European Super Football

Let's explore a dramatic final day in the Premier League title race This video from ESPN UK explores everything that went on across the league.  ESPN UK - YouTube Manchester City 3 - 2 Aston Villa  Manchester City staged a late comeback with three goals in five minutes to beat Aston Villa and win the Premier League. Pep Guardiola's side needed a win to secure their fourth title in five seasons, but were facing the prospect of ending the season empty-handed as goals either side of the interval from Matty Cash and Philippe Coutinho put Villa 2-0 ahead and in control. It looked as if Villa manager Steven Gerrard might help his former club Liverpool secure the title, until City turned the game on its head in an atmosphere bordering on hysteria. Ilkay Gundogan gave City hope with a far-post header in the 76th minute. Etihad Stadium was a wall of noise when Rodri drove a low finish past Villa keeper Robin Olsen two minutes later. The highlights of the match can be found in the vid...

Manchester City 0 - 4 Tottenham Hotspur A remarkable evening in Manchester. Who saw this result coming? James Maddison netted a brace as Tottenham swept past Manchester City, handing them a fifth consecutive defeat – a streak they hadn’t endured since 2006. Author - Macca Pedro Porro smashed in a third, and Brennan Johnson sealed the victory with a last-minute fourth on a remarkable night that saw City’s 52-match unbeaten run at the Etihad come to an end. That streak had stretched back to just before the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. This was City’s heaviest home defeat since their 5-1 drubbing by Arsenal in 2003. It also marked the first time Pep Guardiola’s side had suffered three consecutive Premier League defeats under his leadership, just 48 hours after he signed a new two-year contract extension. For Spurs, it was a stunning turnaround. Despite being without both first-choice centre-backs, fielding five teenagers on the bench, and coming off a 2-1 home loss to Ipswich two weeks ag...

Manchester City v Leicester City preview Manchester City will look to strengthen their bid for a Champions League spot when they host relegation-bound Leicester City at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday night. Author - Macca Pep Guardiola’s side secured their customary place in the FA Cup semi-finals with a weekend win over Bournemouth, while Leicester have had a fortnight to reflect on another dismal Premier League defeat. Despite a turbulent 2024-25 campaign, City have maintained their dominance in domestic cup competitions, reaching their seventh consecutive FA Cup semi-final. Meanwhile, Leicester, who stormed to the Championship title under Enzo Maresca last season , have struggled to adapt to the top flight. Alongside Ipswich Town and Southampton, they find themselves adrift at the bottom of the table. The Foxes have endured a miserable run of six straight league defeats without scoring, shipping 16 goals in the process. Their latest setback (a 3-0 home loss to Manchester United...

Arsenal 1 - 1 Manchester City Arsenal won 4-1 on penalties  The Community Shield victory gave Arsenal's title hopes a psychological boost as they beat Pep Guardiola's side on penalties. Cole Palmer curled home a stunning strike. He thought he would win it for City after a largely forgettable 70 minutes in the season curtain-raiser. However, Leandro Trossard equalised in the 101st minute after his shot was deflected into the net. In the end, Arsenal won on spot-kicks after Kevin de Bruyne struck the crossbar, Rodri had his effort saved, and then Fabio Vieira converted to seal the victory. A statement of intent from Arsenal? Despite leading the Premier League for over 240 days last season, Arsenal's challenge fell apart as City overtook them in the final stages to win the Treble along with the Champions League and FA Cup. Gunners boss Mikel Arteta spoke with a lot of media outlets before the match. He admitted that the end of last season still hurt, and was clearly despe...

 Manchester City 1 - 2 Manchester United Manchester United’s victory stopped Premier League champions City from claiming a second consecutive domestic double. United's win was forged through an impressive first-half performance that saw goals from Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo. Garnacho capitalised on a mix-up between City goalkeeper Stefan Ortega and defender Josko Gvardiol, leaving him with an open goal to score half an hour in. Nine minutes later, Mainoo capped off a sweeping move with a composed finish following a delicate touch from Bruno Fernandes. City inevitably ramped up the pressure in the second half, with Erling Haaland hitting the post, United keeper Andre Onana making a superb save from Kyle Walker, and Julian Alvarez missing a golden opportunity. City substitute Jeremy Doku pulled one back with four minutes remaining, but Ten Hag's side held firm to secure a famous victory and  clinch their 13th FA Cup, their first since 2016. How the FA Cup was won. ...

