Spanish giants Barcelona have, on Friday, been tipped to sanction what would come as a shock move for a member of the midfield setup at Liverpool. The player in question? Thiago Alcantara. Spanish international Thiago, of course, is a one-time member of the engine room ranks at the Camp Nou. And, since seeing his departure sanctioned back in the summer of 2013, the 31-year-old has gone on to ...Full Story »

Carlo Ancelotti will be considered for a return to Chelsea for a second spell as manager at Stamford Bridge should the Real Madrid coach leave the Santiago Bernabeu at the end of the season, sources have told ESPN. Chelsea announced former player and coach Frank Lampard as interim manager for the remainder of the season on Thursday having sacked Graham Potter last Sunday. Potter lasted just sev...Full Story »

Vincent Kompany is delighted that his Burnley players were able to “make memories” as they confirmed their promotion back to the Premier League with a 2-1 win at Middlesbrough.The Clarets bounced back to the top flight at the first time of asking with seven games to spare, with the pain of last season’s relegation having been well and truly banished by the excellence of the las...Full Story »

Burnley’s promotion back to the Premier League was confirmed with seven games to spare as they beat Middlesbrough 2-1 at the Riverside.Just over 10 months since they were relegated under the caretaker stewardship of Mike Jackson, Vincent Kompany’s reborn Clarets will be back in the top-flight next season.Ashley Barnes’ first-half opener set them on their way on Teesside, and wh...Full Story »

Partick Thistle cut the gap on Queen’s Park to three points with a thumping 4-0 win over the cinch Championship leaders at Firhill.After a scoreless first half of few chances, Thistle struck five minutes after the break as Scott Tiffoney cut the ball back for Kevin Holt to convert at the far post.Thistle doubled their lead midway through the second half when Kyle Turner tapped home and Dan...Full Story »

Tony Mowbray admitted his Sunderland side were dealt a “harsh lesson” as they conceded a 98th-minute equaliser to draw 4-4 with Hull in a dramatic game at the Stadium of Light.Sunderland fought back from 1-0 and then 3-2 down to lead 4-3 in the dying moments and looked set to close the gap on the play-off places to four points.But substitute Pierre Ekwah fouled Regan Slater in the ar...Full Story »

Ozan Tufan scored a penalty with the last kick of the match to snatch a point for Hull in a wild 4-4 draw at Sunderland.The hosts trailed 1-0, led 2-1, trailed 3-2 and then led 4-3 in a topsy-turvy contest as they looked set to give their Championship play-off hopes a major boost.But the Tigers left Wearside with a point after Tufan swept home his second goal of the game from the spot in the eig...Full Story »

Inih Effiong’s first-half goal was enough for Dagenham to return to winning ways with a 1-0 victory against play-off hopefuls Boreham Wood.The Daggers, still in with a chance of breaking into the top seven despite back-to-back defeats, struck in the 12th minute when Josh Hare’s free-kick was headed across goal by David Longe-King and Effiong was there to nod home the loose ball.Zak B...Full Story »

Leyton Orient boss Richie Wellens praised veteran Darren Pratley after he returned to form in the 2-0 win at Salford.The 37-year-old was hooked at half-time against Carlisle last weekend but responded with a key role in a victory that extended Orient’s unbeaten run to 11 games and left them 10 points clear at the top of League Two.Pratley was involved in Orient’s second goal, knockin...Full Story »

Darren Moore insisted Sheffield Wednesday should have killed the game off before the Oxford penalty that left him frustrated.League One promotion-chasers Wednesday are now six games without a win after the 1-1 draw. Barry Bannan scored a superb opener before Akin Famewo’s foul on Marcus Browne led to Cameron Brannagan’s equaliser.“I didn’t think it was a penalty from wher...Full Story »

Hartlepool manager John Askey revelled in the performance of hat-trick hero Daniel Kemp after his side’s resounding 4-1 away victory over Grimsby.The Mariners fell apart defensively after drawing level early in the second half, after Kemp had scored the opener before the break, with the man of the moment scoring twice in four minutes with 15 to go to push his side back ahead.Josh Umerah ad...Full Story »

Burton boss Dino Maamria hailed a “huge win” for his side as they boosted their League One survival bid with a 2-1 victory over promotion-chasing Barnsley.Conor Shaughnessy and Dale Taylor scored for Burton as they remained seven points clear of the relegation places with an impressive win over an in-form Tykes side that were chasing a 12th win in 15 games.“It was a big win for...Full Story »

Harrogate manager Simon Weaver admitted his players might fall way short of being Manchester City standard but insisted they are showing the Wetherby Road faithful that they care after drawing with AFC Wimbledon.Relegation-threatened Harrogate fought back from 2-0 down following an Ethan Chislett brace for the visitors to snatch an unlikely draw courtesy of Luke Armstrong’s 89th-minute rep...Full Story »

Bradford boss Mark Hughes was critical of the performance of referee Robert Lewis as his promotion- chasing side extended their unbeaten run to nine games with a goalless draw at relegation- threatened Crawley.Hughes felt Lewis should have sent off two Crawley players for bad fouls on Brad Halliday and Jamie Walker late in the first half.Crawley midfielder Rafiq Khaleel and defender Harry Ransom...Full Story »

Manager Nigel Clough was full of praise for goalscorer Hiram Boateng after Mansfield came from behind to beat Swindon 4-2.Rushian Hepburn-Murphy put Swindon ahead early on but Stephen Quinn levelled with Mansfield’s first goal at this ground since 2002.Lucas Akins gave Mansfield the lead just past the half-hour mark and then turned provider by finding Rhys Oates, whose deflected shot found...Full Story »

Bristol Rovers boss Joey Barton heaped praise on his young side and an improving defence as the Pirates finally won at the Memorial Stadium after eight games.The hosts edged to a 1-0 win against Charlton to record a first league double over the Addicks since 1957/58, with a victory built on restricting the opposition’s chances.Dean Holden’s men had scored six goals in their previous ...Full Story »

QPR boss Gareth Ainsworth admitted his side’s fragility was evident in a 2-0 defeat at home to Preston which continued their awful slump towards the drop zone.Rangers, who were top in October, have lost nine of their past 10 matches, all but one of their seven since Ainsworth was appointed, and are now only above the relegation places because of Reading’s six-point deduction.They wer...Full Story »

Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna insisted his side’s 4-0 win over Wycombe was not as comfortable as the scoreline suggests.First-half goals from George Hirst and Conor Chaplin and second-half strikes from Wes Burns and Freddie Ladapo with a penalty earned Town their eighth league win on the trot as they moved above Sheffield Wednesday into second place.McKenna said: “It was a good day&...Full Story »

Peterborough boss Darren Ferguson hailed his side’s “confident” performance after beating Shrewsbury 3-0.Dominant Posh secured a convincing victory against a Shrews side who had won five in a row at New Meadow before being turned over by the play-off contenders.It is 16 points from a possible 18 for the resurgent visitors, who firmly have their play-off fate in their own hands ...Full Story »

Lincoln boss Mark Kennedy hailed Ben House as one of the “top strikers” in League One after his double did for Cheltenham.House struck in each half to end the Imps’ five-game winless run with a comfortable victory at Sincil Bank.“I am really pleased for Ben, who I think is one of the top strikers in the league,” Kennedy said.“His goals-to-games ratio is really...Full Story »