne Slot channeled former Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou as he insisted that his Reds team remain "who we are" after their disappointing goalless draw with Leeds United, as he rallied against poor refereeing decisions, and pointed to a number of examples in which his players "stayed on their feet".

Chelsea will be managed by Calum McFarlane when they play Manchester City this weekend, after confirming the sacking of Enzo Maresca on New Year's Day. McFarlane is the club's current Under-21 coach but he will step up to manage the senior team in Maresca's stead, and will also face the media on Friday.

Enzo Maresca’s departure from Chelsea has sparked movement elsewhere, with Strasbourg manager Liam Rosenior reportedly among the candidates under consideration at Stamford Bridge, according to The Guardian. Should Rosenior leave for Chelsea, Minnesota United head coach Eric Ramsay has been linked as a potential replacement at Strasbourg. Minnesota finished fourth in MLS’s Western Conference last season.

In an incredible turn of events, Gabon's government has announced that it has suspended the national team after their horrendous African Cup of Nations campaign, and have also sacked their manager, whilst removing ex-Arsenal and Chelsea striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from the squad altogether.

A rocket from Ollie Rathbone and an impressive finish from Sam Smith saw Wrexham to a 2-0 victory away at Blackburn. It proved to be a happy New Year for the Red Dragons at Ewood Park as they opened 2026 in style. Phil Parkinson’s side have taken maximum points from their last three fixtures in the Championship and remain within sight of the play-off places.

The Soweto giants have been desperately chasing the South African top-tier league glory for more than a decade now, having last claimed the crown in the 2011/12 campaign. The Buccaneers have finished second in the last three seasons, behind Mamelodi Sundowns, who have managed to win the last eight editions in a row.

The Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) group stages ended on a high note with heavyweights taking the centre stage in the North African country of Morocco. In the four games that were played, 14 goals were scored, with the defending champions, The Elephants, scoring the most as they finished top in their pool.

South Africa discovered their opponents following the last round of group stage matches on Wednesday. The 1996 African champions will battle it out with the Indomitable Lions this weekend, with a spot in the quarter-finals at stake.

Arsenal should have conceded a penalty in their 1-0 win over Everton on 20 December, according to the Premier League's Key Match Incidents Panel (KMI). The Gunners have now been told they should have given away a spot kick when William Saliba and Thierno Barry challenged for the ball at Hill Dickinson Stadium - in a controversial decision which could have huge implications in this season’s title race.

The Premier Soccer League title winner left the top-flight side under unclear circumstances, and it looks like they have already secured his replacement. Under a former Amakhosi tactician, the club is pushing to finish in the top eight again, and to achieve that, they need a reliable midfield machine, which the incoming youngster promises to give.

Ruben Amorim insists he remains "very confident" that Manchester United will have a strong season despite seeing his side drop points against bottom-of-the-table Wolves in Tuesday's Premier League clash at Old Trafford. Facing the media after a hugely disappointing performance from the Red Devils, the Portuguese tried to explain what went wrong, pointing to a lack of fluidity and the fact he's missing some key players. Watch the full clip above ⬆️

In a bid to end Simba's struggle, the experienced South African tactician has roped in figures he trusts will help him in the mission. After making his name with Stellenbosch, it is time to test himself in a different environment, which comes with pressure given the ambition of the Kariokor giants season in and season out.

Former Manchester United defender and Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville has launched an explosive takedown of Ruben Amorim following Tuesday's 1-1 draw with rock-bottom Wolves, questioning his decision to substitute goalscorer Joshua Zirkzee at half-time. United failed to build upon their Boxing Day 1-0 win over Newcastle as they were forced to share the spoils with the down-and-out Midlands side, handing Rob Edwards' side only their third point of the season.

Although he arrived at Chloorkop with the expectation that he would turn into a big star, that has yet to be realised, as he has been sent to clubs on loan deals since then. His R46 million signing continues to be a gamble that is yet to pay off, as he could be out again in January, as Masandawana look somewhat like a solidly working unit, especially the attacking department.

Ruben Amorim admitted that Manchester United played with a different kind of energy during their dreadful 1-1 draw at home to Wolves. The visitors arrived at Old Trafford having lost their last 12 matches and without picking up a point since early October but they were well worth the point they left with and would have taken all three had it not been for a great save by Senne Lammens.

Enzo Maresca was conspicuous by his absence from Chelsea's post-match press conference after Tuesday's 2-2 Premier League draw against Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge. Assistant manager Willy Caballero took over media duties after the game against Andoni Iraola's side and explained why Maresca was not available while also reflecting on another disappointing result for the Blues.

Chelsea midfielder Moises Caicedo has come in for criticism after picking up his fifth booking of the season just minutes into Tuesday's Premier League encounter with Bournemouth. The yellow card brings an automatic one-match ban, ruling Caicedo out of Chelsea's next game against title-chasing Manchester City and leaving Blues fans frustrated with their midfield star.

Athletic Club captain Inaki Williams has slammed the decision to play the Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia. The tournament will once again take place in the Middle East in January with Athletic facing defending La Liga champions Barcelona in the semi-finals. The winners of the match will go on to face either Real Madrid or Atletico in the final for the chance to claim the first Spanish trophy of the current season.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Joao Felix were on target for Al-Nassr but ex-Liverpool midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum stole the limelight with an incredible brace as Al-Ettifaq held Al-Nassr to a thrilling 2-2 draw to ended their 10-game winning streak in the Saudi Pro League. Ronaldo took his career goals tally to 957 with an unusual effort as Felix's shot deflected off his back and went in.

The Super Eagles showed their class with a near-perfect display against the East African nation on Tuesday night in the final pool outing to make three wins in a row. However, it was not a good outing for Paul Put's men, who were eliminated without tasting a win. They lost two games and drew once from the three fixtures.

Mokwena's journey with the Algerian side has been impressive so far, and they are likely to lift more trophies in his maiden season. Judging by how the journey is going, the South African tactician could have a far more successful season after struggling with Moroccan giants Wydad Casablanca. This is the second time that the Premier Soccer League-winning tactician has been praised by an opponent who faced his team.

The Glamour Boys and the Sea Robbers, just like the other Premier Soccer League teams, will have a month or so to strengthen their squads in their bid to achieve the set objectives in the ongoing 2025/26 campaign, both domestically and abroad. While Amakhosi continue rebuilding, the Buccaneers want to sustain their already impressive quality.

Arsenal have been dealt another devastating injury blow as midfielder Declan Rice is expected to miss Tuesday's Premier League title showdown with Aston Villa at the Emirates. The England international had been hopeful of playing in the crunch clash against Unai Emery's high-flying side but is set to miss out after sustaining a knee problem against Brighton last time out.

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.

The Burnley star has been on the receiving end of criticism, especially when Bafana struggles. However, he has been quite influential in the ongoing finals, as he has scored twice and provided an assist. To become even better, Broos has suggested what his teammates must do to help the centre-forward become even more lethal.

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.

The tournament is one of the best-attended events in December, drawing spectators from far and wide every year. The tournament in question is one of the oldest in the country, but this year's edition was rocked by a controversial incident that forced one match to be abandoned. This is another incident that has been reported after a football administrator was killed in another annual tournament in Limpopo.