Mason Greenwood is preparing for arguably the most high-profile match of his Marseille career so far as Premier League champions Liverpool arrive on the south coast of France. But while the Champions League clash will be talked up as an audition for England's World Cup squad in some grubby corners of the internet, the reality is that the damage done to Greenwood's reputation in his homeland is irreparable - regardless of his exploits at Stade Velodrome.
The boos that greeted the full-time whistle at Anfield on Saturday were both loud and clear - albeit not to Arne Slot. "In my head," the Liverpool manager said, "it wasn't a boo." And maybe he's right. Maybe the visiting fans were saying 'Boo-urnley'?! Of course, this is no time for clumsy references or silly jokes. The situation at Liverpool is undeniably absurd (has a 12-game undefeated run ever been so poorly received?!), but it's no laughing matter as far as the supporters are concerned.
Liverpool are in a mess all of their own making. The Reds knew that they were short on senior centre-backs last summer and had ample time to address the problem before the close of the transfer window - yet they waited until deadline day to finalise a move for Marc Guehi. So, when Crystal Palace pulled the plug on the deal at the 11th hour, Liverpool were left in the very, very precarious position of needing Ibrahima Konate to continue performing at a high level, Joe Gomez to stay fit and teenage summer signing Giovanni Leoni to make an immediate impact at Anfield.
Police in Madeira are hunting a vandal who filmed himself setting fire to a bronze statue of Cristiano Ronaldo outside the CR7 Museum in Funchal. The dishevelled individual poured flammable liquid over the sculpture before performing a bizarre dance to rap music. He posted the footage to Instagram with the strange caption: "This is God's last warning." The suspect has been identified but not yet caught.
Erling Haaland apologised to Manchester City supporters after his side's surprise defeat to Bodo/Glimt in the Champions League on Tuesday night. The Norwegian striker returned to his homeland with Pep Guardiola's team the favourites to take all three points but the Premier League giants were torn open twice in three minutes midway through the first half and eventually fell to a 3-1 loss in the Arctic Circle. The Cityzens are now seventh in the league phase table and face a battle to secure a top-eight finish.
Wrexham star James McClean said his goodbyes to the club on Tuesday night after agreeing to return to Derry City. The midfielder was at the SToK Cae Ras for Wrexham's Championship game against Leicester and could not resist a cheeky gesture as he acknowledged the crowd. McClean leaves the club after playing a key role in Wrexham's recent rise up the divisions.
Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney delivered a hilarious response when asked how the current Arsenal team would fare against one of the best sides assembled under Sir Alex Ferguson. The Red Devils outfit that won the Premier League and Champions League double in 2008 will go down in history as an all-time great side. And Rooney believes that the team he played in are streets ahead of Mikel Arteta's current one.
Wrexham missed the chance to move to the brink of the playoff places in the Championship on Tuesday night after being denied victory against Leicester. Lewis O'Brien looked to have secured all three points for the hosts but the Welsh side were left frustrated when Jannik Vestergaard pulled one back for the Foxes in the 90th minute as the game ended all square.
Gabriel Jesus' virtuoso display secured Arsenal a top-two spot in the league phase of the Champions League as they earned an impressive 3-1 win at Inter. The Brazil forward stole the show in Italy to stake his claim to be the Gunners' starting striker going forward, only for substitute Viktor Gyokeres to fire in a timely reminder to Mikel Arteta as his side maintained their 100 per cent record in Europe this season.
Vinicius Jr was back to his brilliant best and Kylian Mbappe bagged a brace as Real Madrid battered Monaco, 6-1, on Tuesday. Vinicius provided three assists, scored a wonderful goal and was a constant menace. Mbappe opened the scoring with two goals of hisown, while an unfortunate own goal from Thilo Kehrer and a smooth strike from Jude Bellingham rounded off a memorable night in Alvaro Arbeloa's first Champions League game in charge.
Tottenham eased the pressure on under-fire head coach Thomas Frank with a 2-0 win at home to Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League on Tuesday. Spurs edged closer to qualification for the last 16 with a performance which showcased the energy and spirit they've been missing for most of the season.
As Abafana Bes'thende's poor form continues, their head coach feels that they were robbed in their match against Amakhosi. The two PSL sides met in a rather high-stakes game, as each wanted a win to end their respective winless run in the league. Although the Soweto giants won, their victory has been questioned and the ex-Masandawana tactician said there is a need to introduce the refereering technology into the league.
Premier League referees' chief Howard Webb has said the match officials were correct in their decision not to send Diogo Dalot off during Saturday's win for Manchester United over rivals Manchester City at Old Trafford. Dalot was shown a yellow card for an ugly foul on Jeremy Doku by referee Anthony Taylor which was supported by VAR Craig Pawson. Webb has now explained why he thinks the officials got the decision spot on.
