| Europa League last 16: When is draw? Feb 26th 2021, 07:08, by Ojo Olayiwola A. Tottenham, Arsenal, Manchester United, and Rangers have all reached the Europa League last 16. The Europa League last 16 draw takes place on Friday but who has made it through and who could the British sides face? When is the Europa League last-16 draw? The draw will take place at midday on Friday, February 26 in Nyon at 12pm UK time. Who has reached the last 16? Tottenham and Manchester United both eased into the last 16 as Spurs beat Wolfsberger 8-1 on aggregate and United saw off Real Sociedad 4-0, with all the goals coming in the first leg. Arsenal needed a dramatic turnaround to see off Benfica 3-2 and avoid going out on away goals in the second leg after a 1-1 draw last week, while Rangers followed up a 4-3 victory at Royal Antwerp with a 5-2 success in the second leg. Leicester were the only British side to stumble in the last 32 as Slavia Prague's 2-0 victory at the King Power helped them see off Brendan Rodgers' side. Qualified teams: Tottenham
Dynamo Kiev
Manchester United
Arsenal
AC Milan
Rangers
Slavia Prague
Villarreal
Roma
Dinamo Zagreb
Young Boys
Molde
Granada
Shakhtar Donetsk
Ajax
Olympiakos What is the draw format? Clubs were split into two pots for the last-32 draw, with the 12 group winners and the four teams with the best Champions League record all seeded. But there is no seeding or country protection at this stage, meaning there could be an all-Premier League tie in the round of 16. What are the key dates? March 11 & 18: Round of 16
April 8 & 15: Quarter-finals
April 29 & May 6: Semi-finals
May 26: Final (Gdansk, Poland) Source: Sky Sports |  | 5 of the best football streaming sites for 2021 Feb 25th 2021, 23:01, by Ojo Olayiwola A. Modern-day technology has ensured many wonderful things, and watching sports without a television is just one of those. And football is undoubtedly the most-favoured sport going, with millions of people now relying on streaming services in order to get their daily dose of the action. Fortunately, there are countless broadcasters who have taken this into account, offering their services for either free or a small fee. Only the top live football streaming sites out there fulfil their legal requirements by obtaining their right to broadcast the sport, and here we take a look at the top five currently available and other honourable mentions herein. - Sky Sports
Sky Sports is arguably the UK's top football broadcasting service, with both English and Scottish domestic action continuously available week after week. There is, of course, the added bonus of extremely reliable servers and easily navigated menus. Over ten channels are available with certain subscriptions, with live football, rugby, cricket, golf, tennis and boxing all among the favoured sports. It's also the home of Formula 1, while catch-up and highlights are also on offer. - ESPN
Another hugely popular platform, and another that has a particular focus on football. The high-definition events are available via participating TV or internet providers, such as Cox, Hulu, Sling TV, DIRECTV and Verizon among several others. Even without this connection, there are still a whole host of free, up to date services available, including news, highlights, scores, commentary and the latest trending videos. Football, tennis and basketball are covered in-depth, as well as the lesser-spotted WWE, MMA, horse racing and eSports. - BT Sport
Launched in 2013 and based at Queen Elizabeth Park in east London, the self-proclaimed 'Heart of Sport' broadcast a wide range of sports including rugby union, UFC, boxing and MotoGP, with millions of customers nationwide utilising these services. Much like Sky, BT Sport features the English and Scottish football calendars heavily, but differ thanks to their exclusive deal with UEFA which sees them broadcast all Champions League and Europa League matches. - DAZN
DAZN first launched in Austria, Germany and Japan four years ago, but has since expanded to a global audience, with customers in the US, Canada and Brazil now making use of their live and on-demand sports streaming services. And just like its location expansion, DAZN has also increased its offerings to football and several American sports, having solely operated in fighting sports. As an added bonus, the service usually offers a first-month-free option, allowing consumers to then decide if they will follow through with a paid subscription going forward. - Bet365
