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Showing posts with the label England

Marc Skinner's side prove they belong in the Champions League

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Manchester United 2 - 1 PSG United extended their winning run in the Women’s Champions League with a hard-fought victory over Paris St-Germain on Mary Earps’ return to Manchester. Author | Olivia T Stadium | Old Trafford There was surprise before kick-off as Ella Toone was left out of the starting XI alongside striker Elisabeth Terland. With Phallon Tullis-Joyce unavailable, 20-year-old Safia Middleton-Patel made just her second senior appearance for United, her first at Old Trafford and in European competition, leaving some fans understandably nervous. The young goalkeeper was immediately tested when Jennifer Echegini’s fierce drive struck the inside of the post inside two minutes. On the left, United’s Sandberg endured a difficult evening as Rasheedat Ajibade repeatedly stretched the defence, with PSG enjoying the majority of possession. But in Melvine Malard, United always had a threat.  The French forward seized her moment midway through the first half, outmusclin...

England name squad for final World Cup qualifiers

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England's preparations for the World Cup have started England manager Thomas Tuchel has recalled Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden to his squad for World Cup qualifiers against Serbia and Albania. Author |  William G England v Wales friendly Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott has also been called up to the senior squad for the first time. Tuchel has resisted calls to include Brighton striker Danny Welbeck, while attacking midfielder Jack Grealish, on loan at Everton from Manchester City, and right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold miss out. Alexander-Arnold's Real Madrid team-mate Bellingham was left out of Tuchel's squad for games in October, having just returned from shoulder surgery. Manchester City playmaker Foden had not been selected in the past three England squads, with his last international appearance in March against Latvia. England qualified for the 2026 World Cup by thrashing Latvia last month and will host Serbia on Thursday, 13 November, before travelling to Albania th...

Gibbs-White misses penalty as Forest held in Austria

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Sturm Graz 0 - 0 Nottingham Forest Morgan Gibbs-White missed a first-half penalty as an injury-hit Nottingham Forest were held to a goalless draw by Sturm Graz. Author | Kieran M Stadium | Merkur Arena Sturm Graz v Forest highlights. Footage from @footballontnt https://t.co/hSBExlbgy4 — European Super Football (@ESFootballNews) November 6, 2025 Sean Dyche made seven changes from the side that drew with Manchester United on Saturday, and while Forest created plenty of chances, they could not find a breakthrough. Captain Gibbs-White was handed a golden opportunity to put his side ahead ten minutes before the break after Emanuel Aiwu handled in the area. However, his tame spot-kick was comfortably saved by Oliver Christensen, diving low to his left, with Ryan Yates unable to convert the rebound. James McAtee came closest earlier on, steering narrowly wide after a well-worked free-kick routine, while Yates later saw a header cleared off the line by Arjan Malic following a ...

Phil Foden shines for Man City against Dortmund

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Manchester City 4 - 1 Borussia Dortmund Phil Foden scored twice and Erling Haaland found the net against his former club as Manchester City eased past Borussia Dortmund  Author |  Macca Stadium |  Etihad Stadium Pep Guardiola’s side remain unbeaten after four group matches, and this third win lifts them to fourth in the standings, with the top eight sides set to qualify automatically for the knockout rounds. After last season's struggles in the competition, they look a much better side. A good run this season is absolute must.  Dortmund began brightly under Nico Kovac but their early promise faded as City struck twice in seven first-half minutes to take charge. Foden was at the heart of everything He first forced Gregor Kobel into a sharp save with a fierce drive from distance, then tested the goalkeeper again with a curling free-kick. His persistence paid off in the 22nd minute when he collected the ball on the edge of the area and, afforded too much space, guided a...

Chelsea held by Qarabag despite Garnacho goal

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Qarabag 2 - 2 Chelsea Chelsea escaped suffering a historic loss to Qarabag. Author | Lauren W Stadium | Tofiq BÉ™hramov adına Respublika stadionu Alejandro Garnacho's second-half equaliser meant Chelsea avoided the embarrassment of becoming the first English team to lose to the Azerbaijani side. Garnacho equalised having come on as one of three half-time substitutes with his side 2-1 down after goals from Leandro Andrade and Marko Jankovic had put the hosts ahead following Estevao Willian's early opener for the Blues. Qarabag had lost all seven of their previous matches against English opposition. The last time they were in the Champions League, they faced Chelsea and lost both matches by an aggregate score of 10-0 and secured just two points from six matches. However, they gave Enzo Maresca's side a real scare at the packed 32,000-seater Tofiq Bahramov Stadium, with a squad worth just £22m compared with Chelsea’s, valued at £1.5bn according to figures from Transfermarkt. It...