The Buccaneers forward delivered a statement performance on his maiden appearance for the Cape Winelands club. His crucial contribution in the Maroons' shirt on his first game is likely to spark debate about whether the Soweto giants made a mistake in releasing him to spend the rest of the season away from the club.
Chelsea have come up with a new plan to sign Jeremy Jacquet from Rennes as the Blues aim to beat off competition to land the €60 million-rated (£52m/$70m) defender from the Ligue 1 side. Liam Rosenior's side are eager to bolster their backline in the January transfer window and have identified the exciting 20-year-old as a top target. Liverpool are also thought to be interested after missing out on Marc Guehi.
Everton loanee Jack Grealish has suffered a suspected stress fracture in his foot that could keep him sidelined for 'months'. The winger has been rejuvenated at the Toffees after falling down the pecking order at Manchester City. But his hopes of making it into England's 2026 World Cup squad have been handed a blow after picking up an untimely injury.
After dropping four points from a possible six before the Premier Soccer League went on a break, Amakhosi resumed their campaign with a win. Although they were wasteful, especially in the first half, the win and a clean sheet are good enough to set a positive tone ahead of more crucial games coming up. Abafana Bes'thende returned home more worried as their winless run in the league extended to four games in a row.
This current PSL transfer window has seen Premier Soccer League title contenders Orlando Pirates, Mamelodi Sundowns and Sekhukhune United busy signing players. But Amakhosi have been quiet in the market as their rivals beefed up and they have, however, secured an unheralded player.
Manchester City star Rodri had a wretched few minutes as he was pickpocketed for Bodo/Glimt's brilliant third goal, before he was sent off shortly after. City were eager to bounce back from their comprehensive Manchester derby defeat at the weekend but things have gone from bad to worse in the Champions League against the Norwegian side on Tuesday.
Manchester City got cold feet in the Arctic Circle as they fell to a 3-1 defeat at tiny Bodo/Glimt in the Champions League. A nightmare trip to the far north of Norway got even worse for City when Rodri was sent off in the second half, meaning the Spain international will suspended for their final league phase game against Galatasaray next week, which is now looking like a must-win game for Pep Guardiola's side if they are to qualify automatically for the last 16.
Former Manchester United star Angel Gomes is set to leave Marseille in January after just six months with Roberto De Zerbi's side. The midfielder has struggled to make an impact at the Stade Velodrome so far in the 2025-26 campaign and is being pushed towards the exit so that the Ligue 1 side can make room for some new recruits to bolster the first-team squad.
Barcelona and Spain star Lamine Yamal has signed a partnership with American Eagle that will make him a global ambassador for the clothing brand. The deal sees Yamal become American Eagle's first major investment in sports. The 18-year-old Barcelona attacker has signed a five-year partnership with the clothing brand that will kick off this summer.
Roberto De Zerbi has broken his silence on speculation he's a potential candidate to become the next permanent Manchester United head coach following Ruben Amorim's sacking. Former midfielder Michael Carrick has been appointed on a caretaker basis until the end of the 2025-26 season while the Red Devils continue to search for a permanent replacement for Amorim.
Mexican-American midfielder Obed Vargas is edging closer to a move to Europe, with reports suggesting a deal could be completed as early as next week. Despite interest from Liga MX sides such as Club América, the Seattle Sounders prospect remains focused on a European transfer as he pushes to strengthen his Mexico World Cup credentials.
Liam Rosenior has confirmed that the virus sweeping through the Chelsea squad has claimed yet another victim. The Blues have seen several players ruled out due to illness over the last week and it continues to be an issue for the new Chelsea head coach as he prepares to take charge of his team in the Champions League for the first time on Wednesday night at Stamford Bridge.
Mic'd Up: The former USMNT striker talked about the pre-World Cup mindset, the U.S. striker situation and why Mexico will always be the team under the most pressure.
The winger completed a surprise move to the Brazilians from the Soweto giants, catching many off guard, including Masandawana players and Orbit College FC where he was on loan. The transfer was finalised while Orbit College heavily relied on him as a key figure in the team in their bid to maintain their Premier Soccer League status for next season. However, he will have to wait a bit longer before making his Masandawana debut.
The West African player, who made his name at Young Africans in Tanzania before he moved north, could be on his way out after another North African club is reported to be ready to sign him. Despite making a reported big money transfer from Tanzania to Morocco, the forward has not quite settled with the Moroccan heavyweights.
Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior has addressed rumours that star midfielder Enzo Fernandez has attracted interest from both Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain. Speculation has emerged that the Blues could be willing to sanction the sale of their World Cup-winning midfielder if the right offer comes along, with the two clubs believed to be keen on the Argentina star.