ADRIANO celebrated his 40th birthday with family and friends who included a pretty blonde half his age. The retired Brazilian frontman is reportedly dating 21-year-old Ceu Oliveira. Oliveira wished Adriano all the 'happiness in the world' The pair were pictured arriving in Sao Paulo around a week ago in the former footballer’s private jet. And keep-fit fanatic Ceu got tongues wagging b...Full Story »

The striker's Bayern team-mate is in no doubt that his spectacular talent in front of the net merited the prize Thomas Muller believes Robert Lewandowski was a more worthy winner of the 2021 Ballon d'Or than Lionel Messi, while also expressing his surprise that there was no room in the Best XI for Mohamed Salah. Lewandowski enjoyed an exceptional season for Bayern Munich in 2020-21, scoring ...Full Story »

Gonzalez, 20, is one of the top young stars at the Camp Nou. Man City are eyeing a swoop for Barcelona wonderkid Nico Gonzalez Credit: Getty He has broken into the first team this season but has a staggering £500 million release clause. Yet City know that is essentially a ‘hands off’ figure. That is as well as the fact he currently only earns around £10,000-a-week. Bar...Full Story »

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola says Harry Kane did not need a match-winning performance to prove his quality after firing Tottenham to a memorable 3-2 victory.Kane scored twice to remind City exactly what they missed out on when they failed to make a sufficient bid for him in the summer and blow the Premier League title race open.Guardiola openly admitted to trying to sign Kane, but City nev...Full Story »

New Aberdeen boss Jim Goodwin revealed his plans to keep Scott Brown amid speculation that the Dons captain was in the frame to fill the managerial position vacated by the Irishman at St Mirren.The 40-year-old’s move from the Buddies to Aberdeen on a two-and-a-half-year deal was confirmed on Saturday morning and his tenure began with a 1-1 cinch Premiership draw against Motherwell at Fir P...Full Story »

A grateful Mark Robins was grateful for a mistake in the Barnsley defence which allowed Dom Hyam to grab a last-gasp winner for Coventry.The defender was in the right place at the right time after Ben Sheaf’s hopeful ball into the area and calmly finished to seal a 1-0 win for City.“It took a poor piece of defensive play from them to give us an opening which thankfully we took, which...Full Story »

Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel admitted Romelu Lukaku’s lack of touches during the 1-0 win over Crystal Palace showed he was “obviously not involved” but insisted everybody is giving their best.The Blues lacked fluency in south London but were able to back up their Club World Cup success in Abu Dhabi last weekend with three more points in the Premier League thanks to Hakim Ziyech&r...Full Story »

Derby boss Wayne Rooney branded the challenge that saw Tom Lawrence sent off in the relegation battle with Peterborough as “stupid.”The Wales international received a straight red card for a lunge on Nathan Thompson although Louie Sibley got him out of trouble with an added-time winner in the 1-0 Sky Bet Championship victory.There had been few clear chances in the game after Lawrence...Full Story »

Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah expressed his pride after scoring his 150th goal for the club in a 3-1 comeback win over Norwich which maintained the momentum in their title challenge.Trailing to Milot Rashica’s deflected strike early in the second half, Liverpool drew level through Sadio Mane’s overhead kick before taking the lead soon after through Salah’s landmark effort.The...Full Story »

Frank Lampard insists Everton must accept and embrace their Premier League relegation battle.The Toffees slipped to their second defeat in three league encounters under new boss Lampard with a 2-0 loss at Southampton.Stuart Armstrong and Shane Long struck for a totally dominant Saints side who never relented after taking control.Stuart Armstrong celebrates after scoring Southampton’s first...Full Story »

West Brom boss Steve Bruce warned his players that their second-half performance in the 2-0 defeat at Luton was unacceptable.After a goalless first period, the Hatters claimed all three points courtesy of efforts from Cameron Jerome and Allan Campbell, stretching the Baggies’ winless run to five games.A clearly annoyed Bruce said: “Our reaction to conceding the first goal was not eno...Full Story »

Sheffield United manager Paul Heckingbottom hailed his side’s “one-sided” performance as they strolled to a 4-0 victory over Swansea.Morgan Gibbs-White scored in both halves, with George Baldock and Billy Sharp also on target before the break to boost the Blades into the Sky Bet Championship play-off places.Praising his team, who are now unbeaten in their last eight games, Heck...Full Story »

New Walsall boss Michael Flynn lauded his side as they toppled leaders Forest Green with a 1-0 win.George Miller’s first-half strike handed Flynn a winning start as the Saddlers ended Rovers’ 19-game unbeaten run in the process.Former Newport boss Flynn, who joined Walsall on Tuesday following the sacking of Matt Taylor, said:“I now want to get into a position where we’re...Full Story »

Boss Robbie Stockdale is desperate to see Rochdale start games like they finish them after watching his side wake up in the second half to beat bottom club Scunthorpe.Dale trailed to Manny Onariase’s 13th-minute opener for the Iron but after Liam Kelly equalised not long after the restart, Max Taylor won it in the 83rd minute – earning the visitors a first victory of 2022.“It w...Full Story »

Blackpool manager Neil Critchley was unhappy with referee Darren Bond’s “unbelievable decision” after his side were denied what he believed was “a stonewall penalty” in their 1-1 Championship draw with Cardiff.Tangerines right-wing Josh Bowler was sent tumbling in the Bluebirds box after 66 minutes under a challenge from midfielder Ryan Wintle, who had only just ret...Full Story »

Forfar trimmed Kelty Hearts’ lead at the top of cinch League Two to six points with a 1-0 victory at Station Park.Matthew Aitken netted in the 73rd minute after being set up by Stefan McCluskey and Craig Thomson to settle the top-of-the-table clash.The leaders have two games in hand over Forfar and Annan, who are now eight points off top spot after a 2-1 win over Edinburgh City.Dominic Doc...Full Story »

Stoke manager Michael O’Neill called his side’s 2-2 result at home to Birmingham a “bad draw” as the Potters lost ground on the play-offs.Despite an early warning sign after in-form Birmingham striker Lyle Taylor struck the post inside two minutes, the Potters found themselves trailing when 17-year-old Jordan James notched his first senior goal.The visitors’ lead pr...Full Story »

Roy Hodgson celebrated his first victory in charge of relegation-threatened Watford as frustrated Aston Villa counterpart Steven Gerrard told his players they need to “wake up fast”.Without a win in all competitions since the stunning victory against Manchester United in November, the well-drilled Hornets dug deep at Villa Park to give their survival hopes a much-needed shot in the a...Full Story »

Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson celebrated his 700th game in management with a dramatic 2-1 victory at 10-man Wealdstone in the National League.Rhys Browne converted a 71st-minute penalty – after he was upended by Wrexham goalkeeper Rob Lainton – to put Wealdstone ahead.Wealdstone keeper George Wickens produced two excellent saves to deny Luke Young and Jordan Davies either side of the s...Full Story »

Torquay’s National League play-off push was dented after throwing away a two-goal cushion in a 2-2 draw with Barnet at Plainmoor.The Gulls, with seven wins from their last 10 games, took the lead in the eighth minute through Connor Lemonheigh-Evans, who fired home from Joe Lewis’ pass.Barnet goalkeeper Aston Oxborough made a fine stop to deny Lemonheigh-Evans but could do nothing to ...Full Story »