Former Premier League footballer Joey Barton has been found guilty of sending "grossly offensive" social media posts. The 43-year-old called broadcaster Jeremy Vine a "bike nonce" and compared pundits Lucy Ward and Eni Aluko to serial killer couple Fred and Rose West on X. Now, jurors have accepted the prosecution's argument that Barton "crossed the line between free speech and a crime" on six counts.
Manchester United star Harry Maguire has revealed how his childhood nickname led to him legally changing his birth name because his "mum didn't like it". Once the most expensive defender in football history, Maguire arrived at Old Trafford in 2019 for a staggering £80 million from Leicester City. The world came to know about 'Harry Maguire', but only a few knew that his name was different when he was born.
Liverpool have reportedly identified a new centre-back target following the injury of summer signing Giovanni Leoni. The Reds are short of defensive options after the 18-year-old suffered a season-ending anterior cruciate ligament injury, leading to links with Borussia Dortmund's Nico Schlotterbeck. However, another player is said to have come on their radar ahead of the January transfer window.
Andre Onana & Altay Bayindir were slammed for Manchester United errors as former Newcastle star Shay Given lavished Senne Lammens for steadying the ship. When Onana was signed from Inter Milan, he was hailed as the modern-day saviour after David de Gea. He was comfortable with the ball at his feet, and United hoped to bring back authority while playing out from the back. Instead, his United spell became a nightmare reel of errors and misjudgments, with each mistake hammering another nail into the Red Devils’ fragile confidence.
GOAL has launched a new Telegram tipping service, giving football fans and bettors a fast, data-led way to stay ahead of the game. Followers will receive daily betting tips, visual insights and key performance data straight to their phone, powered by Statz, GOAL's Projections Partner, known for industry-leading football analytics.
Massimiliano Allegri has provided an update on AC Milan forward Christian Pulisic, confirming that the USMNT star has recovered from his injury. Pulisic has taken part in two full training sessions with the squad and is physically fit, but Allegri admitted he is unsure how many minutes the forward will be able to play against Parma on Saturday.
David Alaba has rejoined Real Madrid group training and is expected to be in the squad for Sunday's La Liga match against Rayo Vallecano, providing a major boost for Xabi Alonso. The defender returns from a calf injury that has seen him miss four games, as the club continues to cope with injuries to Antonio Rudiger, Dani Carvajal and Aurelien Tchouameni.
Chelsea legend Frank Lampard was visibly taken aback when a journalist praised him for the work he is doing at Premier League-chasing Coventry City. The former England international took over the Sky Blues just under a year ago when they were hovering above the Championship relegation zone; but now, they are top of the division. And when it was put to him what a great job he was doing, Lampard was touched.
After suffering a brutal ankle injury against Bayern Munich that left fans fearing the worst, Morocco’s captain Achraf Hakimi may yet rise in time for the Africa Cup of Nations. Coach Walid Regragui has voiced unwavering faith in his “irreplaceable” right-back, insisting Hakimi’s recovery powers and spirit could defy medical timelines.
Mikel Arteta has lauded Pep Guardiola and recognised that the Manchester City boss will go down in football history as he prepares to take charge of the 1000th game of his managerial career. The former Barcelona head coach will reach the milestone on Sunday, when his City side face Liverpool in the Premier League, with Arteta saluting the "incredible achievement".
Click the play button above to hear what Arteta had to say about the milestone ⬆️
Mikel Arteta has urged calm and perspective after Arsenal youngster Myles Lewis-Skelly was dropped from Thomas Tuchel’s latest England squad. The 19-year-old left-back has struggled for regular minutes this season, and while his omission has sparked debate among fans, Arteta insists the setback could “happen for the right reason” as he backed the teenager to bounce back stronger.
Bayern Munich manager Vincent Kompany revealed that he remains in regular contact with Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola. The Belgian, who played under Guardiola during his time at City, credited the the Spanish coach with playing a key role in his promising career and said their relationship continues to be strong.
Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola has warned Arsenal that the title race is far from over even with his side trailing the Gunners by six points after 10 games. City could fall even further behind Mikel Arteta's side as they face a daunting game on Sunday against Liverpool in what will be Guardiola's 1,000th match since moving into coaching back in 2007.
Barcelona director Deco has labelled discussion of coach Hansi Flick's style "irrelevant" after a chaotic 3-3 Champions League draw with Club Brugge. Despite defensive frailties, Deco insists the club "know perfectly well" where to improve and will rely on nothing other than hard work, drawing parallels to overcoming difficulties last season.
Cristiano Ronaldo is, as a "big icon who loves hair", being tipped to become the A-list barber that eventually gets to give The United Strand a fresh trim. Red Devils fan Frank Ilett has gone viral after vowing not to cut his locks until Ruben Amorim's side have won five games in a row. They recently ticked three of those boxes, but the wait goes on as various names are offered up as potential cutters of what has become rather wild hair.