The online bookmaker unsurprisingly made a name for itself within the realm of sports betting, but recent developments have seen Bet365 offer live streaming to its loyal customers. Chelsea play host to Manchester United at the Stamford Bridge this weekend, where both teams have scored in three of their last six meetings between these two clubs in all competitions. Chelsea have scored in all of their last six matches, while both teams have scored in three of Man Utd's last five outings. Betting with best online casino in usa, you can back both teams to score at 3/4 with bet365. The live streaming platform is available for punters with a funded account, or those logged in who have placed a bet in the last 24 hours. Consumers can then place live bets, cash-out and make use of the innovative Bet Builder feature that is so prevalent in today's sports betting world. Honourable mentions: - beIN Sports
Qatar-based beIN Sports comprises a global network of channels, most notable for its live football streaming services. The company currently operates in countless countries including the UK, USA, the Middle East, Australia and Thailand among many others. It holds the rights to broadcast the majority of the major club and country football competitions including the Champions League and the European Championships, and boasts many former professionals among their commentary and punditry teams, including Gaizka Mendieta, Robert Pires and Eric Abidal. - fuboTV
American streaming service fuboTV delivers original content to mobile phones through its smartphone app, focusing on channels that distribute news and entertainment, but primarily sports, mainly MLS, as well as basketball and NFL. It is another service that offers a trial period before a potential upgrade to its premium content, while the servers in USA and Canada mean that a VPN is necessary to enjoy the live football streams. - YouTube
An online video sharing giant, Google-owned YouTube is another late arrival to the world of live sports streaming, but they have already hosted some hugely important fixtures in Spanish, Russian, US and international football. Subject to geographical restrictions, the events are made available on the platform by official rights holders. Most notably perhaps are BT Sport, whose deal with UEFA obliges the UK broadcaster to air the Champions League and Europa League finals for free, with YouTube their preferred medium. Some of the unofficial free football streaming sites below, will be airing the Arsenal v Benfica tonight at the Stadio Georgios Karaiskakis. The gooner news outfit were the better team in last week's 1-1 Europa League draw with Benfica in Rome and are taken to come out on top in the second leg in Greece. Coronavirus issues have created the need for neutral venues, but the Gunners have performed well on the road in this competition in recent years, but we're happy to take 17/20 odds as we bet with best payout casinos online, for Mikel Arteta's men to prevail in Athens for our first Arsenal vs Benfica prediction. Check the below: First Row Sports Stream2Watch Live Soccer TV Ronaldo7 CricHD MobDro | | Manchester United team that should start against Real Sociedad Feb 25th 2021, 15:45, by Ojo Olayiwola A. A 4-0 first leg lead means Manchester United are able to rest players for the return fixture against Real Sociedad in the Europa League round of 32 on Thursday. With a Premier League game against Chelsea coming up this weekend, manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will look to rotate his stars out of the side to give them a rest while giving important minutes to some fringe players. A win isn't necessarily needed, but the Reds will be keen to keep their momentum going after back-to-back victories. Lets take a look at the starting lineup they should go with to be able to balance the best of both worlds. 