Juventus 2 - 0 Manchester City Manchester City’s struggles continued as they suffered a potentially damaging defeat to Juventus, leaving their Champions League knockout stage hopes hanging by a thread. Author - Macca Second-half goals from Dusan Vlahovic and Weston McKennie sealed a crucial win for the Italian side, bolstering their chances of progressing automatically as one of the top eight teams in the league phase. For City, however, it marked yet another setback in a torrid run of form, with just one win from their last 10 games in all competitions and a seventh defeat during this miserable spell. The result leaves City languishing in 22nd place in the Champions League standings, with only two group games remaining. They face Paris Saint-Germain away on 22 January and host Club Brugge a week later. The top eight teams secure automatic progression, while those finishing between ninth and 24th must navigate a two-legged play-off. City remain just one point above PSG in 25th...

Manchester City 1 - 1 Everton Erling Haaland saw his second-half penalty saved by Jordan Pickford as Manchester City’s struggles continued with a lacklustre Premier League draw against Everton at the Etihad Stadium. Author - Macca Pep Guardiola’s side, once an unstoppable force, now find themselves in uncharted waters, having won just once in their last 13 matches across all competitions. The result leaves the reigning champions in sixth place, five points behind Arsenal in fourth and a daunting 14 points adrift of league leaders Liverpool. City came close to a dream start in the third minute when Josko Gvardiol’s towering header struck the post. Their early dominance eventually paid off in the 14th minute, as Bernardo Silva capitalised on Jeremy Doku’s pass, squeezing a deflected shot past Jarrad Branthwaite into the far corner. Phil Foden nearly doubled the lead, setting up Silva in the box, but the Portuguese midfielder’s first-time effort went wide. Everton, however, made their...

Manchester City v West Ham United preview Manchester City kick off their 2025 Premier League campaign with a home fixture against a struggling West Ham United side. Author - Macca The reigning champions have endured a tough spell, winning just one of their previous 13 games across all competitions before last weekend’s trip to the King Power Stadium. However, they managed a much-needed, albeit scrappy, win in the East Midlands, with Savinho playing a starring role.  On paper, a visit from West Ham might seem like a straightforward task for Pep Guardiola’s side, but City’s recent form at the Etihad has been anything but convincing. They’ve managed just one win in their last five home matches and were held to a frustrating 1-1 draw by Everton in their most recent outing on home soil. As for West Ham, their form had been on the up before a humbling 5-0 defeat to league leaders Liverpool halted their progress. Head coach Julen Lopetegui had been under less pressure in recent weeks,...

There's been an update regarding the kick off time for the 2024 FA Cup final.  The match taking place between Manchester City and Manchester United will kick off at 15:00 BST. For the repeat of last year’s final between the same teams , the match has been brought forward from 17:30 BST. The Football Association said the kick-off time was moved to the traditional slot after it was agreed with both sides alongside the local authority, members of the safety advisory group and TV broadcasters.  City and United will meet at Wembley Stadium on Saturday 25th May. Last year’s final between the two was the first all-Manchester FA Cup final, with Pep Guardiola's side winning 2-1 on their way to a Treble. In 2023, the match was moved to the same time following police advice. This was the first final to take place at that time in twelve years. Many fans were happy with this as they believed it is the best time for important football matches.  How did the teams reach the FA Cup fi...

Manchester United 0 - 3 Manchester City Top scorer Haaland scored either side of half-time and set up Foden to win the Manchester derby and lift Manchester City up to third . They are two points behind leaders the surprise leaders Tottenham. Man Utd are now eighth and have now lost six of last eight against Pep Guardiola's men.  Let's explore all the reaction from the red side of Manchester.  Video URL -  Man Utd 0-3 Man City | Match Recap - YouTube Jeffthered on the popular Manchester United forum RedCafe posted: "Although I had some hope and optimism, it was embarrassing to see them do that. There needs to be a bit of fight between the players because I don't see anything there at all. You cannot keep doing this. No way. The situation is quite alarming. "That is a broken team, a broken, dysfunctional set of players who do not wish to be there. I'm feeling sad because I genuinely fear for our club this season. We are there for the taking. Every single tea...

