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Showing posts from February 23, 2025

Cardiff City and Aston Villa dreaming of Wembley again

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Aston Villa v Cardiff City preview  FA Cup 5th round weekend kicks off with Cardiff  City travelling to Aston Villa. Author - Sean M It's 17 years since Cardiff reached the FA Cup final and they still have an opportunity to go one better in 2025. The home side in this encounter, Aston Villa, last reached the final ten years ago. They certainly have the quality to go all the way. Can Villa maintain a charge on multiple fronts? Aston Villa are heading into a crucial stage of the season, juggling multiple competitions. They're still in the Champions League and pushing for a top-four finish in the Premier League to secure a return to Europe’s elite next season. The big question is whether they’ll also go all-in on the FA Cup. Unai Emery will want to compete on all fronts, but we've already seen how the packed schedule has stretched his squad. That said, this is exactly where Villa fans want their club to be—fighting on multiple fronts as the season reaches its climax. Even ...

Could Newcastle turn to Trafford?

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Do Newcastle United need a new goalkeeper? It has been reported that Newcastle United are pursuing a deal to sign Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford, amid concerns about the long-term future of current first choice keepn Nick Pope. Author - Peter Grainger Trafford's best moments for Burnley? Some media outlets have reported that a deal will be a simple one for Newcastle to pull off if Scott Parker’s Burnley side fail to earn promotion back to the Premier League.  Trafford has been identified as the Magpies’ top target to replace their current goalkeeper. This is despite a few apparent concerns about his command of the penalty area.  It is believed that Newcastle scouts have been impressed with what they have seen this season and believe he has developed well since leaving Manchester City for his current side. Premier League Match Report | Newcastle 4 - Forest Find more Newcastle news and stories here Amid speculation about the future of Pope at St James’ Park, he could be o...

Man United battle to win over Ipswich

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Manchester United 3 - 2 Ipswich Town Ten-man Manchester United recovered from gifting Ipswich a fourth-minute opener at Old Trafford to come out on top in a five-goal thriller thanks to Harry Maguire's header. Author - Josh T Stadium - Old Trafford It was a rainy night ai Old Trafford This win for United was achieved despite having Patrick Dorgu sent off before the break following the intervention of VAR Craig Pawson after his awful tackle on Ipswich winger Omari Hutchinson.  Within a few moments, Ipswich capitalised on the extra man to level when Jaden Philogene's touchline cross curled in at the far corner as Andre Onana failed to react once Liam Delap had missed it. Maguire gave United the lead again when he powered home Bruno Fernandes' corner two minutes into the second half. This gave Ruben Amorin only his third home Premier League win. He would have been relieved with the win but could have probably done with a more relaxed evening at Old Trafford, So much more...

Palace sweep Villa aside

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Crystal Palace 4 - 1 Aston Villa Ismaila Sarr’s brace inspired a ruthless Crystal Palace to sweep aside Aston Villa at Selhurst Park, keeping their push for a top-half Premier League finish on track. Author - Jamie P Stadium - Selhurst Park A closer look at what happened at South London Home form has been a concern for manager Oliver Glasner, with the Eagles securing just two league wins at Selhurst Park before this fixture. However, any concerns pre match vanished very quickly.  Marking his 27th birthday in style, Sarr gave Palace a strong start in the first half. Villa briefly levelled through Morgan Rogers early in the second half, but that only spurred the hosts on to take complete control on a memorable night in SE25. Jean-Philippe Mateta restored Palace’s lead moments later with a superb finish, moving him up to second in the club’s all-time Premier League goalscoring chart with 36 goals. Sarr then grabbed his second of the night before Eddie Nketiah, coming off the benc...

Chelsea boost top four hopes

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Chelsea 4 - 0 Southampton  Chelsea boosted their top four hopes and ended their three-match losing run with an emphatic win over Southampton at Stamford Bridge. Author - Lauren W Christopher Nkunku put Chelsea ahead in the 24th minute, nodding home after Tosin Adarabioyo flicked on a corner. Twelve minutes later, Nkunku turned provider, slipping in Pedro Neto, who slotted past Aaron Ramsdale with a composed low finish. They extended their lead just before half-time, with Levi Colwill outjumping the defence to guide in Neto’s wide free-kick. The victory was sealed in the 78th minute when substitute Tyrique George teed up Marc Cucurella, who capped off a swift counter-attack with a precise drilled finish. Click here for more Premier League news and stories Chelsea were desperate for this win After a strong start to the season—winning 18 of their first 26 games in all competitions—the Blues had managed just three wins in their previous 12 matches before facing Southampton. However...