1. Goalkeeper and Defenders Dean Henderson (GK) – The cup goalkeeper of choice so far this season, Henderson will start once again here. Brandon Williams (RB) – The academy graduate could do with some first-team minutes and with no pressure in this game, it would be a good time to rest Aaron Wan-Bissaka too. Eric Bailly (CB) – He started the first leg and his pace was key against Alexander Isak, so he should keep his place for the return game. Axel Tuanzebe (CB) – With Victor Lindelof's persistent back issues and Harry Maguire a yellow card away from missing the next game, Tuanzebe should get the nod. Alex Telles (LB) – The understudy to Luke Shaw so far this season, Telles has performed well and deserves to start this game. 2. Midfielders Nemanja Matic (CM) – Matic's performance in the second half in particular against Newcastle was impressive and he deserves a start again. Fred (CM) – Injuries in central midfield means Solskjaer's options are limited, so Fred will start once again. Juan Mata (AM) – After a short while away, Mata has returned to the squad and is due a start in his preferred role to rest Bruno Fernandes. 3. Forwards Mason Greenwood (RW) – The youngster is due a goal and will start here in the hope of adding to his tally for the season. Anthony Martial (ST) – With Cavani out injured, Martial needs to take this opportunity to give the manager a selection headache after a poor season so far. Daniel James (LW) – The Welsh winger has scored in each of his last three appearances for the Reds and his pace caused problems in the first leg so he'll start here once again. Source: 90min | | Who will finish in the Premier League top four this season? Feb 25th 2021, 15:41, by Ojo Olayiwola A. Since Manchester City decided they couldn't be bothered with a Premier League title race and instead just opted to run away with it, the main talking point at the top of the table has become the race for the top four. With teams like Aston Villa and Tottenham still holding games in hand over those above them, the battle for Champions League qualification is a lot more open than you might think. With that in mind, we've taken a look at each side in with a shout of making the top four, analysing their remaining fixtures and predicting their final points tally. Manchester United Let's be honest, Manchester United's dream of a Premier League title tilt was never going to last longer than about a fortnight. Nevertheless, the Red Devils still have plenty to play for this season – both domestically and in Europe – and with a six-point cushion between themselves and fifth place Chelsea they're well set for a place in next season's Champions League. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's men still have a couple of tricky away days to come with trips to Chelsea, Manchester City and Tottenham on the horizon, but they should have enough quality to see them over the line. Remaining fixtures Chelsea (A)
Crystal Palace (A)
Manchester City (A)
West Ham (H)
Brighton (H)
Tottenham (A)
Burnley (H)
Leeds (A)
Liverpool (H)
Aston Villa (A)
Leicester (H)
Fulham (H)
Wolves (A) Final points prediction: 72 Leicester You'd like to think that Leicester's place in the Premier League top four looks pretty safe given their current form and the six-point gap between them and fifth place, but their late collapse last season suggests we shouldn't be so sure. Brendan Rodgers' side will need to continue their good form over the coming weeks if they harbour genuine ambitions of bringing Champions League football back to the King Power Stadium, with their end-of-season run-in looking far from easy. The Foxes face Manchester United, Chelsea and Tottenham in their final three games of the campaign, and they'll likely need a healthy cushion in the top four spots if they're to avoid a repeat of last season's late slide down the table. Remaining fixtures Arsenal (H)
Burnley (A)
Brighton (A)
Sheffield United (H)
Manchester City (H)
West Ham (A)
West Brom (H)
Crystal Palace (H)
Southampton (A)
Newcastle (H)
Manchester United (A)
Chelsea (A)
Tottenham (H) Final points prediction: 71 West Ham Even the most ardent West Ham fan would have laughed at the suggestion their team would be challenging for a place in the Champions League with just three months of the season to play – but here we are. David Moyes has transformed the Hammers into a well-drilled outfit who can beat anyone in the league on their day, with some astute signings adding to an already talented squad. West Ham face two difficult trips to Manchester in their next three games, and if Moyes can make sure his side is still in touch with the top four in a few weeks, they could well achieve what had looked nigh-on impossible at the start of the season. Remaining fixtures Manchester City (A)
