European Super Football

 It's time to explore another transfer saga. When Manchester United paid a record £80m to make Harry Maguire the world's most expensive defender in 2019, one of the big attractions was his ability to lead. Maguire had then captained the Old Trafford club within three months of his arrival from Leicester. Less than three months after that, the England man was given the armband permanently following Ashley Young's move to Inter Milan. He is now Erik ten Hag's fifth-choice central defender behind Raphael Varane, Lisandro Martinez, Victor Lindelof, and even Luke Shaw. As Euro 2024 approaches at the end of this season , England boss Gareth Southgate has told Maguire he needs to play more frequently to remain in the squad. Maguire is no longer United captain Now he's had the club captaincy taken off him. Maguire said he was "personally extremely disappointed" as he revealed it first on social media. He also said: "Since the day I took on the role, three

Porto 3 - 3 Manchester United Harry Maguire salvaged a dramatic draw for a 10-man Manchester United side, who had thrown away a two-goal lead and seen Bruno Fernandes sent off in their Europa League clash against Porto. Maguire's injury-time header could be a lifeline for under-pressure manager Erik ten Hag, with the team just seconds from suffering their fourth defeat in ten games at the start of the season. In the first of five added minutes, Maguire leapt to meet Christian Eriksen's corner and expertly nodded the ball into the bottom corner, securing a crucial point. A closer look at what happened Marcus Rashford put United ahead in the seventh minute, cutting in from the left and skillfully beating two defenders before his low shot slipped past Porto’s goalkeeper Diogo Costa at the near post. Rasmus Hojlund, making his first start of the season, added a second after 20 minutes, finishing off a swift United counter-attack to give them firm control. Porto weren’t done yet

 England 1 - 2 France Football won't be coming home for Christmas England are out of a World Cup but, this time, it was in a desperately agonising quarter-final defeat. This time, more than any other time, and against the world champions France, it felt very different. They were not outplayed. They did not retreat. Instead they lost a tie which they should have won, which they deserved to win and which will sear into Harry Kane - Harry Kane of all people - who missed the penalty kick that would have forced extra-time; Kane missed the penalty that would have confirmed him as England’s all-time record scorer, with 54 goals, one ahead of Wayne Rooney.  History beckoned but for Kane but it wasn't to be. At the end Gareth Southgate wrapped his arms around Kane but he was in another place, staring into the distance. It felt incredibly sad after a fine performance laced with controversy. It was another player that was key for France The pre-match debate centred on how England could st

Manchester United 1 - 0 FC Copenhagen Andre Onana saved a penalty in the final seconds to give Manchester United a dramatic victory against Copenhagen. On what was always going to be an an emotional night in Manchester, a lone piper walked the teams out playing the United anthem 'We'll Never Die' as Old Trafford paid its respects to Sir Bobby Charlton. The match report in brief The vast majority of United fans were hoping that Harry Maguire's first goal since February 2022 had given them the win they craved. Christian Eriksen delivered a superb curling cross to the far post 18 minutes from time, Maguire met it perfectly, shrugging off the attentions of a defender to make sure he was in position to head home. However, with the four minutes of added time played, Scott McTominay conceded a penalty by swinging a high boot dangerously near Mohamed Elyounoussi's face. In dramatic circumstances, Onana turned Jordan Larsson's effort wide with what turned out to be

Manchester City 4 - 1 Manchester United Manchester United were completely outclassed by Manchester City as the home side maintained control of the Premier League title race with an outstanding display.  City stays six points clear of Liverpool, having played one game more. This victory was arguably even more convincing than the scoreline suggested. United were without Cristiano Ronaldo and Edinson Cavani, Raphael Varane and Luke Shaw. They found themselves overwhelmed by the quality and intensity of the reigning champions. --- You can watch the highlights of the match in the video below. Footage courtesy of the Manchester City YouTube channel. --- Kevin de Bruyne put City ahead with a crisp early finish then restored their lead before half-time after Jadon Sancho put United level with a precise low strike, the Belgian's second hammered home in a goalmouth scramble. The blues increased their speed and tempo after the break, and got the goal they deserved after 68 minutes. Riyad

