Rudiger's Chelsea stint Rudiger has been on Chelsea's books since July of 2017.  All told, Rudiger has featured 149 times in all competitions for Chelsea, across which he has scored seven goals and provided three assists. But Rudiger's standing at Chelsea have varied a fair bit, especially over the course of the 2020/21 campaign. Throughout much of Frank Lampard's time at the club, Rud...Full Story »

Forest Green head coach Rob Edwards praised goalkeeper Lewis Thomas after his vital penalty save steered the League Two side into the next round of the Carabao Cup at the expense of Championship side Bristol City.The former Wales Under-19s international kept out Kasey Palmer’s spot-kick and then denied Cameron Pring to secure a 6-5 win on penalties after the sides had drawn 2-2.Edwards sai...Full Story »

Mansfield boss Nigel Clough was disappointed to see mistakes prove so costly after his side had played so well against Championship side Preston in a 3-0 Carabao Cup exit.Scott Sinclair netted a brace and substitute Emil Riis added the other.But Clough said: “I actually thought we played better than Saturday at times tonight – it was just that final ball.“But I was bitterly dis...Full Story »

Bolton boss Ian Evatt was full of praise for goalkeeper Joel Dixon after he marked his debut with the vital save to help the Sky Bet League One new-boys to a 5-4 penalty shoot-out win over Championship Barnsley.Dixon, signed from Evatt’s former club Barrow in pre-season, saved Barnsley’s fifth spot-kick from Devante Cole before Josh Sheehan netted the decisive penalty.“Joel was...Full Story »

New Swansea head coach Russell Martin maintains that his side still have much room for improvement despite a comfortable 3-0 victory at Reading in the Carabao Cup first round.Swansea went ahead in the 16th minute against a youthful Reading side – average age 19 – when defender Joel Latibeaudiere nodded in at the far post.With the hosts offering little going forward, City secured thei...Full Story »

New Swansea head coach Russell Martin secured his first victory at the second time of asking when his side defeated a youthful Reading outfit 3-0 in the Carabao Cup first round.City went ahead in the 16th minute of a low-key first period when defender Joel Latibeaudiere nodded in powerfully.Swansea continued their dominance after the break, with Ben Cabango heading in a second goal on the hour m...Full Story »

Accrington’s Colby Bishop struck a late winner to see off League One rivals Rotherham United 2-1 in the first round of the EFL Cup.The visitors deservedly led at the break thanks to hitman Dion Charles, but Kieran Sadlier levelled the scores with a long-range free-kick before Bishop’s winner four minutes from time.Cameron Burgess came close to breaking the deadlock for Accrington but...Full Story »

Youngster Dimitri Sea’s second-half stunner fired Barrow into the second round of the EFL Cup for the first time since 1969 with a 1-0 win over Scunthorpe at Holker Street.And with victory Mark Cooper picked up his first win since taking charge of the Bluebirds following an opening-day defeat at Stevenage in Sky Bet League Two.The hosts squandered numerous first-half chances, with the retu...Full Story »

Ryan Hardie’s double helped Plymouth to a stunning 4-0 win over Championship side Peterborough at the Weston Homes Stadium in the first round of the Carabao Cup.Hardie’s first-half double and second-half Luke Jephcott and Panutche Camara goals made it a comfortable win for the League One side who have now progressed past the first round in the last four seasons.The opener came after ...Full Story »

Dimi Mitov saved two penalties as Cambridge beat Swindon 3-1 in a shootout following a 0-0 draw in the EFL Cup.Mitov denied Jack Payne and Harry McKirdy before Rob Hunt fired over after Cambridge had scored all three of their spot kicks.Opportunities were hard to come by but Swindon did create two strong chances in the first half. On 27 minutes Harry Parsons ran to the byline and pulled the ball...Full Story »

Marley Watkins struck twice on his Cardiff debut to save the Bluebirds from embarrassment and help them seal a 3-2 win over Sutton in the first round of the Carabao Cup.EFL new boys Sutton struck first through Donovan Wilson and they should have moved further clear as they missed several chances in their first League Cup appearance.It allowed Watkins to turn the tables for an underwhelming Cardi...Full Story »

Jodi Jones could feature for Coventry ahead of their Carabao Cup clash against Northampton.Jones suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury at the start of last season and came off the bench in the second half of his side’s Championship victory over Nottingham Forest at the weekend.Michael Rose and Dominic Hyam could also be in contention for the Sky Blues having both featured in the Fo...Full Story »

Grealish watched Messi break down as he left Barcelona after 20 years at the club. Jack Grealish was unveiled in front of hundreds of Man City fans on Monday night Credit: AFP Lionel Messi broke down in tears after announcing he would leave Barcelona Credit: Getty And Grealish, 25, said he knew exactly how the Argentine legend felt. Grealish said: "Everyone has seen the way Messi was at hi...Full Story »

The Bianconeri boss says the Portuguese superstar is in "good condition" and expects the Argentine forward to be back to training on Tuesday Massimiliano Allegri has delivered an optimistic update on Cristiano Ronaldo and Paulo Dybala ahead of the 2021-22 campaign, with the Juventus manager expecting his two star forwards to step up their pre-season preparations against Atalanta on Saturday. ...Full Story »

Barcelona director who resigned over Messi departure criticises the president Barcelona president Joan Laporta and Lionel Messi. Lionel Messi's exit from Barcelona led to Jaume Llopis, a former member of the Espai Barca Commission, resigning from his post as he believes that the club did not do their all to keep the Argentine at the club. Without explicitly naming Barcelona president Joan Lap...Full Story »

Liverpool's quiet summer window Liverpool have had a pretty quiet summer transfer window overall. The Reds have, thus far, made just one first-team signing. Ibrahima Konate joined the club back in May from RB Leipzig. The Frenchman is understood to have set the Merseysiders back £36m, and will no doubt prove a fine addition to a squad that endured serious issues at centre-back last ter...Full Story »

Jack Grealish says Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola can take his game to the next level. City paid a British record fee of £100m to sign Grealish from Aston Villa. "He can take my game to the next level," Grealish said at his first press conference. "I will listen every day and I cannot wait to work with him. I've been here two days and the way he is in training is unbelievable. I...Full Story »

Reading are expected to make a number of changes for their Carabao Cup first-round clash with Swansea.The Royals were hit by a coronavirus outbreak during a pre-season training camp in Scotland and manager Veljko Paunovic admits his squad are still playing catch-up in terms of match fitness.Youngsters Femi Azeez and Ethan Bristow made their first league starts for Reading in their 3-2 Sky Bet Ch...Full Story »

Cardiff could hand a first start of the season to Kieffer Moore for their Carabao Cup first-round clash with Sutton.The Wales striker missed pre-season due to Covid but came off the bench in Saturday’s Sky Bet Championship draw at home to Barnsley.If Moore does come in it is likely to be as one of several changes made by Bluebirds boss Mick McCarthy.With the likes of Lee Tomlin, Isaac Vass...Full Story »

Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou hailed an “incredible” home debut for Kyogo Furuhashi after the Japan forward netted a hat-trick in a 6-0 victory over Dundee.The 26-year-old supplied two close-range finishes in the first half and slotted home immediately before going off to a hero’s reception from 24,500 fans midway through the secondperiod.Postecoglou said: “It’s q...Full Story »