Posts

Showing posts from December 1, 2024

City drop more Premier League points

Image
Crystal Palace 2 - 2 Manchester City Manchester City battled back twice to secure a draw against Crystal Palace but their inconsistent form shows no signs of improving. Author - Macca Manchester City drop more points More reaction here - eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com/search/label... Watch highlights here courtesy of Sky Sports - www.youtube.com/watch?v=tysO... [image or embed] — European Super Football ( @superfootball.bsky.social ) 7 December 2024 at 17:26 City’s midweek victory over Nottingham Forest had sparked hopes of a resurgence, but Palace might feel hard done by not to have claimed all three points at Selhurst Park. The home side made a dream start, with Will Hughes finding wing-back Daniel Muñoz in acres of space to fire in the opener after just four minutes. Palace could have doubled their lead before Erling Haaland rose brilliantly to head in Matheus Nunes' cross and bring City level. Palace regained the advantage when Maxence Lacroix met Hughes’ corner with ...

Bayern extend lead at the top of Bundesliga

Image
Bayern Munich 4 - 2 Heidenheim Bayern Munich maintained their unbeaten run in the Bundesliga with an impressive 4-2 victory over Heidenheim. Author - DJ Jamal Musiala bagged a brace, while Dayot Upamecano and Leon Goretzka also found the net to help Bayern extend their lead at the top of the table to six points. Their nearest rivals, Eintracht Frankfurt, were held to a 2-2 draw by Augsburg, giving Bayern some breathing room. Manager Vincent Kompany had to contend with a depleted squad, missing key players Harry Kane, Manuel Neuer, Mathys Tel, and Serge Gnabry, while Musiala started on the bench. Despite this, Bayern dominated from the off. Leroy Sané squandered two early chances before Upamecano nodded in from a Joshua Kimmich corner to open the scoring. Bayern enjoyed a staggering 86% possession in the first half, completing 503 passes to Heidenheim's 51, but Alphonso Davies' effort against the post was the only other major chance. Heidenheim, to their credit, refused to ...

Burnley held by determined Middlesbrough

Image
Burnley 1 - 1 Middlesbrough Burnley missed the opportunity to go top of the Championship after a lively 1-1 draw against Middlesbrough on a blustery evening at Turf Moor. Author - JP Anfernee Dijksteel opened the scoring for Boro with their first shot of the game after just 13 minutes. Despite falling as he struck, he deftly chipped over Clarets goalkeeper James Trafford from 12 yards out, securing his first goal of the season. Connor Roberts levelled for Burnley eight minutes before half-time with a looping long-range strike that seemed aided by the swirling winds of Storm Darragh, catching Boro’s keeper Seny Dieng off his line. The second half was packed with chances for both sides but ended all square. Burnley remain in second place, one point behind leaders Sheffield United, while Middlesbrough stay fifth. EFL: 2024/2025 news and stories News and stories from Burnley and Turf Moor can be found here Burnley began brightly, dominating possession early on but failing to create cle...

Sunderland end winless run in the Championship

Image
Sunderland 2 - 1 Stoke City Teenage Sunderland midfielder Tom Watson celebrated a career milestone by scoring his first two senior goals, helping his side secure a much-needed victory over Stoke City.  The win ended a six-game winless run for the Championship promotion contenders. Author - Lee Poxen The hosts hadn’t tasted victory since 26 October and fell behind early, as Liverpool loanee Lewis Koumas, aged 19, opened the scoring for Stoke in just the sixth minute. After his initial effort was saved, Koumas showed composure to slot home the rebound with his left foot, marking his fourth goal of the season for the Wales international. Stoke’s lead, however, was short-lived, lasting less than a minute. Watson, only 18 years old, linked up beautifully with Jobe Bellingham inside the box before unleashing a powerful low shot that beat Stoke goalkeeper Viktor Johansson at his near post. What else has been happening in the EFL? Discover more Sunderland news and stories Watson almost...