 England 0 - 0 USA England edged closer to a place in the World Cup knockout rounds with a lacklustre draw with the USA. They will have to wait until their final group game with Wales on Tuesday to seal a last-16 spot. Only a defeat to Wales by four goals or more would prevent Group B leaders England from making the next stage. However, Southgate will have to field questions about the big drop-off in his team's performance and how they can rediscover form for the business phase of this competition. World Cup: England thrash Iran (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) Christian Pulisic crashed a first-half shot against the bar. Harry Maguire then had to head away a series of corners as the Americans put the pressure on in the second half. USA did enough to recalibrate perceptions about England's prospects. They have also boosted their own chances of progressing. Picture credit -  Football Pictures | Flickr The concern about this England performance from the travelling support was co

Another defeat for Manchester United where they had plenty of opportunities to win but couldn't get over the line. Their players must improve their game management in the season ahead. The Red Devils were beaten 2-1 at Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday in our first away match of the Premier League campaign after Seagulls striker Joao Pedro headed a 95th-minute winner. It was the sixth time since the 2022/23 season that Ten Hag's side have lost a league game from a goal scored in second-half stoppage time. They will be hoping to bounce back from the disappointment on the south coast when Arne Slot’s Liverpool visit Old Trafford on Sunday 1 September, What are they currently doing well at and how can they build on it? One of the most noticeable improvements in this team during the first two weeks of the Premier League season is their pressing game, both in its organisation and the intensity with which they apply it. Having Fernandes play as a false nine has been a key fa

England’s squad to take on Malta and North Macedonia in June’s Euro 2024 qualifiers has been named by Gareth Southgate. England's next internationals start with a trip to Malta for the first match on Friday 16th June.  They then travel to Manchester, where North Macedonia will be the opposition at Old Trafford on Monday 19th June. Among the list of players mentioned, you will see Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze. This would be his first senior call-up. The former Millwall and QPR youngster had previously been capped at Under 21s level.  In a statement on the England Football website, it is confirmed that: "The majority of the squad will report to St. George’s Park to begin their preparations for the games on Monday 12 June, while players involved with their clubs at UEFA European Finals will join at a later date." Euro 2024 Qualifying (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) The England squad in full Goalkeepers: Sam Johnstone (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton), Aaron Ramsd

England have confirmed their 26-man squad for the European Championships Gareth Southgate has revealed his final 26-man squad, and some notable names are missing. Manchester City's Jack Grealish, Manchester United's Harry Maguire, and Tottenham's James Maddison have all been left out. Burnley's goalkeeper James Trafford, Liverpool's defender Jarell Quansah, Everton's defender Jarrad Branthwaite, and Liverpool's midfielder Curtis Jones, who were part of the initial 33-player shortlist, have also not made the cut. Manchester United's Luke Shaw who has been sidelined with a hamstring injury since mid-February, is part of the squad. This has come to the surprise of many but his experience and nature as one of England's best left-backs probably swung that in his favour. Euro 2024 news and stories (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) International Friendly: England start Euros prep with a win (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) Goalkeepers Dean Henderson (Cr

Let's have a look at the reaction as Manchester United pulled off a stunning comeback against Atalanta. Second-half goals from Marcus Rashford, Harry Maguire and Cristiano Ronaldo gave United the win. The reaction from pundits and players United defender Harry Maguire spoke to BT Sport after the match: "The first half we conceded two bad goals. Two big moments in the game. For the first they caught us out and then the second it is a set-play that we shouldn't be conceding. We created a lot of chances in the first half so we knew at half-time that the next goal would be crucial. We got the goals we needed and deserved and I think we deserved the win in the end. Yes, we made it difficult but it is a tremendous victory in the end. Some previous great nights in Europe involving Manchester United On Ronaldo's goal, he added: "I had eyes on it all the way. I was right behind him. His leap, his timing, it was perfect right in the corner. We see it day in, day out in t