Spurs recover from weekend defeat with fantastic display

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Tottenham Hotspur 4 - 0 Copenhagen  Ten-man Tottenham delivered a stirring Champions League display as they swept aside Copenhagen to stay unbeaten in the competition Author | Greg S Stadium | Tottenham Hotspur Stadium  Brennan Johnson and Wilson Odobert put Spurs firmly in control before Johnson’s dismissal for a late challenge on Marcos Lopez briefly threatened to derail their momentum. Any fears were quickly silenced when Van de Ven produced a moment of extraordinary brilliance. Collecting the ball deep inside his own half, the defender surged past five Copenhagen players before slotting home with the composure of a seasoned striker – a goal destined to feature among the best of the season. It was a defiant response from a side booed off after their limp 1-0 defeat to Chelsea at the weekend. This time, Spurs’ supporters were on their feet, applauding as Joao Palhinha added a fourth after fine work from Cristian Romero. Tottenham could have had a fifth in stoppage time, but ...

Liverpool almost looked back to their best against Real Madrid

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Liverpool 1 - 0 Real Madrid Liverpool produced one of their most complete displays of the season to overpower Real Madrid and claim a vital Champions League win. Author |  William G Stadium |  Anfield Arne Slot’s Premier League champions had ended a miserable run of six defeats in seven matches with victory over Aston Villa at the weekend, and the resurgence gathered pace here as Real were swept aside. The scoreline barely reflected Liverpool’s control. Alexis Mac Allister finally made the breakthrough midway through the second half, heading in Dominik Szoboszlai’s free-kick to reward a dominant performance in which the home side carved out chance after chance. Thibaut Courtois was exceptional in the Real goal, pulling off a series of stunning saves – four from Szoboszlai and another fine reflex stop to deny Virgil van Dijk – to keep the visitors alive far longer than they deserved. Super Local Sports News | Merseyside | Champions League | Five classic matches between Li...

Paul Ince | Premier League and England icon

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It's time to explore another football icon  Paul Ince is a former English footballer and manager. Author |  Peter Grainger Ince played professionally from 1986 to 2007, starting his career with West Ham United and later representing Manchester United, Liverpool, Middlesbrough, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Swindon Town and Macclesfield Town in England, as well as Inter Milan. A closer look at his career Ince spent the majority of his playing career at the highest level; after breaking through with his boyhood club West Ham United in the Second Division. United lifted the FA Cup in his first season, overcoming Crystal Palace 1–0 in a replay at Wembley after the sides had shared a 3–3 draw in the first match. In both ties, Ince was deployed at right-back ahead of Viv Anderson, while his preferred role in central midfield was handed to Mike Phelan. Ince produced a standout display in the replay and was named man of the match. The career of United icon and captain Bryan Robson ...

A season of managerial changes across the continent

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We have seen a number of managerial changes already this season Let's have a look at some of these changes Author | George B Of course, some of these changes have been welcomed fans (see Rangers fans below) and others haven't.  Onto manager number three at Nottingham Forest In September, Nottingham Forest announced they had dismissed head coach Nuno EspĂ­rito Santo . This news came just three games into the new season. Almost within a matter of hours, he was replaced by former Celtic and Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou.   This doesn't go well. After less than 40 days in charge, Postecoglou was dismissed by the club after their 3-0 home defeat to Chelsea at the City Ground. This set a new record for the shortest reign of any permanent Premier League manager, surpassing Les Reed’s ill-fated spell at Charlton Athletic. West Ham turn to Nuno after poor start to the season On September 27th, former Brighton and Chelsea boss was dismissed by West Ham United wit...

England beaten by spirited Brazil side

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England 1 - 2 Brazil  A spirited Brazil side left Manchester with a notable friendly victory despite playing much of the night with 10 players. Author | George B Stadium | Etihad Stadium Sarina Wiegman’s team, back on home soil for the first time since lifting the Euro 2025 trophy in July, were shorn of several key figures through injury and found themselves unsettled early on. Dudinha struck to give Brazil the lead before Bia Zaneratto swiftly added a second, leaving debutant goalkeeper Khiara Keating with little chance on either occasion in front of the ground she once called home. England’s prospects brightened when Brazil midfielder Angelina was dismissed for a pull-back on Ella Toone in the 21st minute, offering the hosts both time and opportunity to recover. Georgia Stanway reduced the deficit from the penalty spot soon after the interval, later rattling the crossbar as the Lionesses increased the pressure. Wiegman introduced changes that brought greater fluency, not ...