Leeds (H)
Manchester United (A)
Arsenal (H)
Wolves (A)
Leicester (H)
Newcastle (A)
Chelsea (H)
Burnley (A)
Everton (H)
Brighton (A)
West Brom (A)
Southampton (H) Final points prediction: 66 Chelsea It's fair to say that were it not for the man in the picture above we wouldn't even feel the need to mention Chelsea in this list. Thomas Tuchel's arrival at Stamford Bridge has reignited the Blues' season and they're now firmly in the race for the top four, though the former Paris Saint-Germain boss will be disappointed to have only come away from out-of-form Southampton with a point last time out. Chelsea's destiny remains in their own hands, with Tuchel's men set to face eight of the other nine sides currently sitting in the top half of the Premier League before the season's end, and their away games with Manchester City and Aston Villa towards the end of the campaign could prove to be key. Remaining fixtures Manchester United (H)
Liverpool (A)
Everton (H)
Leeds (A)
West Brom (H)
Crystal Palace (A)
Brighton (H)
West Ham (A)
Fulham (H)
Manchester City (A)
Arsenal (H)
Leicester (H)
Aston Villa (A) Final points prediction: 67 Liverpool This year's Premier League has been full of surprises, but Liverpool's abject title defence probably tops the lot. While Jurgen Klopp can bemoan the defensive injuries suffered by his squad, it's the Reds' lack of goals that's had the biggest impact on their stuttered campaign. After four defeats on the bounce, Liverpool have a serious challenge ahead of them if they're to qualify for the Champions League – y'know, unless they just go and win the thing again. Remaining fixtures Sheffield United (A)
Chelsea (H)
Fulham (H)
Wolves (A)
Arsenal (A)
Aston Villa (H)
Leeds (A)
Newcastle (H)
Manchester United (A)
Southampton (H)
West Brom (A)
Burnley (A)
Crystal Palace (H) Final points prediction: 69 Everton If Everton weren't insistent on losing every seemingly 'easy' fixture they play, Carlo Ancelotti's side would probably be top of the league by now. In fairness, you could never accuse the Toffees of being boring; in the last month they've lost at home to struggling Newcastle and Fulham as well as picking up four points away at Manchester United and Liverpool. Predicting Everton's final points tally is absolutely pointless given their erratic form, but we've done it anyway because, y'know, fun. Remaining fixtures Southampton (H)
West Brom (A)
Chelsea (A)
Burnley (H)
Crystal Palace (H)
Brighton (A)
Tottenham (H)
Arsenal (A)
Aston Villa (H)
West Ham (A)
Sheffield United (H)
Wolves (H)
Manchester City (A)
Aston Villa (A) – fixture yet to be allocated a date Final points prediction: 61 Aston Villa Obviously he's not going to win it, but if Dean Smith's name isn't on the Premier League Manager of the Season shortlist then it's a travesty. It's not quite a Leicester-style turnaround, but to take Aston Villa from the brink of life back in the Championship to challenging for a place in Europe is incredible. Some savvy transfer business coupled with the fine form of Jack Grealish has meant relegation worries are a thing of the past for Villa, yet they'll do well to finish in the top four, even if they do have two games in hand on the majority of those above them. Remaining fixtures Leeds (A)
Sheffield United (A)
Wolves (H)
Newcastle (A)
Tottenham (H)
Fulham (H)
Liverpool (A)
Manchester City (H)
West Brom (H)
Everton (A)
Manchester United (H)
Crystal Palace (A)
Tottenham (A)
Chelsea (H)
Everton (H) – fixture yet to be allocated a date Final points prediction: 54 Tottenham You may scoff at Jose Mourinho's side being included in our list, but if they win their game in hand they go just a point behind Liverpool, and you wouldn't rule the champions out of the top four race yet, would you? However, we're not completely blinkered here – we know that it's going to take a monumental turnaround if Tottenham are to qualify for next season's Champions League. But with Harry Kane and Son Heung-min up top and Gareth Bale showing glimpses of the player we know he can be, you just never know. For what it's worth, we don't think they will finish in the top four, but it's nice to add a bit of excitement. Remaining fixtures Burnley (H)
Fulham (A)
Crystal Palace (H)
Arsenal (A)
Aston Villa (A)
Newcastle (A)
Manchester United (H)
Everton (A)
Sheffield United (H)
Leeds (A)
Wolves (H)
Aston Villa (H)
Leicester (A)
