Marcus Rashford has been left out of the Manchester United matchday squad for the first time this season for Sunday s clash with Newcastle United at St James Park, as Paul Pogba returns to the team.
The England international has been at least a substitute in every match in all competitions under Jose Mourinho in 2017-18, although he did not get off the bench in their last away game, when they lost 2-0 to Tottenham.
Rashford, who made a second-half appearance against Huddersfield Town last Saturday, reportedly picked up a minor muscle complaint and his condition was being monitored throughout the week.
Manager Jose Mourinho confirmed the 20-year-old was omitted due to an injury problem, along with midfielder Ander Herrera.
Both are injured, he told Sky Sp…
Competition: La Liga
Market: Villarreal to beat Getafe
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La Liga continues this weekend with another massive round of games that will be hugely important towards the final standings of the competition. The table has remained exceptionally tight this year which means that a single win can often see a team rise a number of places. With this in mind, Villarreal host Getafe on Sunday.
Villarreal have been in good form this season and they are still in the hunt for a Champions League place, although this dream is fading. After 24 games they have won 11, drawn five and lost eight, scoring 35 goals and conceding 29 times. In their last five they have won twice, lost twice and drawn once, which has seen them onto 38 points. Sunday s hosts are only …
Barcelona director Andoni Zubizarreta wants his team to overcome Bayern Munich and seal a return to a magical place , Wembley Stadium.
Barca were drawn to face Bayern in the semi-finals of the Champions League, the prize on offer a final in London, the scene of the Catalan club s previous European Cup triumphs in 1992 and 2011.
And although Bayern Munich already crowned Bundesliga champions this season represent a formidable obstacle for Tito Vilanova s men to overcome, Barca are determined to progress to this year s tournament decider.
We hope to reach Wembley, a magical place for us, former Spain international Zubizarreta told reporters following the draw in Nyon on Friday.
We are two great teams, with different styles. But we are going to play our fo…
Stoke City are close to securing a permanent deal for Liverpool winger Oussama Assaidi, .
The winger spent last season on loan with Mark Hughes’ side, for whom he made twenty-five appearances in all competitions, scoring five goals including a dramatic last minute winner in a 3-2 victory over Chelsea at the Britannia Stadium back in December.
He moved to Liverpool in August 2012, but made just four substitute appearances in the Premier League during Brendan Rodgers’ first season in charge of the Merseyside club.
The Potters are also keen on landing England U21 international Nathan Redmond from Norwich City, while they are working on a loan deal for Barcelona forward Bojan, who spent last season on loan with Ajax.
Stoke begin the 2014/15 campaign…
Prediction: Arsenal win
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The Premier League is back once again this weekend as continue on through the always-crazy month of December. There are so many teams up and down the top flight who are in desperate need of some points on the board now that we re in the midst of the busy winter schedule, especially with such a short spell of time between these fixtures and the games earlier on in the week. Today, we re going to be taking a look at a clash between two PL originals: Everton and Arsenal.
Everton
Carlo Ancelotti s tenure has been full of ups and downs thus far and while the defeats this season have been hard to take, it s nothing when compared with the euphoria that Toffees fans feel to see their side pushing for the top fou…
Marcus Thuram has issued an apology after he was sent off for accidentally spitting in Stefan Posch s face during Borussia Monchengladbach s Bundesliga defeat to Hoffenheim on Saturday.
Thuram was given his marching orders by referee Frank Willenborg 11 minutes from time at Borussia-Park following an off-the-ball incident that was spotted by the VAR.
The France international spat at Posch as they squared up when the two sides were level at 1-1 and Ryan Sessegnon made matters worse for Gladbach by securing a 2-1 victory.
Striker Thuram expressed his remorse for his behaviour and said he would accept whatever punishment comes his way, but claimed he did not spit at Posch on purpose.
He posted on Twitter and Instagram: Today something took place that …
Argentina s new all-time leading goalscorer Lionel Messi was lavished in praise by coach Gerardo Martino after the best player in the world guided last year s Copa America runners-up to yet another final.
Messi, who overcame a back problem at the start of the tournament, surpassed Gabriel Batistuta as Argentina s top scorer with his 55th international goal in Tuesday s comprehensive 4-0 win over the United States in the semi-finals.
The captain s fifth goal of the centenary tournament helped Argentina to back-to-back Copa America finals following last year s penalty shoot-out loss to Chile.
Asked about Messi s historic night in Houston, Martino told reporters: It makes me very happy what he has done. Very pleased that has been in this Copa America.
It is…
Argentina cannot afford to let Lionel Messi retire from international football, insists Oscar Ruggeri.
Messi, who became his country s all-time highest scorer with his 55th international strike in the semi-final win over the United States, missed a spot-kick as Argentina were beaten 4-2 on penalties by Chile in the Copa America Centenario final on Sunday.
Having also been on the losing side in finals at the 2007 and 2015 Copa America, as well as the 2014 World Cup, the 29-year-old brought his international career to an end in the aftermath of the defeat at MetLife Stadium.
However, Ruggeri, a World Cup winner in 1986 and part of the last Argentina side to win a major trophy at Copa America 1993, hopes Messi s participation can salvaged in future.
He to…
Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has revealed that Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku are likely to feature in next season s first-team squad.
Lukaku joined the London club from Anderlecht in 2011 for a reported fee of 10 million pounds, but, after failing to gain regular action, spent the 2012-13 campaign on loan at West Brom.
De Bruyne has also been loaned out from Stamford Bridge since joining in January 2012, spending time with Genk and Werder Bremen over the past one-and-a-half seasons.
However, Mourinho has now hinted that the Belgian duo have earned a place in his reckoning as he prepares for a second stint in charge at Chelsea.
First of all, I want to meet them, he said. I think it s fair that the players are the first ones to know about their future and to know about their fu…
Jose Mourinho knew about Alex Ferguson s retirement plans months ago and also shared his desire to return to Chelsea with the Scot.
The Portuguese manager disclosed details of the pair s close friendship which saw them keep each other s dramatic secrets while he discussed his second spell at Stamford Bridge with the Chelsea hierarchy.
I knew that Ferguson was retiring many months ago and I was so happy to have his trust. It was big news for the world. I can imagine that just a very close circle around him knew that and it was a big responsibility for me to know that, Mourinho said.
Why do I know that? Because we are friends. If I am his friend to know he is going to retire, he is also my friend to know that the club I want to coach in England is Chelsea. Of c…