City interested in Theo Hernandez

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Rumours regarding Manchester City's rebuild are starting to increase  It has been reported that Theo Hernandez’s contract talks with AC Milan are at a standstill and Manchester City are considering a summer move for the left-back.  Author - Macca Experts believe that left-back is a position Pep Guardiola is keen to strengthen and Hernandez is one of the players that has been shortlisted His contract with Milan expires in 2026 and an extension is unlikely. This allegedly means that the Italian giants are looking to sell him this summer and get a decent transfer fee whilst they can.  City's position is now believed to be one of concrete interest. This is expected to be the start of a busy summer with five or six players expected to arrive as Guardiola looks to get his club back to to the top of English and European football?  Would this be a good signing for Manchester City? It has been a poor season by their standards Hernandez is one of the most attacking ful...

Celtic back to winning ways

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Celtic 5 - 1 Aberdeen Celtic took another decisive step towards retaining their title with a dominant victory over Aberdeen in Glasgow. Author - Sean M Stadium - Celtic Park Pre match atmosphere at Celtic Park Brendan Rodgers' side were minutes away from setting a new record of 10 consecutive home league wins without conceding when Shayden Morris grabbed a late consolation for the visitors. It was little more than a flicker of hope on an otherwise bleak evening for Aberdeen, who failed to capitalise on a promising start. Oday Dabbagh squandered a close-range chance, and Kevin Nisbet dragged a shot wide after Kasper Schmeichel’s misplaced pass. Celtic, by contrast, were ruthless. First-half goals from Daizen Maeda, Jota and Callum McGregor effectively settled the contest before the break. Maeda opened the scoring in opportunistic fashion, pouncing on a deflected Arne Engels shot and outpacing Mats Knoester before volleying home—echoing his instinctive finish at Hibernian on Satu...

Crystal Palace and Aston Villa eye back-to-back Premier League wins

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Crystal Palace v Aston Villa preview Crystal Palace and Aston Villa will both be looking to make it successive Premier League victories when they meet at Selhurst Park on Tuesday evening. Author - Peter Grainger Palace, currently 13th in the table, head into the game on the back of a 2-0 win over Fulham on Saturday, while Villa, sitting in eighth, edged past Chelsea 2-1 later that day. The Eagles are six points adrift of 10th-placed Fulham, having finished in that position last season. A lack of goals has hampered their progress this term, but there is still plenty of time to turn things around. Oliver Glasner’s side claimed victory at Craven Cottage thanks to a first-half own goal from Joachim Andersen, before Daniel MuƱoz secured the points in the 66th minute. That result means Palace have won three of their last four games in all competitions, although all of those victories have come away from home. At Selhurst Park, they have struggled, losing their last two league matches aga...

Another late winner for Leeds United

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Sheffield United 1 - 3 Leeds United Leeds United produced a remarkable late comeback for the second game in a row to win at Sheffield United and move five points clear at the top of the Championship. Author - Oliver W Stadium - Bramall Lane The away side took the lead in the first half when Leeds goalkeeper Illan Meslier palmed the ball into his own net after tipping Callum O'Hare's header on to the bar and then seeing Tyrese Campbell's follow-up hit the post. Leeds were much improved after the break and deservedly levelled when Junior Firpo's thumping header from Dan James' cross flew past Michael Cooper in the home goal. EFL: 2024/2025 Ao Tanaka managed to head Leeds into the lead in the 89th minute after Firpo had flicked on a corner. There was more drama to come. With the Blades still stunned, Joel Piroe thumped home a superb third from 20 yards moments later. Leeds are on a great run and are now unbeaten in 16 Championship games. They are seven points clear...