When Andy Johnson and Tim Cahill were the pride of Everton

Image
We're having a throwback to September 2006. This was a time when the mood at Goodison Park was very different. When the 'big clubs' visited Everton at that point, the Toffees usually expected to cause a shock. Author - Sarah W  Do you remember when Everton played Liverpool in 2006? Andy Johnson and Tim Cahill were outstanding for the Toffees. eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com/search/label... youtu.be/lMQtkPJd634?... [image or embed] — European Super Football ( @superfootball.bsky.social ) 6 December 2024 at 14:18 This resounding 3-0 victory over Liverpool in the September 2006 Merseyside derby was their biggest derby triumph in 42 years. It was achieved with a clinical performance and solid defensive organisation. Let's have a closer look at what happened. Tim Cahill opened the scoring after 23 minutes, capitalising on a loose ball to slot home from close range. Just 12 minutes later, Andrew Johnson doubled Everton’s lead. He pounced on a defensive error by Jamie C...

Cardiff City appoint Interim Manager

Image
Will this announcement mark an end to some of the uncertainty? The club have confirmed Omer Riza as their manager on a deal lasting until the end of the season. Author - Jamie P Riza, previously a coach at Watford, stepped in as interim boss after Erol Bulut was dismissed in September following the club’s worst start to a league campaign. Since then, Riza has guided the team to a noticeable improvement, collecting 16 points from 12 games and adopting a more attack-minded approach. However, the Bluebirds have struggled recently, failing to win any of their last five matches, leaving fans concerned about the ongoing uncertainty around the managerial role. Riza initially joined Cardiff as an assistant coach at the start of the season but was promoted to interim manager on 22 September when Bulut was sacked. He made an encouraging start, winning four of his first seven games, but the club's leadership took over two months to settle on a permanent appointment, drawing criticism from...

Can anyone stop Celtic in Scotland?

Image
 It’s a question every top-flight manager, and some beyond, must be wrestling with.  And if the answer seems elusive, a bigger question arises that is, how do you stop them? Author - Sean M As they pursue a fourth consecutive league title, Brendan Rodgers' side have already thumped three past Rangers, triumphed at second-placed Aberdeen, and hammered the same opponents 6-0 in the League Cup semi-final. Their domestic dominance isn’t just impressive – it’s overwhelming. Out of a possible 42 Premiership points, Celtic have amassed 40. They boast a seven-point lead at the top of the table, which could stretch to ten with a win in their game in hand. They remain unbeaten away from home in the league, and across all competitions, they’ve netted a staggering 65 goals in 22 games.  Celtic fans have been loving this season so far. The video below shows fans response to that extraordinary win over Aberdeen in the League Cup. Rodgers has done this before. In his first sea...

Brighton slip to rare defeat

Image
 Fulham 3 - 1 Brighton & Hove Albion Brighton slipped to just their third Premier League defeat of the season as Alex Iwobi's brace, coupled with an unlucky own goal from Matt O'Riley, secured Fulham's win on a wet and blustery evening at Craven Cottage. Author - Craig H from GMCR Football  Despite the dreadful conditions, with heavy rain and strong winds lashing the pitch, there was no excusing Bart Verbruggen's early error that handed Fulham an opening goal. Within just three minutes, the Brighton keeper attempted a short pass to Carlos Baleba inside the box, only for Alex Iwobi to pounce, intercept, and calmly slot the ball into an open net for his fourth league goal of the campaign. Fulham nearly doubled their advantage moments later, but Igor Julio’s crucial intervention thwarted Iwobi as he surged towards goal. Brighton fought back and found an equaliser 11 minutes into the second half. Jan Paul van Hecke delivered a pinpoint lofted pass to Joao Pedro , w...