Kylian Mbappe has hit back at French rapper Orelsan after being mocked in a new track over the Real Madrid star’s ownership of Caen. The French club now sit in the third tier of French football after facing relegation under Mbappe's ownership. The striker issued a fiery reply on social media, accusing the rapper of "begging" for a free stake in the club.
Liverpool boss Arne Slot has urged patience with Alexander Isak as the striker returns to full training ahead of Sunday's Premier League clash with Manchester City. The £125 million record signing has missed four games with a groin injury, but Slot insists the Swedish forward needs "time" to regain match sharpness after a frustrating stop-start beginning to life at Anfield.
Marseille manager Roberto De Zerbi has accepted his "share of responsibility" for his side's poor form following their Champions League exit. However, returning forward Tim Weah has blasted talk of a "total crisis" at the club, pointing out they are still second in Ligue 1 and just two points behind reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain.
Manchester City starlet Reigan Heskey, the son of former Liverpool striker Emile, helped to give England lift-off in their U17 World Cup campaign as he inspired an 8-1 victory over Haiti. Having lost their opening game of the tournament in Qatar, the Young Lions knew that three points were imperative in their second Group E fixture. Neil Ryan's side ultimately eased over that line.
Portugal head coach Roberto Martinez faces a major selection dilemma as Portugal heads into decisive 2026 World Cup qualifiers without injured star Nuno Mendes, a player the coach calls "the best in the world". With the Paris Saint-Germain full-back sidelined, Martinez admits there’s “no natural replacement” and turns to Diogo Dalot and Joao Cancelo to fill the void.
Former Germany midfielder Dietmar Hamann believes that Manuel Neuer could come out of retirement and return to the national team if he continues his current form for Bayern Munich. With current first choice goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen struggling at Barcelona, the national team hero suggested Neuer is the natural choice to fill in should his compatriot fail to find a new club in January.
Spain boss Luis de la Fuente has defended his decision to call up Barcelona star Lamine Yamal for crucial World Cup qualifiers, stating he is in "perfect shape". The selection comes despite recent friction with Barcelona over the 18-year-old's pubalgia injury that has created tension between the Spanish national team and the Catalan club.
Former Manchester United defender Danny Simpson has boldly claimed that he could not see Harry Kane turning the Red Devils down if they were to make another play for the England captain in 2026. Kane is currently on the books of Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich, but has exit clauses in his contract that can be triggered in upcoming transfer windows - with a return to the Premier League being speculated on.
Manchester United completed a clean sweep of Premier League honours for October as Ruben Amorim claimed the Manager of the Month award and Bryan Mbeumo was named Player of the Month. The Portuguese coach led his side to three straight victories over Sunderland, Liverpool and Brighton, while Mbeumo’s three goals capped a standout month for the rejuvenated Red Devils.
Despite Harry Kane’s early-season concerns about Bayern Munich’s “smallest-ever squad,” Vincent Kompany remains unfazed. With Bayern on a record-breaking 16-game winning streak and key stars Jamal Musiala, Alphonso Davies and Hiroki Ito nearing returns, the coach insists depth is not an issue further proving that form, fitness and flexibility might outweigh numbers.
Micky van de Van scored a stunning solo goal for Tottenham in their Champions League clash with FC Copenhagen, but a couple of his club colleagues have snubbed the Dutchman when naming the best strike that they have ever seen. Another effort recorded in European competition, by Portuguese GOAT Cristiano Ronaldo, gets the nod from a few of those in north London.
Former German legends Dietmar Hamann and Oliver Kahn have criticised the inclusion of Said El Mala in Julian Nagelsmann’s Germany squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifying matches. Kahn argued that players should not be selected based on just two or three good performances, while Hamann felt that Nagelsmann should have waited until March next year to give El Mala his first opportunity with the national team.
Manchester United legend Sir Alex Ferguson is among those to have paid homage to Pep Guardiola as Manchester City's head coach prepares to join the exclusive '1,000 Club'. The highly-decorated Catalan will join that group, alongside some illustrious figures such as Jose Mourinho and Arsene Wenger, when reaching four figures in the managerial department.
Just months after being written off as a Barcelona flop, Vitor Roque has reignited his career in spectacular fashion. Now Palmeiras' top scorer and a key figure in their title chase, the 20-year-old has earned a Brazil call-up from Carlo Ancelotti - a moment he calls “the best phase of my life”. From struggling in Spain to thriving back home, Roque’s resurgence underscores how the right environment and consistent game time can revive a player’s career.
Bayern Munich are racing to extend Dayot Upamecano's contract, with sporting director Christoph Freund calling it the club's "main goal". The defender is in the final months of his deal, and reports claim Real Madrid have opened talks for a free transfer ahead of next season, which comes as no surprise to the German club's director.