In a week when domestic accidents troubled Chelsea, they had no such issues away at Burnley. Without the injured Cole Palmer, who fractured a toe after colliding with a door at home, the Blues avoided a slip at Turf Moor, escaping without even a fissure. There was the occasional early threat of a bloody nose but even not at full speed, Chelsea were able to halt Burnley’s industry. Pedro Neto and Enzo Fernández were the matchwinners but Enzo Maresca’s side did not make the most of dominating possession against a side that had two meek shots on target. Continue reading...

* Kane has £57m summer release clause in Bayern contract * Lewandowski’s contract with Barcelona expires in June Barcelona have made Harry Kane their first-choice target to replace Robert Lewandowski. The Spanish giants regard the 32-year-old England captain as the ideal younger replacement for 37-year-old Lewandowski, whose contract expires in June, and may well be prepared to trigger the clause in Kane’s contract with Bayern Munich that would allow him to leave for £57m in the summer. Kane has proven himself to be a huge success at Bayern since joining them from Tottenham for £100m in August 2023, scoring an astonishing 108 goals in 113 appearances and in September became the fastest player this century to reach 100 goals for a club playing in one of Europe’s top five leagues. He also ended his trophy drought in May after playing a key role in Bayern reclaiming the Bundesliga title. Continue reading...

Barcelona have made the England captain Harry Kane their first-choice target to replace Robert Lewandowski

The Sean Dyche era is fully up and running at Nottingham Forest after securing his first Premier League win as head coach. Leeds were barely worthy opponents, which is concerning considering the two teams could be set for a long battle for survival. Lukas Nmecha put Leeds ahead but they quickly withdrew their challenge as Ibrahim Sangaré, Morgan Gibbs-White and Elliot Anderson earned Forest a first Premier League victory in 10 matches to move them one point off 17th. Continue reading...

Young French defender believes Ruben Amorim’s changes are finally having an impact and a visit to Spurs is a timely reminder of their European goal A little under six months ago, Leny Yoro was sat on the San Mamés turf, head slumped, anguished by the Europa League final defeat to Tottenham. It extinguished Manchester United’s last flicker of hope of Champions League qualification in a desperate season, the Frenchman’s first in England. United visit the same opponents on Saturday, with optimism finally creeping back at Old Trafford after a run of four games without defeat. Yoro, who turns 20 next week, was one of the few successes of a grinding campaign. Ruben Amorim’s attempt to turn the behemoth around is starting to see results and a win at Tottenham would be a further indication of progress as the head coach begins his second year in charge. Continue reading...

Arsenal set pieces bring such a degree of organised chaos and unconventional thinking they could be nominated for the Turner Prize. Instead they are just making them favourites for the Premier League crown after extending their lead at the top. The Gunners have reached such a level of expertise, they even scored from a Burnley long throw. Headers from Viktor Gyökeres and Declan Rice were the difference at Turf Moor on what was a straightforward afternoon in Lancashire for Arsenal. The hosts failed to have a shot on target as Arsenal secured a fifth straight Premier League victory, the past four without conceding. Continue reading...

Creativity and the wingers, insight into Bournemouth and Dortmund, plus the best near-post smashed goals

Former Liverpool and Sunderland forward on buying Ed Woodward’s house, his padel business and how his new coach is similar to Ancelotti Fabio Borini’s house witnessed a major disagreement over football but it was not related to his recent move to Salford City. The forward bought the property from the former Manchester United executive vice-chair Ed Woodward, who had fans at the gates showing their displeasure during his time at Old Trafford. “Because of the protest outside, everybody was worried, so I said: ‘Don’t worry I’ll buy it, get the price down,’” Borini jokes. The former Italy international has a business mind and knows a good deal when it comes along. Joining Salford, however, was certainly not about the money. After leaving Sampdoria, where he endured a difficult final season after being ostracised, Borini wanted to play for the love of the game. He returned to his wife Erin’s native north-west, where they had their Cheshire home, and searched for work. Continue reading...