Bournemouth deservedly beat Tottenham

Image
Bournemouth  1 - 0 Tottenham Hotspur Bournemouth climbed above Tottenham in the Premier League table after defender Dean Huijsen's solitary goal secured victory at the Vitality Stadium. Author - Greg S Huijsen capitalised on poor marking to nod in Marcus Tavernier's inswinging corner at the back post after just 17 minutes. Huijsen’s goal highlighted Spurs' ongoing struggles with set-pieces, leaving manager Ange Postecoglou shaking his head in frustration on the touchline. Tottenham had started brightly, with Dominic Solanke making his mark on his return to Bournemouth following a £65m summer move. However, the former Cherries striker, greeted with scattered boos from the home fans, saw two early efforts fail to make an impact. After Huijsen’s opener, Spurs struggled to regain control, while Bournemouth came close to doubling their lead through Tavernier and Evanilson before half-time. Postecoglou brought on captain Son Heung-min for Pape Matar Sarr after the break, spa...

Opnion: Stop exploiting the loyalty of fans

Image
Ticket prices are too high  Enough is enough Author - Olivia T It has been another fantastic Premier League season so far.  However, the excitement of what’s shaping up to be an enthralling campaign has been overshadowed by constant news of price increases for fans. The recent announcement that Manchester United will charge a flat price of £66 to all Members for tickets to the remaining matches this season has enraged everyone at European Super Football. This anger has been further fuelled by the revelation that this exorbitant price will apply equally to adults, children, and seniors, regardless of where you sit in the ground. A dreadful decision by the decision-makers at Old Trafford. But United aren’t alone. We've seen significant price increases across much of the Premier League. At Anfield, the Spirit of Shankly group and other Liverpool fans have protested against their own club’s recent ticket price hikes.  One Liverpool supporter told us: “That news came in t...

Best reaction as Chelsea thrash Southampton

Image
Southampton 1 - 5 Chelsea Jadon Sancho opened his Chelsea account as the Blues took full advantage of Southampton's mistakes to secure what proved to be a commanding victory. Author - Lauren W Sancho rounded off the scoring after goals from Axel Disasi, Christopher Nkunku, Noni Madueke, and Cole Palmer had already put Chelsea firmly in the driving seat. The home side briefly levelled at 1-1 through Joe Aribo but their capacity to self-destruct was underlined again. Not long after falling 3-1 down, captain Jack Stephens was sent off or pulling Marc Cucurella's hair. Views from the away end Some analysis from me: "I would ultimately describe that as a competent performance overall, but the defence still needs improvement. Some of our player give the ball away too often, and they were caught out by Southampton multiple times early in the match. To 'dominate' the Premier League, we need a settled team with our best players consistently on the pitch." Lewis W a...

Everton pile pressure on Wolves manager

Image
Everton 4 - 0 Wolves Everton ended a five-game winless streak in the Premier League with a resounding victory over a dismal Wolves side at Goodison Park, ramping up the pressure on under-fire manager Gary O’Neil. Author - Craig H from GMCR Football  Both managers were under the spotlight going into Wednesday’s clash after their teams had each shipped four goals at the weekend. While Wolves fans turned on O’Neil, especially after Craig Dawson's two own goals, Everton boss Sean Dyche enjoyed watching his side deliver a much-needed dominant display, lifting them five points clear of the relegation zone. After four games without a goal, Everton made the perfect start. Ashley Young’s sublime 25-yard free-kick bent around the wall and nestled beautifully into the bottom-right corner, ending their scoring drought in style. Elsewhere in the Premier League Six minutes later, it looked like Everton had doubled their lead when James Tarkowski powered in a header from Dwight McNeil’s cro...

Villa back to winning ways

Image
Aston Villa 3 - 1 Brentford Aston Villa ended an eight-game winless run in style, defeating Brentford 3-1 at Villa Park. Author - Alex W Unai Emery’s side had not tasted victory in the Premier League since their October triumph over Fulham at Craven Cottage. However, they took the lead early on when Morgan Rogers unleashed a stunning curling strike from the edge of the box into the top corner. Ollie Watkins, a former Brentford player, doubled Villa's advantage just seven minutes later. The striker coolly converted a penalty after being brought down by Ethan Pinnock in the area. Despite Brentford’s promising start in possession, they found themselves further behind when Matty Cash smashed home Rogers’ pinpoint cross at the far post. Premier League: 2024/2025 season news and stories Discover the latest from Villa Park by clicking here The away side's keeper, Mark Flekken, made several impressive saves, including one to deny Watkins from heading in Villa’s fourth early in the...