Despite a second defeat of the season, there is still plenty of optimism among Ipswich Town fans.  Ipswich took an early lead at the home of the reigning champions, with Sam Szmodics finding the net.  However, their advantage was quickly erased, and the match ultimately ended in a 4-1 victory for Pep Guardiola’s side. Reflecting on last week’s match against Liverpool, where the Reds scored twice in five minutes, the Ipswich manager emphasised the importance of learning to respond better when conceding a goal. He highlighted the need for similar lessons after today’s game, where City managed to score three goals in quick succession. Premier League: 2024/2025 season (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) They have strengthened their squad After the match, Ipswich announced the signing of Jack Clarke from Sunderland, marking their 10th acquisition in the summer transfer window. The 23-year-old winger, who started his career at Leeds United, has joined on a five-year contract. Clarke ...

 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...

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...

Manchester City 0 - 0 Inter Milan Manchester City were held to a goalless draw by a determined Inter side, as the Premier League champions experienced a frustrating start to their Champions League campaign. Despite City controlling possession, Inter posed a real threat on the counter-attack, managing 10 shots in the first half – the most City have faced under Pep Guardiola in a home Champions League match, and more than they’ve conceded in any Premier League game. City's chances were limited, with Phil Foden’s effort on his return the closest they came, while Ilkay Gundogan missed two promising headers. It was far from a vintage performance from Guardiola’s men. On the other hand, Inter’s manager, Simone Inzaghi, will likely be frustrated by his team’s inability to capitalise on their counter-attacking opportunities. Champions League: 2024/2025 (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) A closer look at what happened in Manchester and the wider context of the result The extended format...

Brentford 2 - 2 Manchester City Manchester City’s bid for a fifth consecutive Premier League title took another hit as they squandered a 2-0 lead to draw against Brentford. Author - Macca The Bees looked down and out after trailing by two goals with just 12 minutes left, but Yoane Wissa sparked a dramatic comeback with a strike before captain Christian Nørgaard’s 92nd-minute header salvaged a point in a thrilling finale. Brentford nearly snatched all three points in the dying moments, but Nathan Aké came to City’s rescue, heading Bryan Mbeumo’s curling effort off the line in the 95th minute. City had taken the lead in the 66th minute, with Phil Foden expertly guiding a side-footed volley from Kevin De Bruyne’s sublime cross. Brentford almost levelled five minutes later, only for Aké to clear Wissa’s attempt, set up by Mbeumo’s impressive work around goalkeeper Stefan Ortega, off the line. Premier League: 2024/2025 season Foden looked to have sealed the win in the 78th minute, poun...

Manchester City v Real Madrid Preview We explore what has the potential to be the match of the season. Author - Macca A clash between two of the biggest forces in English and Spanish football is nothing new. When Manchester City and Real Madrid meet in the UEFA Champions League, it will mark the fourth consecutive season they’ve faced off in the knockout stages of Europe’s elite club competition. However, this time, it’s in unfamiliar territory—the playoffs. Under the tournament’s new format, only the top eight teams in the expanded league phase secured direct passage to the last 16, and both City and Real fell short. City scraped through in 22nd place after a comeback win at home to Club Brugge in their final group match, while Real had a rocky start, losing three of their first five games before recovering to finish 11th. For the fourth season in a row, one of these European giants will see their Champions League run cut short by the other. City’s performance in this playoff...

 What's the future looking like for Ilkay Gundogan? Manchester City fear Ilkay Gundogan will snub their contract offer to leave on a free transfer, It is believed that the Premier League champions are keen to keep hold of the Germany international, who turned 32 last week. His current contract expires at the end of the season, and he will be free to agree to a pre-contract with a foreign club from 1 January. More Premier League news (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com)     Gundogan scored a crucial goal in the final stages of the 2021/2022 season to help City clinch the Premier League title. Credit -  Man City - YouTube It is believed that Gundogan has suitors from the Premier League as well as on the Continent. There are fears at the Etihad Stadium that he is keen on a new challenge. He has remained a key member of Pep Guardiola’s team this season and has started 12 Premier League and Champions League matches among 16 appearances in all competitions. The German was th...

Reports have said that Manchester's City Raheem Sterling would be open to playing abroad if he does not get more game time  The forward has only started one Premier League game since the opening weekend of the season. He was in City's side for their Champions League defeat against Paris St-Germain in September. You can see some of his best moments for his current club in the video below. Since joining City from Liverpool in 2015, he has won the Premier League three times, the FA Cup once and the EFL Cup four times. Speaking at the FT Business of Sport US summit, he said: "I am not someone who complains, I have not tried to make it a bigger deal than it is. I am just raring to go, play football and score regularly." This is the place for more Manchester City news The arrival of Jack Grealish from Aston Villa has increased competition for forward places at City, although the absence of Ferran Torres for at least a month with a fractured foot does reduce Guardiola...