European Super Football

 Declan Rice has been an Arsenal player for a few days now. Arsenal announced they had signed Rice from West Ham in club-record £105m deal.  The midfielder's move is a record transfer fee between two British clubs. He becomes Arsenal's third summer signing to take Gunners' spending to £208m; Rice signs five-year deal at Arsenal. What impact will the transfer have on both clubs? Rice celebrating the recent Europa Conference League with West Ham. His last appearance for the club. Photo from  Football Pictures | Flickr The Arsenal fans are happy We spoke with Peter, an Arsenal Season Ticket holder, spoke about the benefits of the signing: "Declan Rice could be a colossus of the modern game even in this age of mega-athletes. With superb timing, an eye for space that opens up the pitch, and the ability to hit long or short killer passes, he has unmatched power combined with superb timing. Arteta and staff will also turn him into a monster scorer in the penalty box." ...

 Will Declan Rice be on the move this summer? It is expected that West Ham United will demand £100 million for midfielder Declan Rice this summer as they attempt to fight off interest from several Premier League rivals. The East London club would prefer to keep Rice, but there is an acknowledgement his situation is reaching a critical. He effectively has two years remaining on his contract at the London Stadium. Latest Premier League news:  Premier League news (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United , Newcastle United and Liverpool are monitoring developments. It will be interesting to see which of those clubs make an offer for the England midfielder in the summer.  Rice celebrating a goal for West Ham: Credit -  Football Pictures | Flickr One of the current favourites to sign Rice are Chelsea. They've had a long-held interest in the player, but this will depend on the identity of their new manager and how quickly they can t...

Serbia 0 - 5 England live text commentary recap Thomas Tuchel's side made it five wins from five in their qualifying campaign Author | Josh D Stadium | Rajko Mitic Stadium Goals from Harry Kane , Noni Madueke , Ezri Konsa, Marc Guehi and Marcus Rashford seal a memorable night in Belgrade for the Three Lions , who have taken a huge step towards next summer’s World Cup. Full-time | A five-star performance from Tuchel's side On paper this was a daunting trip, yet England have delivered one of their best performances in some time. The job is complete and the mission accomplished in Serbia. 90 minutes | Rashford makes it 5 (five) from the penalty spot. Ollie Watkins was brought down in the penalty area by Strahinja Erakovic . Marcus Rashford took the penalty and calmly placed it beyond the Serbian keeper. 75 minutes | Another goal. It’s becoming too easy for England. Nikola Milenkovic ’s foul proves doubly costly for Serbia. He is shown a red card and from the resulting free-k...

Arsenal 3 - 0 Real Madrid Declan Rice lit up the Emirates with two superb free-kicks as Arsenal cruised to a 3–0 victory over Real Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final. Author - DJ Stadium - Emirates Stadium Rice had never scored from a free-kick in his career before this match, delivered two moments of brilliance in the second half to put Mikel Arteta’s side in firm control of the tie. Ahead of kick-off, Arteta had called on the home support to arrive early and generate a big-game atmosphere. The fans responded, and so did the players, as Arsenal made an energetic start and put Madrid under early pressure with a series of threatening crosses. It wasn’t until the 20th minute that the visitors created anything of note, with Vinícius Júnior curling a shot narrowly wide. After the break, Arsenal turned their dominance into goals. The breakthrough came in the 58th minute, when Rice bent a free-kick around the wall and beyond Thibaut Courtois to open the scori...

 UEFA Europa Conference League Semi-final first leg: West Ham United 2 - 1  AZ Alkmaar West Ham's dreams of a first major trophy since 1980 are still alive. They came from behind to secure a Europa Conference League semi-final first-leg win over AZ Alkmaar at their London Stadium. Pre match - the West Ham fans created an incredible atmosphere The Hammers' hopes of reaching the final in Prague on 7 June were hanging by a thread when Alphonse Areola made a mess of saving Tijjani Reijnders' low shot four minutes before the break. However, David Moyes' side turned the tie on its head after half-time. <Click here for more news from the London Stadium> The Hammers had former Brighton goalkeeper Mat Ryan to thank for offering them a way back into the contest when he recklessly punched Jarrod Bowen in the face as he arrived late to challenge for a high ball the England man actually headed over. After Ryan took an age to take his position for the penalty, Said Benrahm...

Arsenal 4 - 0 Atlético 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...

 West Ham United 0 - 6 Arsenal It was a disastrous afternoon for West Ham as they suffered a heavy defeat at home to Arsenal. The match kicked off with Arsenal dictating the pace, applying high pressure and keeping the West Ham players pinned in their own half. Arteta's unexpected tactical changes paid off from the get-go. Although the game was evenly poised for the first thirty minutes, Arsenal dominated possession.  More Premier League news can be found here Transfer News: Rice signs for Arsenal  In the 32nd minute, Rice delivered a corner kick, finding Saliba in the box who leapt and headed the ball into the net, putting Arsenal ahead 1-0. In the 41st minute, Saka was fouled in the box by Areola while advancing towards goal. Initially flagged offside, VAR intervened, confirming Saka's perfectly timed run and awarding Arsenal a penalty. Saka confidently stepped up and slotted the ball into the left side of the net, making it 2-0. Just three minutes later, Arsenal ea...

