Carlo Ancelotti has said he now does not consider Barcelona "a direct rival" for the LaLiga title, with Real Madrid top of the table and Barca 18 points behind them in eighth place. Madrid have won 10 consecutive games in all competitions -- including against top four contenders Atletico Madrid, Real Sociedad and Sevilla -- while Barca have dropped points against Real Betis and Osasuna in the...Full Story »

Leeds are braced for a Premier League investigation after Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta confirmed some of his players had been racially abused by a fan during his side’s 4-1 win at Elland Road, with the club stating an arrest had been made.Gabriel Martinelli’s first-half brace and further goals from Bukayo Saka and substitute Emile Smith Rowe secured Arteta’s impressive side a thir...Full Story »

Gabriel Martinelli fired a first-half double as Arsenal chalked up a third straight Premier League win with a classy 4-1 victory at injury-hit Leeds.Martinelli’s brace put the Gunners 2-0 up in 28 minutes and when Bukayo Saka added a third just before half-time, Leeds appeared set for another thrashing.But Marcelo Bielsa’s side improved markedly after the break and reduced the defici...Full Story »

Wigan manager Leam Richardson praised his side for not letting their heads drop after surrendering a 2-0 lead at fellow promotion hopefuls Oxford before snatching a dramatic late winner through James McClean.Republic of Ireland international McClean scored a superb 86th-minute decider after injury and illness-hit Oxford had hauled themselves back from two goals down to level.Richardson admitted ...Full Story »

Livingston manager David Martindale insists a point was the least his team deserved after Ayo Obileye headed in a late equaliser against Ross County.David Cancola put the visitors ahead in first-half stoppage time with a stunning curling effort that found the top corner.Following a dire opening 45 minutes, the Lions took the game to the visitors after the break and created a handful of chances.B...Full Story »

Fleetwood caretaker boss Stephen Crainey felt his side deserved victory at Morecambe for their endeavour as they claimed a point from a 0-0 draw.The former Scotland international saw his side extend their unbeaten run to three games in a vital match against a side two points behind them in League One.Crainey said: “It was a well-contested game with both teams at it.“It was ...Full Story »

Paul Warne was relieved to see League One leaders Rotherham come away from Cambridge with three points.Warne’s side remain two points clear at the top of the table courtesy of a 1-0 success at the Abbey Stadium, their hard-fought win secured courtesy of Daniel Barlaser’s strike midway through the second half.Warne spoke highly of Cambridge despite beating the U’s twice in the l...Full Story »

Blackburn boss Tony Mowbray labelled captain Darragh Lenihan a “special footballer” after his side hammered hapless Birmingham 4-0 to close in on the Sky Bet Championship’s automatic promotion places.Lenihan was instrumental in the victory, setting up one goal and marshalling a defence that has completely transformed since their 7-0 humbling by Fulham.In seven games since, they...Full Story »

Robbie Stockdale was relieved to see his Rochdale side finally land a result to match their performance as they ran out 3-0 winners against Newport at the Crown Oil Arena.Jake Beesley’s brace and Liam Kelly’s late strike secured a first win in seven League Two matches for Dale.“We’ve been threatening that kind of result for a while – I don’t think our results ...Full Story »

Sunderland manager Lee Johnson and Ipswich interim boss John McGreal were both satisfied after their sides’ 1-1 draw in League One.Both sides had the chances to win the game but the rival managers felt a point apiece was a fair result.Johnson said: “I thought they had the better of the first half. We had the better of the second half and it was a good game in terms of competitiveness...Full Story »

New Plymouth boss Steven Schumacher expressed his delight after fifth-placed Argyle ended a run of five League One games without a win by beating Charlton 1-0 at Home Park.Schumacher’s first home match in charge, since taking over three games ago from Ryan Lowe, ended in a win thanks to striker Kieran Agard’s superb measured finish at the end of the first half.Schumacher said: &ldquo...Full Story »

Stevenage boss Paul Tisdale believes the EFL will come to a “sensible decision based on facts” regarding the fresh Covid outbreak as his side lost 1-0 at Salford in one of only four League Two games to take place on Saturday.Tisdale gave a debut to 17-year-old Owen Cochrane whom he only met on the team bus on the way to the game, as Covid cases soar throughout the UK.Salford defender...Full Story »

Kyle Turner scored a stoppage-time winner as Partick Thistle ended 10-man Raith’s 15-match unbeaten run in dramatic fashion at foggy Firhill.Rovers could have gone top of the cinch Championship if results had gone their way on Saturday but they crashed to a 1-0 defeat after Thistle finally took advantage of Raith losing Christophe Berra to a red card on the hour mark.The 36-year-old centre...Full Story »

Delighted Tranmere boss Micky Mellon saluted a “top-drawer” strike from Jay Spearing which earned his side a vital 1-0 win against Leyton Orient.Former Liverpool midfielder Spearing, now 33, scored a stunning winner just before the hour to hand Rovers a fourth straight victory and lift them back into the play-off places.Mellon said: “It was a really great strike from Jay, it wa...Full Story »

Motherwell manager Graham Alexander felt the club’s ethos was underlined when boyhood fan Dean Cornelius netted his first goal in a 2-0 win over St Johnstone.The 20-year-old midfielder marked his first league start at Fir Park in style when he chested the ball down 20 yards out and volleyed into the corner.Alexander said: “He made his first start at Hibs and has still trained excepti...Full Story »

Queen of the South claimed their first Scottish Championship victory in over two months with a comprehensive 3-0 win over Ayr.Euan East gave the home side an early lead as he picked out the bottom corner from the centre of the box following a corner after nine minutes.The Doonhamers continued to dominate and extended their advantage just before the half-hour mark as former Ayr loanee Innes Camer...Full Story »

Ben Brereton Diaz scored a brace as Blackburn climbed up to third in the Sky Bet Championship after thrashing Birmingham 4-0.Before the game, Blues boss Lee Bowyer said Blackburn were clinical in every department and it took six minutes to prove that theory as the division’s form side opened up Birmingham, allowing John Buckley to score his first of the campaign.Although the visitors ralli...Full Story »

League One leaders Rotherham extended their unbeaten run to 21 games in all competitions with a 1-0 triumph at Cambridge.Daniel Barlaser’s second-half strike made the difference as the visitors maintained their two-point lead over second-placed Wigan.Dimitar Mitov was called into action midway through the first half when a short Rotherham corner was worked to Shane Ferguson and Mitov beat ...Full Story »

Huddersfield came from behind to secure their first Championship away victory since September with a 3-2 win over Bristol City at Ashton Gate.Play was held up for several minutes by crowd trouble in the second half as missiles were thrown by home fans when the visitors prepared to take a left-wing corner and referee Dean Whitestone signalled both teams to their respective dug-outs while order wa...Full Story »

Ayo Obileye headed in a deserved late equaliser for Livingston to earn them a point in a bottom-six cinch Premiership battle with Ross County.The defender found the net in the 89th minute to cancel out David Cancola’s sublime first-half opener for the visitors.The entertaining second half was in stark contrast to a dire opening 45 minutes.Both teams also hit the woodwork following the rest...Full Story »