 Aston Villa 1 - 2 Manchester United Manchester United gained a valuable 2-1 away win at Aston Villa to earn a long-awaited victory away against top-nine opposition. The Red Devils started the match at Villa Park, hoping to extend their recent game streak across all competitions. More Premier League news here:  Premier League news and stories: 2023/2024 (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) Villa made a good start to the game and looked to keep possession of the ball for long spells to draw Manchester United onto them. However, the visitors had other plans as they sat back and looked to hit on the counter. Rasmus Hojlund gave them the perfect start as he fired the Red Devils 1-0 up after 17 minutes following an assist by Harry Maguire. United had 42% of the ball in the first half and attempted seven shots, but hit the target just once for Hojlund’s goal. Villa had 10 attempts with three on target but neither side managed to alter the scoreline as the visitors led 1-0 at the break. Unf

Leeds United 2 - 4 Manchester United Let's check all the reaction as Manchester United survived a second-half scare to win 4-2 at Elland Road. Substitutes Fred and Anthony Elanga both found the net in the final 20 minutes. United went into a two-nil lead before the break thanks to goals from Harry Maguire and Bruno Fernandes. However, Leeds responded in the second half. Quickfire goals from both Rodrigo and Raphinha had pulled Marcelo Bielsa's side level before Fred and Elanga ensured all three points returned to Old Trafford. It was Leeds who carved open the first real chance of the game after just five minutes, as Mateusz Klich cleverly found Jack Harrison unmarked with a lofted through pass. He failed to trouble David De Gea and fired his effort wide of the mark. Memorable moments between Leeds United and Manchester United (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) Paul Pogba then aimed shortly after, with the Frenchman driving forward from the right before releasing a low drive t

 Scotland 1 - 3 England In a raucous Hampden Park friendly, England continued their modern-day superiority over Scotland.  Scots last won this fixture in 1999, but hopes of a 42nd win appeared ominously faint as Phil Foden's opener silenced the stadium before Jude Bellingham added a second. A shaken Scotland eventually awoke the home crowd as Harry Maguire sent Andy Robertson's cross screeching beyond Aaron Ramsdale. A mesmerizing Bellingham assist enabled Harry Kane to score England's third as a result of England's classy play and intricate movement. Top of their European Championship qualifying group with five wins from five and facing an England team held by Ukraine on Saturday , Steve Clarke spoke before the match about the desire to see how much his team had narrowed the gap between themselves and England. An almost ruthless first half from Gareth Southgate's team offered a sobering reply. After a slick, composed and controlled performance, the visitors des

 England 0 - 1 Iceland England wrapped up their preparations for Euro 2024 with a dismal defeat against Iceland at Wembley. Manager Gareth Southgate made several changes following Monday’s win against Bosnia-Herzegovina at St James’ Park in Newcastle, but he will have been deeply disappointed with the team's lacklustre performance. Iceland, notorious for their victory over England at Euro 2016, easily exploited England's poor defending. Goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale, who replaced Jordan Pickford, might have done better with Jon Dagur Thorsteinsson’s low shot after 12 minutes. Harry Kane missed a great chance for England, while Chelsea’s Cole Palmer, one of the brighter performers, also had opportunities. However, Southgate’s side looked rusty as they finalised plans for their opening Euro 2024 match against Serbia in Gelsenkirchen on 16 June. England appeared vulnerable at the back throughout the match, with Iceland creating chances to extend their lead after the break. Interna

Let's explore Manchester United's 2023/2024 season. It was a campaign full of drama. There was a lot of controversy throughout, but it finished with glory as they beat Manchester City in the FA Cup final at Wembley.  After being eliminated from the EFL Cup in the fourth round by the previous season's finalists, Newcastle United, they also experienced their worst performance in the Champions League group stage. They then finished in 8th position, their lowest ever place in the Premier League era.  We will now experience some of those key reports and stories from the season. The season started with a 1-0 win over Wolves. In this match, Raphael Varane secured the decisive goal with just 14 minutes remaining, propelling Manchester United to a somewhat lucky victory. It wasn't a great performance though and perhaps a sign of things to come. A few weeks later, they lost 3 - 1 at home to Brighton. After this match, we spoke to Liam, a United Season Ticket holder. He said: &