Latvia v England live commentary Three points here and England will have qualified for the 2026 World Cup Author |  Lauren W This will be the place for live commentary from England's trip to Latvia. Full-time  England have qualified for the World Cup with two games to spare. Against limited opposition granted but that was a superb performance from The Three Lions. 85 minutes | Eze makes it five! He scored against Latvia in March, and Eberechi Eze adds another against them tonight. A precise low finish followed after Jarrod Bowen did well to win possession on the halfway line. The perfect finishing touch. 74 minutes | “A thoroughly professional display from Thomas Tuchel’s side...” Gez wanted to travel to Latvia for the match but had to settle for watching on TV. He has been impressed with the performance: “Just the 19 efforts on goal for England, with 41 touches inside Latvia’s penalty area. A thoroughly professional display from Thomas Tuchel’s side tonight.” 57 minutes |...

England 0 - 0 Slovenia England secured a spot in the Euro 2024 last 16 as the top team in Group C. Gareth Southgate's squad showed some improvement compared to their dismal performance against Denmark, yet it still fell short of justifying their status as pre-tournament favourites. Their play was laboured, with only occasional flashes of quality, notably in the first half when a smooth passing sequence led to Bukayo Saka's goal. This was disallowed for offside. Conor Gallagher's inclusion failed to make an impact, resulting in his replacement at half-time. The introduction of Manchester United teenager Kobbie Mainoo brought more urgency after the break. England struggled with creativity in a group where no team scored more than one goal in any game, marking a first in the competition's history. Denmark's 0-0 draw with Serbia saw them finish second, while Slovenia qualified as one of the best third-placed teams. There was good news for England elsewhere, as resu...

Brighton & Hove Albion 1 - 1 Arsenal João Pedro’s second-half penalty dealt a blow to Arsenal’s title ambitions as Brighton held them to a frustrating draw. Author - Ajay  Arsenal started brightly, taking the lead in the 16th minute through Ethan Nwaneri, making just his second Premier League start. The 17-year-old combined cleverly with Mikel Merino and Declan Rice before unleashing a shot that slipped past Bart Verbruggen and nestled in the far corner. The Gunners dominated the first half and looked poised to extend their advantage. However, missed opportunities came back to haunt them when Pedro equalised from the spot just after the hour mark. Click here for more Premier League news and stories The penalty stemmed from an unusual incident as Pedro flicked the ball up, and William Saliba, attempting to clear with his head, made contact with Pedro, who went down. After a VAR review, the referee confirmed the decision, and Pedro confidently sent David Raya the wrong way to...

Republic of Ireland 0 - 2 England Lee Carsley started his time as England’s interim manager with a win in the UEFA Nations League against the Republic of Ireland. Declan Rice and Jack Grealish both scored against the team they once represented. Carsley, who also played for the Republic of Ireland during his career, will oversee England for at least two matches following Gareth Southgate's departure after Euro 2024. He had a smooth start as the Three Lions triumphed in a vibrant atmosphere at a packed Dublin stadium. Rice, who earned three senior caps for the Republic of Ireland before switching allegiance in 2019, quietened the home fans with a goal in the 11th minute after Harry Kane’s shot was blocked. Rice opted not to celebrate. However, former Irish youth player Jack Grealish put his fingers in his ears in response to scoring on his return to the England squad, following his exclusion from Southgate’s Euro 2024 team. Does an exciting new era await? When Lee Carsley walk...

The Gunners have made a new signing Arsenal have successfully secured the signing of Spanish midfielder Mikel Merino from Real Sociedad in a deal potentially worth up to £31.6 million. The 28-year-old is set to join the north London club on a four-year contract, with an option to extend for an additional year. Arsenal will pay an initial fee of £27.4 million, with a further £4.2 million in potential add-ons. Merino was a key player in Spain's Euro 2024 triumph, playing in all seven matches and netting a decisive extra-time goal against Germany in the quarter-finals. He is Arsenal's third acquisition of the transfer window, following the signings of Italian defender Riccardo Calafiori and Spanish goalkeeper David Raya, who joined permanently from Brentford after a loan spell. Merino, known for his ability to play as a deep-lying midfielder, is expected to complement Declan Rice, who took on a box-to-box role at times last season. His arrival gives manager Mikel Arteta added...

