Category: Sports

Manchester City striker Erling Haaland says the charges facing the club had no bearing on him signing a new long-term contract. Haaland has signed a nine-and-a-half-year deal that would keep him at Etihad Stadium until 2034 – and makes him one of the highest-paid sportspeople in the world. City are awaiting the outcome of the disciplinary hearing into their alleged 115 breaches of Premier League financial rules, which could result in a points deduction and even relegation. READ MORE: Man City charges had no impact on new deal – Haaland Source link

Glentoran had the better of a first half which saw Larne trio Chris Gallagher, Mark Randall and Levi Ives all booked by referee Steven Gregg for hefty challenges. Rohan Ferguson was called upon to deny Jordan Jenkins early on and then midfielder Palmer fired into the sidenetting after being set up by Chrissie Pattison. Ferguson palmed away David Fisher’s strike, while at the other end Mills reacted quickly to smother Andy Ryan’s right-foot effort. In the second half Frankie Hvid was unable to get on the end of a corner at the back post and Jenkins headed straight into the arms of Ferguson from close range. Danny Amos almost broke the deadlock when he drilled a left-foot strike just wide. After Lindsay’s thunderbolt opener, Ryan equalised from the spot with five minutes remaining and then almost grabbed a dramatic late winner when his effort flew past the post. Larne had another opportunity late on when Mills excelled himself by palming away Joe Thomson’s piledriver. In the shootout, Ryan, Joe Thomson, Chris Gallagher and Tomas Cosgrove were on target for Larne, while Jenkins, Lindsay, Palmer, Wassim and Chrissie Pattison were Glentoran’s successful penalty-takers. Source link

Another day, another Mohamed Salah goal and another Liverpool win. The Egypt forward has now scored three Champions League goals this season and 22 in 31 games in all competitions. He has also set up another 17 for team-mates and his total of 39 goal involvements is the highest of any player in Europe’s big five leagues. His latest goal set Liverpool on their way to victory against Lille and to securing their place in the Champions League last 16. It was a nonchalant finish as he latched on to Curtis Jones’ superb through ball and lifted over the advancing Lucas Chevalier. It was his 50th goal in Europe for Liverpool – with 44 coming in the Champions League, five in last season’s Europa League and one in Champions League qualifying. His latest strike extends his record as the club’s leading European goalscorer and he has now scored 20 Champions League goals at Anfield. Former Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero (23 at Etihad Stadium) and ex-Manchester United forward Ruud van Nistelrooy (23 at Old Trafford) are the only players to score more goals in the competition at a specific venue for an English team. “There has always been a smile on Salah’s face but it’s just that belief in himself that he will score,” said former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock on BBC Radio 5 Live. “That’s what makes him so dangerous. That’s the elite mindset of a player of his calibre.” He has also been directly involved in 18 goals in 15 appearances at Anfield this season (10 goals, eight assists in all competitions). “He is a real talisman for Liverpool,” said former Reds striker Robbie Fowler on Amazon Prime. “He is a game winner. He is very comfortable in front of goal. “He is one of those players that if he misses a chance, he is not fazed because the next one he will score. “We wax lyrical about Mohamed Salah and know what he is capable of.” Source link

Arne Slot praises Mohamed Salah after he scored his 50th European goal for Liverpool in the 2-1 win over Lille at Anfield. Source link

Watch Aston Villa boss Unai Emery speaking to the media following their loss at Monaco in the Champions League. Source link

The next Premiership Women’s Rugby season will be pushed back three weeks in the hope of capitalising on a surge of interest prompted by the Women’s Rugby World Cup in England. The current PWR campaign began last autumn on 5 October – but with the World Cup final at Twickenham’s Allianz Stadium taking place later this year on 27 September, the next top-flight campaign will start towards the end of the following month, on 25 October. The four-week gap is intended to allow star players to recover and give clubs time to prepare to welcome new supporters. “The Rugby World Cup is a generational moment for women’s rugby and will create a huge opportunity for both PWR and our clubs to grow and celebrate with their fans,” said Amy Walmsley, PWR’s league operations manager. “The optimum time between the Rugby World Cup Final and our first league match will ensure we capitalise on what we already know will be the biggest and best World Cup ever, while also ensuring player welfare with adequate rest across the season.” The 2026 PWR final will also revert back to its usual calendar slot of June. The climax to this year’s domestic season is being played on 16 March as part of a condensed schedule designed to maximise England’s chances of success at the World Cup. It will allow England’s players to have their mandatory rest period at the conclusion of the Women’s Six Nations in late April, before they go into camp to prepare for the start of the World Cup on 22 August. The Red Roses, who lost to New Zealand in the last World Cup final, are favourites to go one better after winning 50 out of their past 51 matches and moving well clear at the top of the world rankings. More than 220,000 tickets have been sold for the tournament so far, with the final already over-subscribed and sure to break a world record for the best attended women’s rugby fixture ever. Source link