Will football come home this summer? A couple of weeks ago, England and Gareth Southgate named their provisional squad for Euro 2024. The final 26-man squad list for England must be submitted to Uefa by June 7. Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton), Aaron Ramsdale (Arsenal), James Trafford (Burnley). Defenders: Jarrad Branthwaite (Everton), Lewis Dunk (Brighton), Joe Gomez (Liverpool), Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Harry Maguire (Manchester United), Jarell Quansah (Liverpool), Luke Shaw (Manchester United), John Stones (Manchester City), Kieran Trippier (Newcastle), Kyle Walker (Manchester City) Midfielders: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Conor Gallagher (Chelsea), Curtis Jones (Liverpool), Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace). Forwards: Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Jarrod Bowen (West Ham), Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Jack Grealish (

Manchester United 3 - 2 Tottenham Hotspur A late Cristiano Ronaldo header sealed his hat-trick and gave Manchester United a crucial win in the race for Champions League football. Eight minutes remained when the 37-year-old bulldozed Matt Doherty aside, eyes fixed only on Alex Telles’s corner from the right, and connected his forehead to the ball as he cartwheeled through the air before hitting the turf. There was ecstasy and the ringing out of Viva Ronaldo from home fans. They could not quite believe their hero had done, again, what he loves to do.  Spurs have already beaten Manchester City away this season, so this was not an easy task for United. City 2 - 3 Spurs Ronaldo’s opener lit up the stadium. Raphaël Varane tapped to Fred who backheeled to the No 7. Cue delirium from the Old Trafford faithful and a lift for the United players. Ronaldo started to drop off the front to link with Diogo Dalot, and Paul Pogba forced a save from Lloris. United do this, though. They dominate and

Let's have a look at all the reaction from a busy night of international football as England and Scotland both won Moldova 0 - 2 Scotland Scotland clinched a  play-off place with a match to spare thanks to a fairly comfortable win away in Moldova. Nathan Patterson calmed Scottish nerves with his first Scotland goal. He then teed up Che Adams to make it 2-0. Scotland head coach Steve Clarke told Sky Sports: "It was a good performance, aggressive going forward and trying to create chances. "A lot of shots but only two goals. The penalty could have made it nervy but when you need him, Craig [Gordon] is always there. All focus is Denmark now." England 5 - 0 Albania England now require only a point from their final match against minnows San Marino to confirm their place at the 2022 World Cup.  Harry Kane led the romp with a first-half hat-trick as England made light work of Albania. Harry Maguire and Jordan Henderson scored the others. England's Kyle Walker tweeted:

There's been a another big money move to the Premier League Manchester City have completed the signing of centre-back Josko Gvardiol on a five-year deal from RB Leipzig for around £77m. He is the second most expensive defender in history after Harry Maguire, who joined Manchester United for £80m from Leicester City in 2019. In two seasons at Leipzig, Gvardiol has impressed after joining from Dynamo Zagreb in July 2021. Premier League news (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) He helped his now former club win the German Cup in his two seasons with them in addition to twice qualifying for the Champions League. All the latest reaction Joško Gvardiol: “I have always dreamed of one day playing in England... this is an incredible day for me”. 🔵✨ #MCFC “Anyone who saw Manchester City play last season knows they are the best team in the world”. pic.twitter.com/X9xd8kbFZg — Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 5, 2023 Harry, a City fan, told us: "What a fantastic player he is

 Evans returns to Manchester United Manchester United confirmed Jonny Evans has returned to the club where he started his career, signing a one-year contract until June 2024. The former United Academy graduate has been capped 102 times for Northern Ireland. In his previous spell at Old Trafford, he won three Premier League titles, two League Cups and also the FIFA World Club Championship. Evans originally signed a short-term deal with the club but proved to Ten Hag that he was worthy of a contract until the end of the 2023/2024 season.  This was just one of many signings for the club on what was a busy transfer deadline day. Explore more:  Deadline Day September 2023 transfers (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) Let's explore the best reaction Liam, a Manchester United Season Ticket holder, told us: "I don't care how old he is, this is a great signing for us. He has a lot of experience and will make a difference as we try and see matches out." Olivia T, a Manchester