Europe

The 1-1 draw between Liverpool and Arsenal on Saturday, Dec. 23, brought in more viewers than any other Premier League game in U.S. history, announced NBC.

A total of 1.96 million viewers tuned in to NBC, Peacock and other NBC Sports Digital platforms to see the top of the table clash.

The mark of 1.96 million English-language viewers surpasses the previous record held by a game between Arsenal and Manchester United on Jan. 22, 2023, which hit viewership numbers of 1.92 million.

Liverpool vs. Arsenal game breaks U.S. viewership records

United States men’s national team defender Chris Richards had a heart-in-mouth moment on Wednesday when he was shown the first red card of his career. Thankfully for the 23-year-old the red card was immediately rescinded.

During Crystal Palace’s 2-1 defeat to Chelsea the American defender — who plays a defensive midfielder role for Palace — took one for the team and committed a foul to halt a counterattack.

In the 73rd minute Noni Madueke had successfully dribbled past Richards and the USMNT player tried to pull on the Chelsea forward’s shirt to slow him down. 

Los Angeles FC reportedly are in talks to bring World Cup-winning goalkeeper Hugo Lloris to MLS.

Current club Tottenham Hotspur already gave the green light and the decision is now up to the 37-year-old French star, Italian soccer journalist Fabrizio Romano reported Thursday.

Hugo Lloris LAFC rumors

LaLiga club Real Betis officially announced the transfer of United States men’s national team midfielder Johnny Cardoso on Wednesday. 

The 22-year-old defensive midfielder became a regular starter for Brazilian club Internacional where he made 144 appearances. Cardoso mostly played as a defensive midfielder but still managed to tally seven goals and five assists with Internacional.

Real Betis paid $6.3 million for the American according to ESPN as Cardoso signed a five-year contract.

Johnny Cardoso Real Betis transfer

French striker Jeremy Menez received two yellow cards in the span of six seconds on Tuesday when the referee wasn’t a fan of his sarcastic clapping.

The incident occurred in stoppage time of the Serie B game between Menez’s Bari FC and Andrea Pirlo’s Sampdoria.

In the 95th minute Menez received a yellow card. Things appeared to be normal. That was until Menez gave the referee a sarcastic round of applause for the booking and in an instant the other yellow card came out.

Jeremy Menez red card vs. Sampdoria

Barcelona women's captain and twice Ballon d'Or winner Alexia Putellas will undergo knee surgery, her club said on Tuesday.

The Spain forward had to leave the national team training camp in Madrid last month because of a knee injury, which also kept her out of recent matches with Barcelona.

Alexia Putellas knee injury

Barcelona have announced that Alexia Putellas will undergo surgery on her left knee this Wednesday. pic.twitter.com/rh8rdn10cg

SHEFFIELD — Jack Robinson and Anis Ben Slimane scored own goals in the final 13 minutes as Sheffield United let a late lead slip and lost 3-2 to fellow Premier League strugglers Luton Town at Bramall Lane on Tuesday.

United deservedly drew level just past the hour-mark as Oli McBurnie scored his third goal of the season, and they led when Luton failed to clear a cross and after a scramble in the box, Anel Ahmedhodzic scored.

One unwritten rule of soccer that doesn’t really exist in other sports is the art of players not celebrating if they score a goal against a team they formerly played on.

Nottingham Forest’s Chris Wood took that unwritten rule to heart on Boxing Day when netted a hat trick against his former club, Newcastle. 

The New Zealand forward was the hero in Forest’s massive 3-1 victory but hardly celebrated as he followed the unwritten rule of not celebrating after scoring against a former team.

Chris Wood not celebrating vs. Newcastle

WOLVERHAMPTON — Wolverhampton Wanderers continued their stellar home form to heap misery on Chelsea on Christmas eve with a 2-1 win in the Premier League on Sunday, thanks to second-half strikes from Mario Lemina and Matt Doherty.

Chelsea's best chance of the first half fell to Raheem Sterling who stole the ball from last man João Gomes and sprinted into the Wolves box with only the keeper Jose Sa to beat.