It's very close at the top of League One

Image
It's shaping up to be a dramatic fight for promotion from League One. Let's explore some of the key moments from matches on December 3rd. Author - Mark Lee Wrexham 1 - 0 Barnsley The match started brightly, with Ryan Barnett testing Barnsley goalkeeper Ben Killip early on, his left-footed strike forcing a smart save in the ninth minute. Wrexham faced an early setback when goalkeeper Callum Burton was forced off with an injury midway through the first half, replaced by Mark Howard. Wrexham were close to breaking the deadlock before half-time, as Matty James’ half-volley was well stopped by Killip. The second half unfolded much like the first, with neither side dominating the game. Max Cleworth, already with five goals this season, nearly added another, while Killip was kept busy again, denying Elliot Lee’s well-struck effort from the edge of the box. Paul Mullin and Steven Fletcher were introduced as substitutes with over 20 minutes to play, replacing Lee and Ollie Palmer. H...

Barcelona end winless run

Image
Mallorca 1 - 5 Barcelona Raphinha inspired Barcelona to a resounding win over Mallorca, ending their three-game winless streak in style. Author - Peter Grainger from GMCR Football You can watch the highlights of the match in the video below. The footage is from the FC Barcelona YouTube account. The Brazilian star scored twice in the second half, helping Hansi Flick’s side extend their lead at the top of La Liga to four points over Real Madrid. With the match finely poised at 1-1 at half-time, Raphinha broke the deadlock in the 56th minute, calmly converting a penalty after Lamine Yamal was fouled in the box. The teenage sensation then delivered a stunning assist 18 minutes later, using the outside of his foot to set up his captain, who slotted home his 11th league goal of the campaign. Barcelona sealed the emphatic victory with late goals from substitutes Frenkie de Jong and Pau Victor, who scored twice in quick succession to cap off a dominant second half. It was the perfect resp...

Ruud and Vardy inspire Leicester

Image
Leicester City 3 - 1 West Ham United Jamie Vardy played a key role in giving Ruud van Nistelrooy a dream debut as Leicester City's new manager, while heaping more pressure on Julen Lopetegui at West Ham. Author - Jamie P Vardy found the net just 98 seconds into Van Nistelrooy's first game in charge, with Bilal El Khannouss and Patson Daka adding further goals to secure a vital win for the Foxes. The victory lifted Leicester to 15th in the Premier League, leaving them just two points behind the struggling Hammers. However, it wasn't all smooth sailing for the hosts, as goalkeeper Mads Hermansen was called upon to produce several outstanding saves to keep West Ham at bay. Niclas Füllkrug headed in a late consolation goal for the visitors during stoppage time, but the result leaves Lopetegui under mounting pressure. With just three wins from their last 12 league matches, frustration among Hammers fans was evident as they directed their anger towards the manager. Super News...

Ipswich still without a league home win

Image
Ipswich Town 0 - 1 Crystal Palace Jean-Philippe Mateta delivered a touch of class to seal Crystal Palace’s first Premier League away win of the season, edging past Ipswich Town 1-0 at Portman Road. Author - Marcus With both teams starting level on nine points near the foot of the table, the match promised to be a closely contested affair. However, it was the Eagles who conjured up the decisive moment of brilliance in the 59th minute. Mateta’s goal was a showcase of individual quality. The Palace forward initiated the move with a clever flick-on in his own half before embarking on a determined run. Skipping past Ipswich defender Jacob Greaves, Mateta coolly chipped the ball over Arijanet Muric to put his side ahead. Ipswich Town: Back in the big league Premier League: 2024/2025 season The first half had been largely uninspiring, with few clear chances for either side. Palace's standout moment provided a spark in what had been a scrappy encounter. Mateta nearly doubled the l...