After more than 21 years without facing one another, Cardiff had to wait a little longer to reacquaint themselves with their Welsh rivals, as Wrexham completely failed to turn up for the first half. The Bluebirds’ victory came as little of a shock, if anything their progress to the quarter‑finals should have been far easier. Yousef Salech put the League One side into a first-half lead but Cardiff missed numerous chances to finish off the match before it began in earnest. Wrexham joined the tie in the second half; substitute Kieffer Moore equalised but it was Will Fish who settled the match for the team from the capital. Continue reading...

Bangor-born forward tells Will Unwin of finding a much-changed landscape on his return to Wrexham and looks forward to Tuesday’s big north v south Carabao Cup clash

Very few have worked out how to contain Manchester City’s striker. As past opponents attest, there are no easy solutions No coach has found a way to stop Erling Haaland in his past 12 matches, the striker scoring in each and 22 times in all competitions for club and country. Pep Guardiola knows most about the Norwegian’s talents and jokingly suggested a plan to keep him out: “Four centre-backs.” There are no straightforward answers, especially as so many have tried and failed. On Sunday Aston Villa and Unai Emery will be tasked with formulating a strategy to keep Haaland quiet. Not that the Manchester City player is particularly perturbed by not being involved for much of a match. His touches are infrequent but very often telling. The focus generally against Haaland is preventing the ball from reaching him but with City’s array of creative talents, that is easier said than done. Continue reading...

If Nuno Espírito Santo had considered a relaxing cruise after being sacked by Nottingham Forest, he finally got to enjoy the feeling by watching his West Ham defence look all at sea while the driving rain was his ocean spray. Two lapses in concentration within the opening quarter of an hour gave Leeds victory and further highlighted that the Hammers are in a relegation battle. West Ham sit second bottom of the Premier League nine games into the season, and their only win came against their current head coach. They had the majority of the ball at Elland Road and were eventually rewarded with a late consolation goal from Manuel Fernandes, but the stuttering start under Nuno continues, thanks to early close-range strikes from Brenden Aaronson and Joe Rodon. Continue reading...

Manchester City forward shows he is a dab hand in the kitchen as he launches his YouTube channel

* Former Everton manager brought in on contract to 2027 * Dyche will be in dugout against Porto on Thursday Nottingham Forest have appointed Sean Dyche as their third head coach of a tumultuous season. The former Everton and Burnley manager will hope to stabilise the club after the winless 40-day reign of Ange Postecoglou and, before that, the dismissal of Nuno Espírito Santo. The Fulham manager, Marco Silva, and the former Manchester City head coach Roberto Mancini were also considered but Forest opted for the experience of Dyche. He has signed a contract to 2027. Continue reading...

Manager inherits a group of players that suits him and has a track record of creating camaraderie in his squads Sean Dyche was often spotted at the City Ground while out of work. The Nottingham Forest job has been of interest to him for a long time, and not only because he lives close by. The circumstances in which the role has become available are not ideal for an incoming head coach but his appointment is the pragmatic choice in ludicrous circumstances. Ange Postecoglou was never the right man, inheriting a squad that did not suit his style and did not adapt quickly enough, though it did not help that he told the players their previous achievements meant nothing. His tenure will go down in history for all the wrong reasons. Dyche, on the other hand, has plenty of respect for what was achieved at Forest under Nuno Espírito Santo and is far more aligned with that conservatism than with what was witnessed under Postecoglou. Continue reading...

When Lesley Ugochukwu and Loum Tchaouna were scholars in the Rennes youth team, they were probably not fantasising about playing for Burnley, but the two have reunited at Turf Moor where the club and French duo are living out their Premier League dream. Their goals downed Leeds and offered further proof the Clarets have a chance of staying in the Premier League. The result means Burnley have defeated the two teams that came up with them from the Championship at home and have collected all of their seven points at Turf Moor. They showed they have improved since promotion, epitomised by a goal-of-the-season contender from Tchaouna to add to his old mate’s opener. The two joined forces more than a decade ago, before reaching their teenage years, in north-west France, moving up the ranks to the first team before separating to add Lazio and Chelsea to their collective CVs. Continue reading...