LIONEL MESSI has suffered an injury scare just two weeks before the World Cup kicks off. Paris Saint-Germain confirmed the Argentine will miss tomorrow's trip to Lorient with an inflamed Achilles tendon. Argentina will be sweating on the fitness of captain Lionel Messi However, the club insist it is only a minor problem. And they expect him to return to full training next week. PSG host Aux...Full Story »

Manchester United have been secretly keeping tabs on Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic amid the uncertainty over Cristiano Ronaldo’s future, according to reports. The striker was on the Red Devils’ radar when Ralf Rangnick was in charge. And Red Bull Salzburg’s Benjamin Sesko is another player under consideration, despite the fact he’s due to move to RB Leipzig. Manchester...Full Story »

Tottenham boss Antonio Conte has criticised English football's decision to resume domestic matches just three days after next month's World Cup final. The 2022 showpiece in Qatar will take place on Dec. 18 but the fourth round of the Carabao Cup is scheduled for the following midweek, provisionally Dec. 21 and 22, with the Premier League resuming on Dec. 26. By contrast, France's Ligue 1 res...Full Story »

Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers insists James Maddison is “built for a World Cup” as the playmaker starred in their 2-0 victory at Everton.The 25-year-old has not been picked by England since October 2019 but is still holding out hope of making the final cut for Gareth Southgate’s squad for the tournament in Qatar, which starts in 15 days.He provided the assists for Youri Tie...Full Story »

Oxford City boss Ross Jenkins left Fleetwood beaten but full of pride after his side suffered a 3-1 defeat to exit the FA Cup.The National League South side were 2-0 down at the break thanks to goals by Lewis Warrington and Paddy Lane.Alfie Potter’s 80th-minute goal gave them hope of creating a dramatic comeback but those hopes were soon dashed by Paddy Lane’s second goal.Jenkins, th...Full Story »

Midfielder Youri Tielemans’ brilliant volley set Leicester on their way to a 2-0 win at Everton which lifted them out of the relegation zone.And while one England hopeful – James Maddison – enhanced his claims for a place in Gareth Southgate’s World Cup squad at Goodison Park another – Dominic Calvert-Lewin – could have seen his ended by injury.Maddison, opera...Full Story »

Taunton boss Rob Dray found the Emirates FA Cup first round a bitter-sweet experience as his side lost 6-0 to League One MK Dons at Stadium MK.The Peacocks had qualified from the FA Cup qualifying stages for the third time in the club’s history, but goals from Dawson Devoy, Will Griff, Darragh Burns, Mo Eisa and a brace from Conor Grant ended their run.The National League South side had pu...Full Story »

Gillingham boss Neil Harris was left disappointed after a late AFC Fylde equaliser meant his side will need a replay to reach the second round of the FA Cup.Mikael Mandron opened the scoring for the visitors on the stroke of half-time, but Tom Walker struck with seven minutes to go for the non-league outfit to force a repeat at Priestfield.Harris said: “We got the mentality right, that&rsq...Full Story »

West Brom boss Carlos Corberan pledged to get the best out of Kyle Bartley after the defender’s decisive goal in the 1-0 win against QPR.Bartley’s 68th-minute header from John Swift’s free-kick gave much-improved Albion their second successive victory under the recently-appointed Corberan.It has been a triumphant return to the side for Bartley, who was left out by Corberan&rsqu...Full Story »

Weymouth manager Bobby Wilkinson revealed he was on the verge of substituting Ahkeem Rose before his superb free-kick earned the National League side a 1-1 draw at home to AFC Wimbledon.Rose struck emphatically 20 minutes from time to earn the Dorset club a replay at League Two Wimbledon’s Plough Lane ground.Wilkinson said: “Being brutally honest, I was about to take him off because ...Full Story »

Leeds boss Jesse Marsch said he wants a simpler ride after his side’s roller-coaster season continued with a 4-3 home win against Bournemouth.The Whites let slip an early lead after Rodrigo’s penalty and trailed 3-1 early in the second half after Bournemouth carved them apart to score through Marcus Tavernier, Philip Billing and Dominic Solanke.Substitute Sam Greenwood curled Leeds b...Full Story »

Eastleigh were like “rabbits in headlights” in the opening stages of their 3-1 FA Cup defeat to Boreham Wood, according to their manager Lee Bradbury.The visitors trailed 2-0 after just 12 minutes following goals from George Broadbent and Lee Ndlovu in the all-National League clash in the first round of the competition.Charlie Carter pulled one back for Eastleigh but Zak Brunt restor...Full Story »

Swansea manager Russell Martin insists his side could have gone on to beat Wigan but he remains content with his young squad after securing a point to get themselves back on track following a tough loss in midweek against Preston.The hosts struck late with an 84th-minute Joel Piroe penalty to earn a 2-2 draw, having found themselves 2-0 down after just 16 minutes.Wigan remain winless in six game...Full Story »

Gateshead player-manager Mike Williamson was proud of his side’s second-half comeback that threatened an FA Cup shock, but was ultimately frustrated by costly defensive errors in a 3-2 defeat to Stevenage.The Tynesiders looked dead and buried at the halfway stage after a one-sided first half as League Two title chasers Stevenage opened up a two-goal lead through Jordan Roberts and a Kenton...Full Story »

Bristol Rovers boss Joey Barton believes Scott Sinclair’s match-winning goal in the 1-0 win over Rochdale will just be the start.Sinclair, making his first start since rejoining the club he left for Chelsea in 2005, popped up with the only goal of the game to send Rovers into the second round of the FA Cup.With just 25 minutes remaining, Sinclair made the most of a James Gibbons header, wh...Full Story »

Pep Guardiola claimed Manchester City’s dramatic late 2-1 victory against Fulham was “the moment” of his time at the club to date.Erling Haaland drilled home a penalty deep into injury time as 10-man City saw off the battling Cottagers in a hard-fought Premier League clash at the Etihad Stadium.The goal sparked jubilant celebrations around the ground, underlining the relief fel...Full Story »

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Newport County assistant Joe Dunne felt his side got the rewards for their work on the training ground following a 2-0 win over Colchester United in the FA Cup.After an uneventful opening at Rodney Parade, the Exiles got themselves in front when Cameron Norman’s flick went in with a deflection off Colchester goalkeeper Kieran O’Hara.Will Evans had grabbed the winner for the Exiles wh...Full Story »

Gary Horgan hailed history-making Chippenham for sticking to the script to beat Lincoln 1-0 in the FA Cup.The sixth-tier Bluebirds bagged two firsts, reaching the second round proper and beating English Football League opposition for the first time in the club’s history courtesy of a deft backheel from Joe Hanks a minute before half-time.Hanks’ ingenuity came after a throw-in from th...Full Story »

Coalville Town manager Adam Stevens was left with a mixture of pride and also agony over an opportunity missed after seeing his non-league side knocked out of the FA Cup by Charlton.League One Charlton ran out 4-1 winners in the end but Coalville, who ply their trade in the Southern Central Premier League, could have made threatened an upset when they had an opportunity to push for an equaliser ...Full Story »