Southampton (H) – fixture yet to be allocated a date Final points prediction: 62 Premier League table prediction 1. Manchester City
2. Manchester United
3. Leicester
4. Liverpool
5. Chelsea
6. West Ham
7. Tottenham
8. Everton
9. Aston Villa Source: 90min | | Top 5: Premier League players of the weekend Feb 22nd 2021, 18:31, by Ojo Olayiwola A. Following another weekend of Premier League action, Pep Guardiola's Manchester City continue to exert their dominance with a 1-0 victory over Arsenal, lead by former No.2 Mikel Arteta. Manchester United and Leicester's campaign to hunt them down persists with huge wins over high-flyers, while David Moyes continues to show that class could well be permanent, getting West Ham into the top-four while Chelsea falter. With many clubs having just 13 fixtures left to fulfil, individual performances are becoming all the more important to teams desperately searching for points at both ends of the division. With that in mind, we look at five of the top player performances in the Premier League during the past weekend… 5. Raheem Sterling Although it wasn't exactly a vintage performance, master Guardiola once again proved to be too great for his apprentice, Arteta, as City edged it 1-0 at the Emirates Stadium after scoring within the first two minutes. Speedster Raheem Sterling proved his worth in a different manner, converting a top-class header after out-jumping Rob Holding to Riyad Mahrez's delivery. Thanks to this solitary effort from the Three Lions forward, Guardiola has now managed The Citizens to an 18-game winning streak. 4. Dan James While the 23-year-old hasn't set the world alight at United, nippy winger Dan James looked like he had Newcastle on toast at times Sunday. Allan Saint-Maximin had equalised following Marcus Rashford's opener, but James scored his second goal in as many names, after Europe League success midweek, to put his side back ahead in the second half. It was the Welshman's first start in the league since Boxing Day and he marked it by lashing a shot past Darlow into the bottom corner, before Fernandes' penalty saw it finish 3-1. 3. Jordan Pickford This award could easily be handed to Michael Keane, with both Englishmen putting in a top performance to raise eyebrows before the European Championship's this summer. Everton managed to add to Liverpool's woes by turning up at Anfield, scoring twice and camping out for a very impressive clean sheet. Richarlison and Gylfi Sigurdsson added the goals at both ends of the match, while Jordan Pickford made vital saves from Jordan Henderson's volley and Mohamad Salah in-between. The Reds have capitulated thanks to a huge injury list, but their Merseyside rivals put them to the sword on Saturday. 2. Jesse Lingard On-loan from Manchester United, Jesse Lingard already looks totally reinvigorated. Under former manager Moyes' leadership, Lingard has scored three in four for West Ham now, after notching the winner in a 2-1 victory over London rivals Tottenham Hotspur. Initially ruled out but for VAR, Lingard skipped through The Lilywhites defence and powered a shot beyond Hugo Lloris, before a choreographed dance alongside Declan Rice and Aaron Cresswell displayed lifted spirits. 1. Harvey Barnes Included in the top players last week too, Harvey Barnes is putting a strong case forward to England boss Gareth Southgate. Barnes notched an assist for the opener and scored the winner as Brendan Rogers' side overcame Aston Villa 2-1 at Villa Park. He laid off the pass to James Maddison to score in the opening 20 minutes, adding a tap-in just moments later which proved to be decisive – his 13th goal of the season. With six goals and three assists in the last 11 Premier League matches, the 23-year-old winger is without doubt one of the divisions top performers. | | 3 big changes Mikel Arteta should make to beat Leeds United Feb 12th 2021, 20:23, by Ojo Olayiwola A. Mikel Arteta will look to overcome Marcelo Bielsa's Leeds United tactical masterplan when the two side meet on Sunday. Arsenal face Leeds in the Premier League on Sunday and will be hoping to get the better of Marcelo Bielsa's side after a tempestuous affair in November. The two teams met in a fiery clash which saw Nicolas Pepe sent off for a headbutt on Ezgjan Alioski, with Leeds striker Patrick Bamford revealing that his team-mate is "looking forward" to facing the Ivorian