Another new era at Forest starts with a win

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Nottingham Forest 2 - 0 Porto Sean Dyche enjoyed an ideal introduction as Nottingham Forest manager as penalties from Morgan Gibbs-White and Igor Jesus secured a valuable Europa League victory. Author | Frank L Stadium | The City Ground The win delivered Forest’s first triumph since their Premier League opener in August, their first clean sheet since April and a promising debut result for Dyche following his arrival earlier in the week. It was also their first win in any European competition since the 1995/1996 season. The wider impact of this result Forest have been engulfed in turmoil during the early months of the campaign, with Ange Postecoglou dismissed on Saturday after only 39 days in charge , having succeeded Nuno Espirito Santo in the summer. There was no immediate serenity at a raucous City Ground, although Dyche quickly instilled a sense of belief and structure. Gibbs-White converted confidently from 12 yards after Jan Bednarek handled inside the area midway through ...

Villa slump to shock defeat against Go Ahead Eagles

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Go Ahead Eagles 2 - 1 Aston Villa Emiliano Buendia missed a second-half penalty as Aston Villa slumped to a defeat against a spirited Go Ahead Eagles side. Author | Peter Grainger  Stadium | De Adelaarshorst The result leaves Villa seventh in the table, while the Dutch club rise to tenth, also on six points, ahead of Thursday evening’s later fixtures. Evann Guessand’s early finish looked to have set Unai Emery’s side on course to maintain their perfect record in the competition. But the hosts equalised just before half-time when Mathis Suray’s deflected shot beat Emiliano Martinez, before Mats Deijl put them ahead just after the hour with a neat lift over the Villa goalkeeper. Buendia then fired over from the spot late on after Dean James was penalised for handball, sparking wild celebrations inside the compact De Adelaarshorst stadium. It was a famous victory for the Eredivisie side, who qualified for Europe by winning the Dutch Cup last season, their first major trophy i...

Tottenham lucky to escape Monaco with a point

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Monaco 0 - 0 Tottenham Hotspur Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario delivered an outstanding display to help his side earn a crucial point against Monaco. Author | Greg S Stadium | Stade Louis-II Spurs corner The Italian, who has faced criticism this season, was pivotal as Spurs scraped a draw at Stade Louis II following a largely uninspiring performance. Vicario made four impressive first-half saves, three from former Arsenal forward Folarin Balogun, before producing another stop to deny Maghnes Akliouche. Spurs were forced into a resilient defensive performance against a Monaco side that had previously drawn 2-2 with Manchester City. They came close themselves when Micky van de Ven headed just over before half-time.  After the break, Vicario continued to shine, repelling further efforts from Akliouche and Balogun, and producing the standout moment of the match by brilliantly blocking a Jordan Teze header from point-blank range. Former Liverpool midfielder Takumi Minamin...

A vision of an exciting future at Stamford Bridge

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Chelsea 5 - 1 Ajax Chelsea made history in the Champions League by becoming the first team to have three teenage scorers as they thrashed a woeful Ajax. Author | Lauren W Stadium | Stamford Bridge Marc Guiu, 19, opened the scoring and briefly became Chelsea’s youngest Champions League goalscorer, striking just over a minute into the match following the sending off of Ajax captain Kenneth Taylor. His record, however, lasted only 33 minutes before Estevao Willian, 18, netted Chelsea’s third goal from a penalty, adding to spot-kicks converted earlier by Enzo Fernandez and Wout Weghorst, as well as a long-range strike from Moises Caicedo in a frenetic first half. Chelsea made three changes at half-time, including forward Tyrique George, who scored within three minutes of coming on to become the third teenager on the scoresheet. Substitute midfielder Reggie Walsh, 17, also made history by becoming the youngest player to appear for the club in the Champions League and the second younges...

Liverpool bounce back in emphatic fashion

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Frankfurt 1 - 5 Liverpool Hugo Ekitike scored against his former club as Liverpool emphatically ended their losing streak, coming from behind to thrash Eintracht Frankfurt. Author | Ed Stadium | Deutsche Bank Park After beginning the season with seven straight wins in all competitions, Liverpool had stumbled badly, suffering four successive defeats, including Sunday’s loss to Manchester United in the Premier League. Their troubles appeared set to continue when Rasmus Kristensen, the former Leeds defender, put Frankfurt ahead after a sluggish opening from the visitors. But Liverpool soon found their rhythm. Ekitike, starting alongside British-record signing Alexander Isak for the first time, levelled ten minutes before the break, latching on to Andy Robertson’s precise long pass and finishing calmly. Virgil van Dijk headed Liverpool in front four minutes later from a corner, before Ibrahima KonatĂ© made it 3-1 on the stroke of half-time with another powerful header. Virgil van Dijk...