Nottingham Forest make Matheus Cunha their top January target, Arsenal also showing firm interest in Wolves forward, Chelsea to hold more talks over Alejandro Garnacho. Nottingham Forest have made Wolves and Brazil forward Matheus Cunha their top January target in the push for Champions League qualification. (Mail) , external Arsenal have also shown firm interest in signing 25-year-old Cunha in the January transfer window. (Fichajes), external Chelsea are set to hold more talks with Manchester United over Argentina winger Alejandro Garnacho, 20, who is valued at £50m. (Telegraph – subscription required) , external United have made enquiries for Bournemouth and Hungary’s Milos Kerkez, 21, Wolves and Algeria’s Rayan Ait-Nouri, 23, and Crystal Palace and England’s Tyrick Mitchell, 25, as Ruben Amorim prioritises signing a left wing-back. (The i), external West Ham are keen to back new manager Graham Potter with new additions at centre-back and centre-forward before the transfer deadline on 3 February. (Football Insider) , external Chelsea are demanding at least £70m before allowing France striker Christopher Nkunku, 27, to join Bayern Munich. (Sky Sports), external Manchester United and Brazil winger Antony, 24, is close to completing a loan move to Real Betis. (Sky Sports) , external Tottenham and RB Leipzig are the two main clubs trying to sign Southampton’s 18-year-old English midfielder Tyler Dibling. (Sky Germany), external Juventus and Borussia Dortmund are both pushing to sign Chelsea and Portugal defender Renato Veiga, 21, who is available for either loan or a permanent move. (Times), external Marseille are the latest club to express an interest in signing Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford, 27. (L’Equipe), external However Rashford’s favoured destination is Barcelona, who have freed up funds which would allow them to sign the England international. (Athletic – subscription required), external Ligue 1 side Monaco are also interested in Rashford and could afford his £315,000-a-week wages in a loan deal. (Sun), external Fulham have enquired about AC Milan and Brazil defender Emerson Royal, 26, who will be available if the Italian club sign England full-back Kyle Walker, 34, from Manchester City. (Times), external Manchester City have a verbal agreement with La Liga club Real Valladolid to sign Sierra Leonean centre-back Juma Bah, 18. (Fabrizio Romano), external France’s former Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba, 31, says he has rejected an offer to return to football from a club in Russia. (Twitch), external Derby County have rejected a bid from Brighton for former Republic of Ireland Under-21 centre-back Eiran Cashin, 23. (Sky Sports), external Celtic are unlikely to match Aston Villa‘s asking price for English forward Louis Barry, 21, after having a £10m bid rejected. (Football Insider), external Source link

City were charged and referred to an independent commission in February 2023 following a four-year investigation. It is alleged City breached the Premier League’s financial rules between 2009 and 2018. City strongly deny all charges. The private hearing took place between September and December. Norway striker Haaland has scored 112 goals in 127 games for City since joining from Borussia Dortmund in 2022. It is understood clauses that existed in Haaland’s initial contract, which had been set to expire in 2027, have now been removed. There have been reports of a break clause being inserted that takes effect in 2029, although that has not been confirmed by City or the player’s representatives. Haaland’s deal is the longest in the Premier League, eclipsing the nine-year deal Cole Palmer signed with Chelsea last August. “It is a really good sign,” added Haaland. “Of course it is a bit unusual, it is not normal and that is also something I like. “It felt good for both parties and in the end it was an easy choice.” Manchester City face Paris St-Germain in a crucial Champions League group stage match at Parc des Princes on Wednesday. Source link

Nottingham Forest centre-back Murillo has signed a new four-and-a-half year contract that would keep him at the City Ground until summer 2029. The 22-year-old joined Forest from Brazilian club Corinthians in August 2023 on a five-year deal for a reported fee of about £15m. He has become a key figure for Forest and was named their player of the season last year. “I’m very thankful and very happy that there are four more years to come,” said Murillo. “I’m sure that we’ve got a big future in front of us.” Forest are third in the Premier League, level on points with second-placed Arsenal, and six points behind leaders Liverpool. Liverpool have been linked with a move for Murillo, with Real Madrid also reportedly interested., external Murillo received his first call-up to the Brazil squad for their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign in November, but was an unused substitute in draws against Venezuela and Uruguay. Source link

A teenager has been arrested on suspicion of “malicious communications” following the online abuse of Arsenal striker Kai Havertz and his wife. The boy, who is 17 years old and from St Albans, has been bailed while enquiries continue, Hertfordshire Police said. Havertz’s wife Sophia posted to her Instagram story two direct messages she had received after Arsenal’s FA Cup defeat by Manchester United earlier this month, one which included threats to the couple’s unborn child. The German forward, 25, missed a chance to win the game in normal time and then had his penalty saved by United keeper Altay Bayindir in the shootout as United won 5-3 on penalties following the 1-1 draw. The couple have been together since 2018 and got married last year, with Sophia announcing in November that she was pregnant. In response to the messages, Sophia wrote the culprit should be “ashamed” of themselves, while Gunners boss Mikel Arteta said online abuse of players has “terrible consequences” and needs to be “eradicated from the game”. Source link