winger at Emirates Stadium this weekend. Goals are expected and it will almost certainly be another end-to-end counter attacking encounter against a Bielsa team who have impressed with their expansive style this season. However, Arsenal have lost their last two consecutive league games and are desperate to make amends for a series of results which has seen the momentum they built in the first few weeks of January come to a halt That said, let's take a look at three changes Mikel Arteta should make when Arsenal face Leeds on Sunday: Start Odegaard Martin Odegaard hasn't started a game for Arsenal since joining on loan from Real Madrid last month. The Norwegian midfielder impressed in his short cameo appearance against Villa and could have netted a second half equaliser minutes after coming on. With the upcoming Europa League matches against Benfica over the next couple of weeks, it's crucial that players are rotated and rested to prevent injuries. Indeed, Arsenal have Thomas Partey and Kieran Tierney on the sidelines and they would be better off resting the likes of Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe for this one. Smith Rowe in particular looked tired against Villa and has played a lot of football since starting against Chelsea on Boxing Day. Odegaard will be keen to grasp his opportunity with both hands as he looks to assert himself in the Premier League. Solidify the left Arsenal have a big task on their hands against the in-form Raphina who will look to take advantage of the Gunners' left hand side without Tierney. Cedric had a solid few games at left-back but was disappointing against Villa and made a poor mistake which led to the only goal of the game. He will most likely start on Sunday as Arsenal have no other realistic options except Saka, who is likely to feature in attack or could be rested with one eye on the Benfica match. Give Pepe freedom Pepe has played the last five games in all competitions and started to flourish after being given a run of consistent matches. The Ivorian winger will be even more fired up for Sunday's match when he comes up against Alioski, who he himself has told team-mates that he's looking forward to the battle. "There is a click for him in his mentality, how he is approaching every training session, importance of every action in the game," said Arteta. "I really like his attitude. What he's done in recent weeks has been much better. "He still has a lot of room to improve and he's willing to do that so I'm expecting him to go to the next level very soon." It's vital that Pepe is given the freedom to attack and showcase his attacking credentials. Bielsa knows him well from their short time together at Lille but it could be Pepe who will get the last laugh from an exciting league clash in north London. Source: Football London | | Online Soccer Betting Guide Feb 8th 2021, 09:46, by Ojo Olayiwola A. Soccer is among the world's most popular sport, with thousands of professional and amateur leagues globally. The game attracts large audiences from all walks of life, with millions of punters wagering on different outcomes. Fortunately, soccer betting is generally straightforward even for beginners, with sites like Betway offering solid odds and many opportunities to turn a profit. This beginner's guide to soccer betting will help you have fun with soccer betting and give you a better chance of success in the game. Understanding The Basics Of Soccer Betting While experienced punters skip this step, beginners must understand all the rules before placing a wager. For starters, all the soccer bets feature the same three components, including: - Selection – That simply means the option you're choosing to wager on or the outcome you think will occur. For instance, you can decide to select the number of achievable goals, the final score, or the winning team. However, there are lots of different selections to choose from in an online bookie like Betway.
- Stake – That's the amount of money you're planning to wager on your selection. For instance, if you plan to bet $100 on an outcome, then your stake is $100. That means high stake punters wager large sums of money on a single bet.
- Odds – In theory, the odds signify the likelihood of an event occurring during a game. They also determine the amount of cash you'll receive from your bets when the outcome selected occurs.
