Europe

There have been a few false dawns but there is growing belief that Manchester United are on the cusp of reclaiming their place as the pre-eminent force in English football.

They are top of the Premier League table after New Year's Day for the first time since Alex Ferguson's glittering dynasty ended with his retirement in 2013, since when they watched first Manchester City and then Liverpool disappear into the distance.

Mauricio Pochettino can finally put the torment of finishing runner-up in the League Cup, Premier League and Champions League behind him: He's a Trophée des Champions CHAMPION!

The 48-year-old Argentine captured the first trophy of his managerial career after leading PSG to a 2-1 win over Marseille in Wednesday’s Trophée des Champions, giving him a record of two wins (one trophy) and one draw in Paris. It's going well. 

From living a total “nightmare” to being closely monitored by Manchester United, what a difference six months can make. On Wednesday, Hirving “Chucky” Lozano went full circle by providing an influential performance in Napoli’s Coppa Italia Round of 16 win over Empoli.

One of the most fascinating storylines in Europe right now is the direction of Paris Saint-Germain under new manager Mauricio Pochettino. If it all goes well, PSG could be looking at a Champions League title and a potential Kylian Mbappé contract extension. If Pochettino and his charges don’t see eye-to-eye, that will only expedite Mbappé’s long-rumored move to Real Madrid (“Project Mbappé”), Liverpool or Manchester City. 

Temperatures hit record lows across Hell on Tuesday afternoon after Sheffield United defeated Newcastle 1-0 in Premier League play. It has been a long long time since the last Sheffield win.

These record lows follow Saturday’s unprecedented blizzard that dumped snow all over the fiery landscape when Schalke defeated Hoffenheim 4-0 in the Bundesliga. Reports state that American Matthew Hoppe has claimed responsibility for the blizzard.

Germany's hairdressers are unimpressed by the latest trims on show in the Bundesliga and have asked the German Football Association (DFB) why the country's players have been taking to the pitch with fresh cuts during a COVID-19 lockdown.

Hair salons in Germany have been shut since Dec. 16 as part of strict restrictions imposed by the government to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus.

In its most basic form, soccer is a simple game of kicking a sphere into a designated rectangle. Despite the simplicity, this elementary sport possesses the capability to capture an infinite range of emotions and moments. This magic of the game is why we love it so much.

One of these heartwarming moments took place during Saturday’s FA Cup tie between Sheffield Wednesday and Exeter City.

Catarina Macario, arguably the greatest college soccer player in a generation, will not stick around in the States to become the top overall pick in Wednesday’s NWSL draft. Instead, the Stanford standout — who announced her intentions to forgo her senior season and go pro last week — signed a free-agent contract with Lyon, the European powerhouse that has won seven Champions League titles since 2011. 

LONDON — Fulham manager Scott Parker has criticised the Premier League for re-arranging his side's game at Tottenham Hotspur for Wednesday, giving him only 48 hours to prepare his players.

Fourth-placed Spurs were scheduled to face Aston Villa on Wednesday but that match was postponed after a COVID-19 outbreak forced the closure of the Midlands club's training ground.

Instead, Tottenham's home game with Fulham, itself postponed two hours before kickoff on Dec. 30 after a COVID outbreak amongst the Fulham squad, has been squeezed in.

Manchester United will host Liverpool in the fourth round of the FA Cup after the two arch rivals were drawn together on Monday, with the game set to be played a week after their Premier League summit clash.

The two sides, who are both top of the Premier League table and go head-to-head in the league on Sunday, meet in the cup for the first time since Dirk Kuyt scored a late winner as Liverpool beat United 2-1 in January 2012. United have not beaten Liverpool since March 2018, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer yet to taste victory against Jürgen Klopp's side in four attempts.