European Super Football

Eastleigh  1 - 3 Newport County Newport County secured a spot in the FA Cup fourth round and a lucrative tie against Manchester United by defeating Eastleigh 3-1.  Aaron Wildig gave Newport an early lead, skillfully gliding past goalkeeper Joe McDonnell following great play from the County. Paul McCallum equalized for Eastleigh after 48 minutes with a well-placed half-volley, levelling the score against Newport. However, Newport's James Clarke regained the lead with a header on the hour mark, and the victory was sealed by Will Evans, their top scorer. The televised match in the fourth round is expected to bring significant financial rewards, around £400,000, to Newport.  They are set to face Manchester United at Rodney Parade on Sunday 28th January, showcasing their potential for causing upsets, as demonstrated by previous victories against Leicester City , Middlesbrough and a draw with Tottenham Hotspur. Newport class shows While this game was anticipated as a historic moment

Manchester United 2 - 2 Tottenham Hotspur Spurs came back from behind twice in a pulsating Premier League encounter to deny Manchester United what would have been a very important victory.  Rasmus Hojlund drove United into a third-minute lead. Richarlison then levelled with his sixth goal in as many Premier League games for the visitors. Tottenham were without three players, including captain Son Heung-min - who is away with South Korea at the Asian Cup. Marcus Rashford took the lead for the home team before halftime , but Rodrigo Bentancur nullified the advantage a minute into the second half with a powerful shot. This marked his first goal since April, overcoming a cruciate knee ligament injury and an ankle problem during that period. For new co-owner Jim Ratcliffe , who was seated alongside Sir Alex Ferguson in the directors' box, the rest of the match served as a learning experience. Manchester United had less than 40% possession, managed only nine shots compared to Totten

 Chelsea 1 - 0 Fulham Chelsea secured a narrow victory over West London rivals Fulham at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League, with Cole Palmer's first-half penalty proving to be vital. The win was Chelsea's third consecutive victory, moving them to eighth in the table. Palmer's penalty, following a foul on Raheem Sterling by Issa Diop, marked his ninth goal since joining Chelsea in August. Conor Gallagher came close to adding a late second for Chelsea, hitting the far post with a well-struck effort. Despite Chelsea's wastefulness in front of goal earlier in the week, they did enough to secure the three points.  Chelsea won their fourth consecutive home league match for the first time since July 2020. The victory marked a positive start to Chelsea's 2024 league campaign after a challenging 2023, where they won only 12 of their 43 league games.  They are set to face Middlesbrough in the EFL Cup semi-final second leg on 23 January. Another W at the Bridge. 🏡 #

 Middlesborough 0 - 1 Aston Villa Aston Villa secured their first FA Cup victory since 2016, as Matty Cash delivered a late winning goal against Middlesbrough.  Highlights below from  The Emirates FA Cup - YouTube   The Championship club Boro was on the verge of forcing a replay when Cash's shot from outside the box took an unexpected deflection, ultimately beating goalkeeper Tom Glover. The Australian keeper had earlier displayed an impressive performance at the lively Riverside Stadium, frustrating the Premier League visitors with saves against young Colombia forward Jhon Duran (twice) and captain John McGinn. Villa' s frustration grew as Ezri Konsa's header hit the post before Poland full-back Cash scored his fourth goal of the season in three different competitions. Magic of the FA Cup: 2023/2024 (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) More Aston Villa news and stories This victory marked a significant milestone for Villa, a seven-time FA Cup-winning team that had not tas

Crystal Palace 0 - 0 Everton The FA Cup third round weekend started with a rather boring 0-0 draw between Palace and Everton. The game wasn't without controversy though. Everton have lodged an appeal against the red card given to Dominic Calvert-Lewin during their goalless draw against Crystal Palace in the FA Cup third-round.  If the appeal is unsuccessful, Calvert-Lewin could miss not only the third-round replay but also upcoming Premier League fixtures against Aston Villa and Fulham. The striker is facing a three-match ban due to his dismissal following a sliding challenge on Nathaniel Clyne, as determined by a VAR review during the second half. More VAR news and stories Referee Chris Kavanagh initially did not award a free-kick, but after reviewing the incident on the pitchside monitor, he deemed there was enough contact with Clyne's shin to warrant Calvert-Lewin's dismissal. Magic of the FA Cup: 2023/2024 (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) Calvert-Lewin, who hasn

 West Ham United 0 - 0 Brighton & Hove Albion This match marked the first occasion in 24 league matches that Brighton didn't concede a goal, putting an end to a record-setting streak for the club. For West Ham, they would have been hoping to build on their wins over Manchester United and Arsenal but will ultimately be delighted with their points return over the Christmas and New Year period.  Brighton enjoyed more possession and created better chances in what was largely a dull game to kick off 2024 for both teams at London Stadium . The first half lacked quality and opportunities, with West Ham coming closest to scoring as Jason Steele saved James Ward-Prowse's powerful volley with his legs. Jack Hinshelwood and Pascal Gross of Brighton were both thwarted by Alphonse Areola, the home keeper, with point-blank stops. Premier League news and stories: 2023/2024 Brighton news and stories from European Super Football Cool as you like 🧊 pic.twitter.com/PSz55x9EaN — West

What next for Wayne Rooney and Birmingham City? Picture credit -  Colin Bradbury | Flickr Birmingham City has decided to part ways with manager Wayne Rooney after a brief stint of only 83 days leading the Championship club. The 38-year-old took over the managerial role on 11 October following the contentious choice to remove John Eustace , with the team positioned sixth in the table at that time. However, the team's performance has seen a decline, now standing at 20th place. The recent 3-0 defeat to Leeds on Monday marked the ninth loss during Rooney's 15-game tenure. Professional development coach Steve Spooner will be assuming  temporary charge for Birmingham. Additionally, the club has also ended its association with one of Rooney's backroom staff, former Wolves and Wales midfielder Carl Robinson. The decision to bring in former England captain Rooney, who had previously managed Derby County and MLS side DC United, drew comparisons to the club's unfortunate mov