Choosing Betting Markets With hundreds of online soccer betting selections available for you to wager, most beginners make the mistake of choosing any outcome with solid odds. It's advisable to understand the types of bets available and concentrate on a few markets to increase your chances of turning a profit. You might feel tempted to place various wagers on different leagues, but that's rarely a good approach for beginners. When choosing the betting markets to concentrate on, start with the leagues you're most knowledgeable in and the games you love watching. You can also start with the most popular soccer leagues globally, although everything is all about personal preference. Understanding The Key Factors That Influence Soccer Games With online soccer betting, your chances of winning depend on how accurately you can calculate possible outcomes. However, you must understand the different factors that can impact a soccer game to predict an outcome accurately. These factors include the teams; current form, play styles, weather, schedules, injuries and suspensions, discipline, motivation and psychology, head-to-head records, and overall team quality. Of course, knowing the factors that affect the soccer games isn't enough. You must understand how each of them affects the soccer games, and you must learn how to assess all of them effectively. That requires analyzing and interpreting the relevant information related to a game and using it to make informed decisions. However, that can be challenging for some players. Conclusion Besides learning how to analyze different games and use the data available to make accurate predictions, you must learn how to avoid basic mistakes. That's because most beginners lose their stake by making basic mistakes that could be avoided easily. | | West Ham keen on signing Man Utd ace Jan 26th 2021, 10:55, by Ojo Olayiwola A. Jesse Lingard is free to leave Man United this month after failing to make a single Premier League appearance all season. West Ham United are the frontrunners to sign Jesse Lingard as next week's winter transfer deadline looms. Football Weeks' source, MEN understands West Ham are the only side to have shown concrete interest in signing Lingard, 28, on loan from Manchester United until the end of the season. The British tabloid revealed last month Sheffield United were keen to recruit Lingard on loan but there were reservations about the financing of a potential loan package. Lingard's camp have encouraged links with Tottenham but the MEN reported in September Spurs are not in for Lingard and that stance has not changed. Lingard has not played in the Premier League all season and not started a league game since New Year's Day of last year, with his only appearances this term reduced to two starts and a cameo in the FA Cup and Carabao Cup. United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has omitted Lingard from 15 of their 19 league matchday squads and his West Ham counterpart David Moyes named Lingard in his United pre-season tour squad in 2013. Lingard scored in United's friendly win against the A-League All-Stars in Sydney. West Ham are seventh in the Premier League at the halfway stage and into the fifth round of the FA Cup, when they will travel to United next month. Solskjaer gave Lingard his reserve debut at United and the England international played a pivotal role in his unbeaten 11-game start as caretaker manager in 2018-19. However, Lingard has scored one league goal in the last two years and he was disciplined following a crass holiday video ahead of the 2019-20 campaign. Source: MEN | | Frank Lampard sacked by Chelsea after 18 months in charge Jan 25th 2021, 12:14, by Ojo Olayiwola A. Thomas Tuchel in line to replace Frank Lampard – Sky in Germany; Lampard appointed Chelsea head coach in July 2019 and finished in top four and reached FA Cup final last season; Chelsea ninth in Premier League after 19 games, 11 points behind leaders Manchester United Frank Lampard has been sacked by Chelsea after just 18 months as head coach. In a statement, Chelsea said "results and performances have not met the club's expectations, leaving the club mid-table without any clear path to sustained improvement". Lampard, who is the club's all-time leading goalscorer, enjoyed a good first season as Blues boss, taking them to the FA Cup final and securing qualification for the Champions League. But after being given more than £200m to spend on new players in the summer, Chelsea find themselves ninth in the Premier League after 19 games, 11 points behind leaders Manchester United and five points off Liverpool in fourth. Lampard took the side on a 17-game unbeaten run but away defeats to Everton, Wolves, Arsenal and Leicester and a 3-1 home defeat to Manchester City have cost him his job. In a statement, Abramovich said: "This was a very difficult decision for the club, not least because I have an excellent personal relationship with Frank and I have the utmost respect for him. "He is a man of great integrity and has the highest of work ethics. However, under current circumstances we believe it is best to change