Former captain returns to Ibrox

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Rangers turn to a familiar face as they look to end their season positively They have appointed former captain Barry Ferguson as head coach on an interim basis until the end of the season. Author - Mark Lee He will be joined by ex-teammates Neil McCann, Billy Dodds and Allan McGregor , who all return to Ibrox in coaching roles. Issame Charai, who was only brought in as Philippe Clement’s assistant last month, will also remain part of the backroom team. The club has confirmed that a permanent managerial appointment will be made in the coming months as their football review continues. Ferguson enjoyed a glittering playing career at Rangers, winning five league titles, five Scottish Cups and five League Cups across two spells in Glasgow. His appointment follows the dismissal of Philippe Clement on Sunday , just 16 months into his tenure. The Belgian’s departure also saw coaches Alex Rae, Colin Stewart and Stephan van der Heyden leave the club. A Rangers fan responds Jim, a lifelon...

Chelsea need to get back to winning ways

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Chelsea v Southampton preview Two struggling teams in dire need of a turnaround meet on Tuesday night, as Chelsea host relegation-bound Southampton at Stamford Bridge. Author - Lauren W Chelsea players celebrate scoring at Southampton Enzo Maresca’s side come into the game off the back of three consecutive defeats in all competitions, the latest being a 2-1 loss to Aston Villa . Meanwhile, Southampton offered little resistance in a heavy 4-0 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion. There were at least some positives for Chelsea in their response to a 3-0 hammering by Brighton earlier this month .  Maresca reportedly admitted that this loss was the "toughest" of his tenure so far. Their troubles away from home continue, with the Blues now winless in seven on the road and suffering four straight defeats. However, Stamford Bridge has been far more forgiving. Chelsea have won three of their last four home games, scoring at least twice in each, with their only defeat in their las...

Two teams look to boost European hopes

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Brighton v Bournemouth preview With the race for European football intensifying in the Premier League, Brighton & Hove Albion welcome Bournemouth to the Amex Stadium on Tuesday night. Author - Josh T   The Seagulls head into the match full of confidence after a resounding 4-0 victory over Southampton at the weekend, a result that leaves them ninth in the table with 40 points—just three behind sixth-placed Bournemouth, who suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat to Wolves. Fabian Hürzeler’s side were dominant against Southampton, creating 10 big chances and registering 15 shots inside the box. The performance was the perfect response to t heir humiliating 7-0 thrashing at Nottingham Forest on February 1st, with Brighton now having conceded just once in three games since while netting nine goals themselves. Last season’s surprise package in Europe, Brighton secured a historic first-ever Europa League qualification in 2023 and with only four points separating them from fourth-placed Manch...

Game of the season at St. James' Park?

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Newcastle United 4 - 3 Nottingham Forest Alexander Isak netted his 50th Premier League goal as Newcastle United produced a blistering first-half display to overcome Nottingham Forest at St James’ Park. Author - Peter Grainger Stadium - St. James' Park Forest took an early lead when Callum Hudson-Odoi capitalised on a defensive slip, but Newcastle responded in devastating fashion, scoring four times in an electrifying 11-minute spell to take a commanding 4-1 lead into the break. Teenager Lewis Miley and Jacob Murphy struck in quick succession to turn the game on its head, before Isak bagged a rapid-fire brace to pile more misery on the visitors. His second – his 19th of the season – saw him reach the 50-goal milestone in just 76 Premier League appearances, a feat achieved quicker by only six players in the competition’s history. Forest did show some fight after the break, with Nikola Milenkovic pouncing on a defensive lapse to pull one back. Then, in the 90th minute, substitute...

Are Luton Town destined for another relegation?

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 Watford 2 - 0 Luton Town Watford put an end to a miserable run of five straight home defeats with a convincing win over struggling Luton Town in the M1 derby at Vicarage Road. Author - Jack L Stadium - Vicarage Road Tom Dele-Bashiru opened the scoring from the penalty spot after Mamadou Doumbia was brought down, before Edo Kayembe doubled the lead with a simple tap-in. Luton, who had won just once in their last 26 away games across two seasons , failed to register a single meaningful shot on target in the first half. Manager Matt Bloomfield is still searching for his first victory since taking charge in mid-January. Despite a winter transfer window overhaul, his squad remains a work in progress, with some players still adjusting to English football and others making the step up from League One, just as Bloomfield himself has. He had hoped for a quick turnaround, but that has yet to materialise. The win lifts Watford to ninth in the Championship, just three points off the play...