Wednesday left it late against Derby

Image
Derby County 1 - 2 Sheffield Wednesday A dramatic injury-time goal from Jamal Lowe, following a sensational strike by Barry Bannan, completed a stunning comeback for Sheffield Wednesday as they overcame Derby County at Pride Park. Author - Chris C Derby, urged by manager Paul Warne to start with more urgency, appeared to heed the call when Ebou Adams fired them into the lead after just nine minutes. Adams coolly converted Marcus Harness' fizzing cut-back, setting the tone for a bright first half for the hosts. Returning loanee and top scorer Jerry Yates had two golden chances to extend Derby’s lead after the break. His close-range effort was brilliantly saved by Sheffield Wednesday goalkeeper James Beadle, and minutes later, his header rattled the crossbar following a corner. However, Derby’s inability to double their advantage proved costly. On his 35th birthday, Barry Bannan delivered a moment of magic, curling a sublime left-footed strike from the edge of the box into the top ...

Draw has been made for the FA Cup 3rd round

Image
There has the potential to be some classic matches in the FA Cup 3rd round in 2025 Holders Manchester United face a tough test in their quest to retain the up as they have been drawn away to 14-time winners Arsenal. Author - Peter Grainger from GMCR Football Premier League leaders Liverpool have a home tie against League Two side Accrington Stanley. The famous EFL side will be dreaming about what could be one of the greatest upsets of all time. Speaking of potential upsets, Manchester City will host Salford City, the club part-owned by members of the 'Class of 92'. Co-owners Gary Neville, Phil Neville, Nicky Butt and Paul Scholes had some amazing and terrible moments against City. A win for Salford at the Etihad Stadium would potentially top any previous wins against the current Premier League champions.  Tamworth, one of just two non-league teams still in the competition, will welcome Tottenham to their home ground. They will still be celebrating their victory at Burton ...

What's going wrong for Manchester City?

Image
Liverpool 2 - 0 Manchester City Liverpool increased their lead at the top of the Premier League to nine points and added to the woes of fading champions Manchester City with a thoroughly deserved victory at Anfield. Author - Macca City fell behind on 12 minutes to a Cody Gapko goal and withstood further pressure from the home side, but dug in and went into break trailing only 1-0. The blues were much more cohesive in the second-half. However, their failure to create any clearcut opportunities was eventually punished by a Mo Salah penalty on 78 minutes. Pep Guardiola made a cheeky gesture towards Liverpool fans, raising six fingers to signify his Premier League title haul, as they gleefully belted out "sacked in the morning" near the end of the match. Premier League: 2024/2025 season The idea of Guardiola facing the sack is, of course, absurd. In a show of mutual respect, he applauded the Liverpool supporters at full-time, and they responded in kind. However, this was an...

Chelsea ease to win over Villa

Image
 Chelsea 3 - 0 Aston Villa Cole Palmer delivered a standout performance as Chelsea cruised to victory over Aston Villa, deepening the visitors’ woes as their winless streak extended to eight games. Author - Lauren W Chelsea made a blistering start, with Nicolas Jackson opening the scoring in the seventh minute. The striker finished sharply past Emi Martinez after Marc Cucurella forced a mistake from Jadon Philogene near the Villa box and delivered a precise cross. Enzo Fernández doubled Chelsea’s lead in the 36th minute with a beautifully taken volley. The Argentine midfielder controlled the ball superbly with his left foot before finishing with his right, capitalising on a well-timed pass from Palmer. The move began with Moises Caicedo winning possession in midfield. Premier League: 2024/2025 season More Chelsea news and stories Palmer capped his impressive display with a stunning third goal in the 83rd minute, curling a sublime left-footed effort from the edge of the box....