managers. "On behalf of everyone at the club, the board and personally, I would like to thank Frank for his work as head coach and wish him every success in the future. He is an important icon of this great club and his status here remains undiminished. He will always be warmly welcomed back at Stamford Bridge." According to Sky in Germany, Thomas Tuchel is in line to replace Lampard. The former Borussia Dortmund coach is available after leaving Paris Saint-Germain in December. Tuchel won the DFB-Pokal in 2017 with Dortmund before a brief but trophy-laden spell in Paris which saw him win two Ligue 1 titles and a French Cup, as well as reaching the final of last season's Champions League, which they lost to Bayern Munich. Source: Sky Sports | | Burnley stun Liverpool as 68-game unbeaten run at Anfield comes to an end Jan 22nd 2021, 04:19, by Ojo Olayiwola A. LIVERPOOL'S SEVEN-HOUR goal drought eventually caught up with them as Burnley pulled off a shock 1-0 victory at Anfield which ended an unbeaten home Premier League record of almost four years. Ashley Barnes' 83rd-minute penalty – his 100th senior career club goal – inflicted the first league loss on home soil for Jurgen Klopp's side since Crystal Palace in April 2017, after a run of 68 matches undefeated. The defending champions were again made to pay for their lack of a cutting edge – having left the out-of-form Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino on the bench for an hour – and it is now seven hours and 18 minutes since they last found the net in the Premier League. It was a famous victory for Burnley, whose last win on this ground came in September 1974 courtesy of Ian Brennan's goal. Last season they were the only side to take a point off Liverpool at home as they raced to the title, and they finished this game with the same amount of possession – 29 per cent – but crucially went one better. They employed similar tactics of defending resolutely, competing physically and taking the opportunity when it arose. The same could not be said for Klopp's side, who had 27 attempts but only six on target, and they are now six points behind leaders Manchester United. A fifth win of the season lifted Burnley to 19 points, but the confidence of the result will be just as important. With captain Jordan Henderson out with a minor groin problem and Salah and Firmino rested, the onus was put on replacements Divock Origi, with one league goal since December 2019, and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Neither lived up to the billing and did not last the hour, although not before Origi missed the chance of the night just before half-time. The Belgium striker's only goal this season came in the 7-2 Carabao Cup victory at Lincoln and his stock falls lower by the week having used up all his credit from that famous Champions League semi-final double against Barcelona in 2019. An uncharacteristic mis-kick from Clarets captain Ben Mee put Origi clean through, but his lack of game time and confidence showed as he blasted a shot past Nick Pope but against the crossbar when what was required was placement and a calmness under pressure. It was a chance he just had to take to prove his value as back-up to the established front three. Pope arrived at Anfield with five clean sheets in his last 10 league games, which did not bode well for Klopp's goal-shy side, but he was not properly tested in the opening 45 minutes. Sadio Mane had an early header blocked by Dwight McNeil, but there followed a succession of shots from Xherdan Shaqiri, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Origi and Andy Robertson which the England international dealt with comfortably. Frustrations boiled over at the half-time whistle as Barnes reacted angrily to Fabinho appearing to flick out at him, provoking a small melee, but referee Mike Dean showed the Brazilian a yellow card and VAR agreed. Meanwhile Klopp and Sean Dyche, who were both halfway down the tunnel, had their own heated exchange Burnley's one real opportunity came when Alisson dropped a cross under pressure from Chris Wood, but he reacted well to block Barnes' shot. Just over 10 minutes into the second half and with the game drifting, Klopp sent on Salah and Firmino, with the former straight into the action by forcing Pope into his first decent save low at his near post. Burnley substitute Johann Berg Gudmundsson blazed wide from close range, but it was not as bad as the Firmino effort which was so off-target compatriot Alisson, 80 yards away, dropped to his knees, held his head and let out a yell. There were more more shouts of frustration when Alexander-Arnold's cross hit Erik Pieters' arm in the penalty area. Having spent most of the preceding 83 minutes on the back foot, Burnley were presented with a chance of producing a shock at Anfield and they seized it. Alisson brought down Barnes and the Clarets forward stepped up to score. And there was to be no lucky escape for the hosts as Firmino's close-range shot was deflected wide by Mee, who knew little about his intervention. Source: the42.ie | |
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