While I don't have the skills of our soccer expert Leon, I thought I'd try my hand at predicting the results of this weekend's Premier League fixtures.
Prediction: 3-0 Liverpool
In time, the coaching tree that expands out from Pep Guardiola is going to be massive. Some will fail (like if Mikel Arteta had taken the job at Newcastle), but the Spanish tactician’s otherworldly training methods will almost certainly be absorbed and even expanded upon by some future coaching Übermensch that worked under Guardiola for a long period.
Manchester United legend Andy Cole has confirmed Man U fans’ worst fears by saying the team is “genuinely” still a few years away.
While this arguably is a common consensus of fans of every other team, we had to rip the Red Devil Band-Aid off at some point.
With men’s club soccer on hiatus due to the international break, the women’s game took center stage in England this weekend with the opening of the new Women’s Super League season. The marquee matchup was a first-ever WSL Manchester derby between City and United at the Etihad Stadium.
The previous attendance record for a WSL match was set by Arsenal last year with a crowd of 5,265; the crowd on hand yesterday in Manchester smashed that with a total of 31,213 spectators.
And they left happy thanks to an incredible strike from Scotland international Caroline Weir.
The English FA, apparently desperate to relate to young people, has partnered with Pokémon in an effort to promote futsal in the country.
The three-year deal will see the Pokémon Company International support the National Futsal Programme, for reasons we still can’t quite ascertain.
Anyone fancy a kickabout?
Cristiano Ronaldo continued to make history earlier this week, being named Portuguese Player of the Year for the 10th time in his career.
Cristiano Ronaldo has won Portuguese Player Of The Year for a record 10th time! pic.twitter.com/dxldOfDDu0
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) September 3, 2019
After finishing fourth at the 2019 Women’s World Cup, the England women’s national team has reconvened under Phil Neville with a squad that includes established stars like Steph Houghton, Lucy Bronze and Toni Duggan, but the Lionesses are clearly building for the future with their sights set on capturing UEFA Women’s Euro 2021 on home soil.
Arsenal’s business in front, party in the back squad met Tottenham’s unsettled ensemble on Sunday, and a 2-2 finish to the North London derby only cemented those thoughts of self-hatred rather than illuminating a way forward for either club.
While Liverpool and Manchester City again look a cut above the rest in England, there’s every indication that a club outside the “Big Six” may yet disrupt the hegemony and finish in the Champions League places. This morning saw a clash between two such sides — Everton and Wolves — at Goodison Park.
Can you get called for a dive if you make a match-saving pass as you go down?
According to referee Kevin Friend, yes, you can.
Aston Villa was denied a 96th-minute equalizer in a 1-0 defeat to Crystal Palace on Saturday as Friend disallowed a Henri Lansbury goal for a perceived Jack Grealish dive, despite the fact Grealish assisted the goal.
Huh?