England 2 - 0 Andorra England overcame stubborn resistance from Andorra to record a fourth successive victory under head coach Thomas Tuchel in World Cup qualifiers. Author | Mark Lee Stadium | Villa Park In what was effectively a match of defence against attack, England once again laboured for long periods before finally making their quality count against the minnows ranked 174th in the world. Tuchel gave a debut to Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson , who was one of the more impressive performers in a largely drab encounter at Villa Park. England broke the deadlock after 25 minutes when Andorra defender Christian Garcia headed Noni Madueke 's cross past keeper Iker Alvarez into his own net. Andorra's defensive ranks held firm, helped by keeper Alvarez when he saved superbly from Anderson, until Declan Rice headed in Reece James ' fine cross at the far post after 67 minutes. England now move on to what will be the toughest test of Tuchel's reign so...

Everton 1 - 1 Arsenal Arsenal's already slim hopes of lifting the Premier League trophy took a significant hit as they were held to a 1-1 draw at Goodison Park. Author - Sarah W Stadium - Goodison Park The draw leaves leaders Liverpool needing just 11 points from their final eight fixtures – beginning with Fulham on Sunday – to clinch the championship. The opening half-hour was scrappy and disjointed, offering little in the way of rhythm or quality. But it was Arsenal who struck first on 34 minutes, with Leandro Trossard finishing smartly on the counter following a precise ball from Raheem Sterling – the game's first shot on target. Trossard nearly doubled his tally just before the break, but his close-range effort was clawed away by Jordan Pickford, with Declan Rice’s follow-up blocked in the crowded box. READ MORE:  Premier League: 2024/2025 season Everton responded almost immediately after the restart. A clumsy challenge from Myles Lewis-Skelly on Jack Harrison earned th...

There were wins for Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea Horrendous weather conditions across the country didn't disrupt any of the action. Author |  Josh D Pictures from around the grounds The main talking points A rare home defeat for Leeds United Mohammed Kudus scored one and created another as Tottenham ended Leeds United’s year-long unbeaten home run in the league. Daniel Farke’s side had not lost on their own turf since early September 2024, when Burnley won there in the Championship. But Kudus was the difference on a sodden afternoon in Yorkshire, guiding Spurs back to winning ways after two draws in four days. Mathys Tel opened the scoring with his first goal of the season, latching on to Kudus’s through ball before unleashing a superb 20-yard strike that took a slight deflection off Pascal Struijk to wrongfoot goalkeeper Karl Darlow. As the rain began to fall heavily, Kudus restored Tottenham’s lead with a fine finish from the edge of the box, his low...

Arsenal 0 - 1 PSG Arsenal must come from behind if they are to reach the Champions League final, after Ousmane Dembele's early goal gave Paris Saint-Germain a first-leg advantage at the Emirates Stadium. Author -  DJ Stadium - Emirates Stadium Dembele struck just four minutes in, sweeping a low finish past David Raya after being picked out by Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. The goal capped a dominant opening spell from the visitors, who pressed high and carved out further chances, including a strong effort from teenager Desire Doue that Raya did well to stop. Once again, PSG were indebted to Gianluigi Donnarumma. The Italian goalkeeper, who produced key performances in earlier rounds against Liverpool and Aston Villa, was in commanding form, denying Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard with sharp saves either side of half-time. Arsenal grew into the contest and thought they had equalised when Mikel Merino headed in from a Declan Rice free-kick, but a lengthy VAR review ruled the goal...

England 3 - 0 Latvia Thomas Tuchel made it two wins from two as England manager with a World Cup qualifying victory over Latvia at Wembley. Author - Mark Lee Stadium - Wembley Stadium Just as in their previous match against Albania, England found themselves frustrated for long spells against a side ranked 140th in the world before finally converting dominance into goals. Chelsea captain Reece James marked his first England start since September 2022 with a superb free kick from 20 yards, curling the ball into the net seven minutes before half time. Despite controlling possession, England struggled to extend their lead as Latvia defended doggedly. That changed in the 68th minute when Harry Kane turned in his 71st international goal from Declan Rice’s cross. With Latvia tiring, substitute Eberechi Eze added a third with a deflected strike 14 minutes from time, scoring his first England goal. The result saw Tuchel become the first England men’s manager to win his opening two competiti...

 Arsenal 3 - 1 Manchester United At the Emirates Stadium, Arsenal scored twice in stoppage time to secure a dramatic victory over Manchester United. United thought they had snatched three points before VAR ruled Alejandro Garnacho's 88th-minute finish offside. Limbs. pic.twitter.com/JiDMV59yiO — Arsenal (@Arsenal) September 4, 2023 The drama then switched to the other end when Declan Rice's deflected shot gave Arsenal the lead, then substitute Gabriel Jesus raced clear to seal the victory as the stadium erupted in celebration. Christian Eriksen 's outstanding pass found Marcus Rashford, who cut inside to send an unerring right-foot shot past Arsenal keeper Aaron Ramsdale in the 27th minute. Odegaard's emphatic finish into the bottom corner immediately leveled the match for the Gunners. Arsenal - who had a penalty overturned by the VAR after referee Anthony Taylor initially ruled Havertz fouled - missed a glorious late opportunity when Bukayo Saka shot straight at...