Manchester City ease to win over Villarreal

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Villarreal 0 - 2 Manchester City Erling Haaland found the net for a 12th consecutive game to extend his incredible scoring streak and help City end their winless away run in the Champions League Author | Macca Stadium | Estadio de la Cerámica Haaland's blistering form has brought 24 goals in 14 games for club and country this season, and here it helped City claim three points on the road in Europe for the first time in over a year. The Norwegian's goal to open the scoring was that of a striker with deadly instincts, darting ahead of marker Juan Foyth and converting with a first-time finish from Rico Lewis' low cross. City had opportunities from the off - Haaland headed wide inside two minutes and Jeremy Doku tested Luiz Junior within the first few seconds with a low strike that the home goalkeeper batted away. READ MORE |  Arsenal maintain perfect start in Champions League READ MORE |  Newcastle United impress in win over Benfica Pep Guardiola's side dominated the f...

Newcastle United impress in win over Benfica

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Newcastle United 3 - 0 Benfica Harvey Barnes and Anthony Gordon inspired Newcastle United to a convincing Champions League win over JosĂ© Mourinho’s Benfica. Author |  Anthony Gates Stadium |  St James' Park Pre match atmosphere Gordon, left unmarked at the far post, gave Newcastle the lead in the first half, calmly steering Jacob Murphy’s cross beyond goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin. It was his fourth goal in just three Champions League outings and provided the platform for Eddie Howe’s side to press on after the interval. Barnes extended the advantage with a superb breakaway goal after Nick Pope launched a remarkable 65-yard throw down the right. Antonio Silva misjudged the bounce, allowing Barnes to sprint through and finish off the inside of the post. The winger added his second late on, linking neatly with Gordon before slotting through Trubin’s legs to complete the victory. Gordon celebrates Benfica had their chances earlier in the contest, with Dodi Lukebakio twice going ...

Arsenal maintain perfect start in Champions League

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Arsenal 4 - 0 AtlĂ©tico Madrid Arsenal scored four times in a dazzling 14-minute spell to sweep aside Atletico Madrid  Author | DJ Stadium | Emirates Stadium The home side began with intent, as Eberechi Eze’s deflected shot clipped the crossbar, while Julian Alvarez almost punished David Raya from long range after the goalkeeper ventured out of position. For much of the first half, the contest was tight and tactical, with few clear chances at either end. Gabriel Magalhaes broke the deadlock on 57 minutes, rising to head in Declan Rice’s precise free-kick and spark a remarkable surge. Gabriel Martinelli added a second with a curling finish after a driving run from Myles Lewis-Skelly, before Viktor Gyokeres bundled home to end his seven-game goal drought. The Swedish striker struck again moments later, turning in Gabriel’s knockdown from another Arsenal corner. The result leaves Mikel Arteta’s team with three wins from three and still yet to concede in this season’s competition, a c...

A preview of this week's Champions League action

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Matchday three in the Champions League is here... For those teams with 100% records, a win this week puts them on them well and truly on the path to automatic qualification to the last 16. Author |  Peter Grainger This preview will focus on the five English sides competing in this season's competition and their opposition. Mourinho and Benfica head to Newcastle Newcastle United host Benfica at St James’ Park, aiming to follow up their win over Union SG with another step toward the Champions League knockout stage.  Eddie Howe’s team lost their opener to Barcelona but responded strongly in Belgium, and a second win would move them closer to qualification. Benfica travel to Tyneside still searching for their first points of their Champions League campaign after back-to-back defeats, including a 3-2 home loss to Qarabag that cost Bruno Lage his job. Can Benfica utilise Mourinho's experience at this level? City hope to end unwanted Champions League  run against Villar...

England player ratings from Latvia win

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England player ratings from the 5-0 win over Latvia  There were some very impressive performances from Tuchel’s players Author | William G We'd see our player of the match was Harry Kane. Not only for his goals but for his all-round contribution. Jordan Pickford | 6/10 Another calm performance from a goalkeeper who last conceded for England a year ago and has now kept nine consecutive clean sheets. He again faced minimal action, encountering only one shot on target in the qualifying campaign so far. Djed Spence | 7/10 An impressive first competitive start for England, showing he can perform effectively at right-back as well as on the left. He was active in both halves and contributed to the fourth goal, albeit aided by Tonisev’s error. Ezri Konsa | 7/10 Composed and authoritative in the heart of defence, ensuring England barely missed Guehi, who was rested. Produced a moment of drama when he raced back to slide in and deny Gutkovskis a near-certain goal. Highlights courtesy of ...