Roma semi-final ´about putting things right´ for Solskjaer and Man Utd

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says it would be a dream come true to lift silverware as Manchester United manager, with his side preparing for a Europa League semi-final against Roma.

While Solskjaer has improved United s Premier League standing since taking charge in December 2018, he is yet to win a trophy and has been beaten in all four of the semi-finals he has reached.

That included the semi-final in the Europa League last season against eventual winners Sevilla.

United are at home for the first leg against Roma, a team they have played six times before – all in the Champions League – winning four.

One of those victories was the famous 7-1 win in the second leg of a 2007 Champions League quarter-final tie that Solskjaer played in, the spirit from which he …

Manchester City 2 Liverpool 1: Sane ends Reds´ unbeaten run to breathe life into title race

Leroy Sane s 72nd-minute strike proved decisive as Manchester City reinvigorated their title defence and ended Liverpool s unbeaten Premier League run with a crucial 2-1 win at the Etihad Stadium.

Roberto Firmino looked to have sealed a potentially vital point for leaders Liverpool in the title race when he equalised just past the hour, but Sane struck soon after, confirming the Reds first league defeat of the season in their 21st game and moving City to second and within four points of the summit.

Liverpool were mightily unlucky not to take an early lead when a defensive mix-up between John Stones and Ederson followed Sadio Mane hitting the post, but they survived and finished the first half well – Sergio Aguero netting in ruthless fashion.

Firmino restored pa…

De Ligt departure would be ´great loss´ to Juventus, says Barzagli

Matthijs de Ligt leaving Juventus would be a great loss for Massimiliano Allegri s side, according to former Bianconeri defender Andrea Barzagli.

Barzagli formed a formidable centre-back trio with Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci during his time in Turin, with the latter pair still playing for Juve when De Ligt arrived for €85.5million from Ajax in 2019.

The Netherlands international has fallen short of expectations during his first three years, leading to transfer speculation with Chelsea, Manchester United and Bayern Munich apparently interested.

De Ligt played more minutes (2,675) than any other Juve outfield player in the 2021-22 Serie A season as Allegri s side finished fourth after a poor start to the campaign.

While questions remain over t…

Liverpool keeping tabs on Jadon Sancho

Liverpool are keeping tabs on Borussia Dortmund winger John McGinn, according to . However, the report has claimed that the former Premier League champions will move for the England international only if one of their current front-three leaves.

Sancho is one of of the best young wingers in Europe and will be a big player for England at the upcoming Euro 2020 finals. The 21-year-old left City for Dortmund in 2017 and has developed well in Germany. The winger scores goals and creates chances for his teammates.

Liverpool would be a better team with Sancho in it. However, it is hard to see the Reds splash out the cash that Dortmund would want for the winger if Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah or Roberto Firmino does not leave.

Real boss Zidane ‘loves’ Kylian Mbappe

I am in love with him, Zidane said. Firstly, as a person because he came here to do a trial a long time ago.   

  He is our rival and I cannot say anything else.  

Those are the words of Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane, who has made it clear that he is a big, big fan of Kylian Mbappe. The French youngster has been heavily linked with a move away from Paris Saint-Germain for quite some time now, but a deal has yet to come to fruition. Following his exploits in the 2018 FIFA World Cup, in which he scored in the final to help France on their way towards  winning the title, it seemed like just a matter of time before he flew onto the radar of teams like Real. 

Now, it s just a case of waiting and seeing what sort of deal Real could come up with if they…

Eintracht Frankfurt sign Juventus left-back Pellegrini on season-long loan

Eintracht Frankfurt have signed Italy international left-back Luca Pellegrini from Juventus on a season-long loan.

The Rome-born 23-year-old, who has one Italy cap from 2020, debuted for Juventus last season, going on to make 21 appearances in all competitions.

Pellegrini s move coincides with left wing-back Filip Kostic s arrival at the Bianconeri from Eintracht this week.

The former Italy youth international, who was loaned out to Cagliari and Genoa in 2019 and 2020 respectively, would also have faced competition for the left-back role with Alex Sandro.

Europa League winners Eintracht have made a raft of personnel changes this off-season in preparation for their participation in the Champions League.

Jens Petter Hauge, Lucas Alario, Hrvoje Smolc…

Alexander-Arnold offers a reminder of where his qualities lie as Liverpool dispatch Rangers

Gary Neville s in-depth analysis of Trent Alexander-Arnold on Sky Sports Monday Night Football gained plenty of traction.

It might have been mistaken for criticism, had the former Manchester United defender not put so much onus on making it clear just how highly he rates Liverpool s right-back.

No full-back that I ve ever seen in this country can do what he can do, said Neville, after animatedly laying out where he believes Alexander-Arnold, who has been questioned amid Liverpool s underwhelming start to the season and was left out of Gareth Southgate s matchday squad for England s Nations League match against Germany last month, can improve.

If he can get those consistency elements, we won t just have one of the best attacking right-backs this country has ever…

Barcelona sell Luis Suarez to Atletico

Barcelona have sold striker Luis Suarez to LaLiga rivals Atletico Madrid for €6million in variables , the Blaugrana have confirmed.

The 33-year-old was in the final year of his deal at Camp Nou and has faced an uncertain future since the end of last season.

On Wednesday, Atletico agreed to send Alvaro Morata back to Juventus on loan, paving the way for Suarez to be added to Diego Simeone s squad.

The 22 league starts and 16 top-flight goals scored by Suarez in 2019-20 were his lowest totals since signing for the club from Liverpool in 2014.

A largely successful spell saw the Uruguay international win four league titles and the Champions League as part of 13 trophies claimed with Barca across his six seasons.

, Barça legend

— F…

Four out of five players want more done to keep them safe on the pitch

More than 80 per cent of EFL players feel not enough is being done to keep them safe from physical harm and discrimination on the pitch, while more than half are opposed to new rules on added time.

Over 50 per cent of the 100 players in the Sky Bet Championship, League One and League Two surveyed by the Professional Footballers’ Association over the October international break said they had been part of a game where a pitch invasion had resulted in a player being attacked or harassed.

Under 20 per cent felt enough was being done to identify those responsible for pitch invasions, harassment of players and discriminatory chanting.

Almost 60 per cent of players said they did not support new rules on added time introduced at the start of this season.

Refere…

Kane savours ´magical moment´ of breaking England goalscoring record in win over Italy

Harry Kane savoured the magical moment of becoming England s outright record goalscorer in a 2-1 Euro 2024 qualifying victory over Italy.

Kane made history in the Three Lions Group C opener at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on Thursday, breaking a record he had shared with Wayne Rooney by converting a penalty just before half-time.

The captain s 54th goal for his country doubled England s lead after Declan Rice had opened the scoring in a repeat of a Euro 2020 final that Italy won at Wembley in July 2021.

Argentina-born Mateo Retegui pulled a goal back on his Azzurri debut, and although Luke Shaw was sent off in the 80th minute for a second bookable offence, Gareth Southgate s side held on for their first victory away to Italy since May 1961.

Kane told Cha…