End of the road for the Rangers boss

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We can confirm that Rangers have sacked manager Philippe Clement This announcement came 24 hours after an awful result and performance against St Mirren. Keep reading for more information on what was a bad day at Ibrox.  - Rangers 0 - 2 St Mirren Rangers' turbulent season took another downward turn as St Mirren claimed a famous victory in Glasgow, marking their first back-to-back league wins over the Ibrox side since the 1979-80 campaign. Author - Mark Lee Stadium - Ibrox Mikael Mandron put the visitors ahead six minutes into the second half, sparking wild celebrations after his initially disallowed goal was awarded following a VAR review by referee Kevin Clancy. Substitute Toyosi Olusanya then sealed the win in style, curling home a superb effort with 20 minutes to go, lifting the Paisley club into the Scottish Premiership’s top six. The defeat – coming just a fortnight after Rangers' Scottish Cup humiliation at the hands of Queen’s Park – was their first in 10 league ma...

Celtic stunned at Easter Road

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Hibernian 2 - 1 Celtic Hibernian continued their impressive form as Josh Campbell’s first-half brace condemned Scottish Premiership leaders Celtic to only their second league defeat of the season. Author - Sean M Stadium - Easter Road Celtic, fresh from a spirited display against Bayern Munich in midweek, struggled to find their rhythm in the opening hour. Their passing was uncharacteristically sloppy, and Hibs’ well-drilled defence coped comfortably with the waves of crosses into their box. Campbell made the most of Celtic’s sluggish start, drilling a low strike into the bottom corner inside two minutes to give the hosts the perfect start. Then, just before the break, he doubled Hibs’ lead with a well-placed header from Martin Boyle’s looping cross. David Gray’s side had chances to put the game beyond doubt, with Kieron Bowie and Lewis Miller both denied by Kasper Schmeichel in what was a commanding all-round display. Celtic, though, inevitably fought back. Daizen Maeda pulled one...

Toothless Arsenal dealt major blow

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Arsenal 0 - 2 West Ham United Arsenal missed a golden opportunity to close the gap on Premier League leaders Liverpool, as West Ham ended their four-game winless streak with a superb win at the Emirates. Author - DJ Stadium - Emirates Stadium Jarrod Bowen struck the decisive goal against a lacklustre Gunners side, who later saw youngster Myles Lewis-Skelly sent off. A win would have put Arsenal within five points of Arne Slot’s Liverpool, ahead of their trip to Manchester City on Sunday. But Mikel Arteta’s side never found their rhythm, struggling to break down a resilient West Ham defence while also conceding the better chances over the 90 minutes. Bowen’s goal, his 50th in the Premier League, came late in the first half as he started and finished the move himself. After picking up a loose ball on the edge of his own area, he fed Aaron Wan-Bissaka and then continued his run, stooping low to head home the full-back’s cross. It was the first time this season that Arsenal had gone be...

New signings combine for Aston Villa

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Aston Villa 2 - 1 Chelsea New signings Marco Asensio and Marcus Rashford combined twice as Aston Villa came from behind to beat Chelsea, grabbing three valuable points in their push for European qualification. Author - Lauren W Stadium - Villa Park An excellent piece of play out wide from Pedro Neto fashioned a ninth-minute opener for Chelsea, with the winger skipping past Ian Maatsen before drilling a low delivery across the face of the goal which only required a slight prod from Enzo Fernandez to turn it past Emiliano Martinez. Although Chelsea appeared to have the upper hand, they failed to maintain control of the match. The introduction of Rashford at halftime proved crucial; he was initially ruled offside, but the video assistant referee overturned that decision. Rashford then assisted Asensio by tapping a Matty Cash cross across the six-yard box, allowing Asensio to score for Aston Villa and level the game. After again being fed by fellow mid-season recruit Rashford, Asensio ...