All Games All stakes / home win, draw, and away win predictions for games played today and tonight
The AFC Asian Cup is the bigger, more prestigious tournament, but that doesn’t mean the Philippines won’t be taking the AFF Suzuki Cup just as seriously.
The post Under the shadow of Asian Cup stint, Azkals taking Suzuki Cup seriously appeared first on Inquirer Sports.
A South Korean footballer has withdrawn from playing on the national team next month after admitting he gave false community service records required for his military service exemption, the Korea Football Association said Sunday.
The post S. Korean footballer admits submitting fake records for military exemption appeared first on Inquirer Sports.
We need to talk about Michael Keane.
After all, the Everton defender was a pretty big deal a couple of years ago.
Plying his trade as part of Burnley’s solid back-line, the former Man United academy graduate was a Dream Team favourite during the 2016/17 season, but lost his way last season following his big-money move to Goodison Park.
SIGN UP – WIN £5k BY PLAYING DREAM TEAM WEEKENDER THIS WEEKEND 
AFP or licensors The last couple of seasons have been a roller-coaster ride for the centre-back[/caption]
If you remember, the Toffees paid out an eye-watering £30 million to bring him to Merseyside in the summer of 2017.
Good business, some said, with Keane considered a future star for both club and country.
But along with many of his Everton teammates, Keane endured a torrid 2017/18 campaign under Ronald Koeman and later Sam Allardyce.
What’s worse is that his excellent form for Burnley and his hefty price-tag meant he was tipped for big things at the beginning of last season from a Dream Team perspective, but he finished the term with an abysmal haul of just 75 points.
Rex Features Keane was a Dream Team must-have during his time with Burnley[/caption]
Reuters Plenty of Everton’s new signings under-performed last season[/caption]
But this season, things are already looking brighter for him and Everton.
Ever-present under new boss Marco Silva – albeit the three games he missed in August and September following his nasty head injury against Bournemouth – Keane has formed a useful partnership at the back alongside Kurt Zouma.
In fact, we reckon summer signing Yerry Mina will struggle to get into this team at the moment ahead of the duo.
Getty Images - Getty Keane has been solid at the back for the Toffees this term[/caption]
What’s more, Keane has steadily been one of the best bargain defenders on Dream Team this season.
Priced at just £3.7m, his current haul of 44 points makes him the second-best Everton player on the game this season – behind only Gylfi Sigurdsson (57 points) and ahead of the likes of Richarlison (36 points) and Lucas Digne (26 points) – and up there among the likes of Antonio Rudiger (44 points) and Willy Boly (42 points).
That’s some turnaround, don’t you think?
Getty - Contributor We think Keane-o deserves some praise[/caption]
Keane will be heading to a very familiar ground this weekend, as Everton travel to Old Trafford to take on Man United.
The 25-year-old made just five appearances for his boyhood club prior to his move to Burnley in January 2015, and will be keen to see off his former employers as Everton look to break into the top six.
WATCH: The second part of our exclusive documentary
World Cup winners France dropped one place to second in the FIFA rankings on Thursday as Belgium moved up to claim top spot. England and Uruguay were the only other movers in the top 10, Gareth Southgate’s men moving up one place to fifth and Uruguay moving the other way, to sixth. Elsewhere, lowly Gibraltar […]
The post France lose top spot to Belgium in FIFA rankings appeared first on Inquirer Sports.
EINDHOVEN, Netherlands — Captain Luuk de Jong scored a late equalizer Wednesday to salvage a 2-2 draw for PSV Eindhoven against 10-man Tottenham in the Champions League.
Tottenham had recovered from giving away a first-half goal and looked headed toward a 2-1 victory until goalkeeper Hugo Lloris was sent off in the 79th minute for fouling Hirving Lozano, who had earlier capitalized on a mistake by Toby Alderweireld to put PSV ahead.
Christian Eriksen, making his first start after a month out with an abdominal injury, was involved in the buildup for Lucas Moura’s equalizer and set up Harry Kane for Spurs’ second.
The shared points were the first for both teams in Group B following defeats to Inter Milan and Barcelona, who were playing each other later Wednesday.
After Kane put Spurs ahead, the visitors looked in control until referee Slavko Vincic showed Lloris a straight red.
Substitute keeper Michel Vorm did well to save the resulting free kick with his first touch of the ball, but he stood no chance in the 87th minute when De Jong turned in the equalizer from close range.
Okay, the jig is up.
We are willing to admit that here, at Dream Team, we are part of a widespread media conspiracy against your club.
I was personally initiated on my 18th birthday in a ceremony chaired by Gary Lineker.
Or ‘The Gatekeeper’ to give him his official titleGetty - Contributor
Since then, I have joined my global colleagues in being actively biased against the club you support, criticising them unfairly (this is crucial) in an attempt to hinder their chances of winning the title/avoiding relegation/securing promotion/other (delete as appropriate).
Why? Because everyone in the media supports your team’s fierce rivals of course!
It’s mad really, when you think about it, hundreds of thousands of people from all over the world secretly supporting the same team because of the industry they’re in, but it’s true.
Whenever your club lose, we pop bottles of champagne.
When they win, we have a quick meeting to decide on the best excuse that will subtly (but effectively) diminish the achievement.
Jose is woke to our undying agendaGetty Images - Getty
Lineker swore me to secrecy, but some of you guys are just too smart to deceive.
What some (professional psychologists) would call paranoia, I recognise as shrewd investigative observation and endevaour.
You are able through our ruse of ‘justified criticism’ for what it really is — hateful obsession.
We should have known we weren’t able to keep it under wraps for long.
After all, there has to be some motivation for taking a dig at your perfect, holy, godly team, doesn’t there?
The fact they haven’t won a game in months/are funded by criminals/are exploiting their own fans/other (delete as applicable) is broadly irrelevant.
It’s all about the bigger picture, the deeper meaning.
Some naive fools believe it is possible to have the opinion both of these people are very good at football. HAHAHAHA!AP:Associated Press
You may wonder why only fans of your club are able to wade through our river of lies.
Why can’t other fans see how how much we hate your club — it’s so obvious!
Even more bizarrely, they seem to think we hate their club, the deluded idiots.
If, by chance, we had decided to launch our venomous hate campaign against another club, you would undoubtedly be perceptive enough to notice it in action and speak up.
Sadly, this is not the case, we’re firmly set on bringing your club to its knees, and no other fans are going to join your rebellion.
That’s right, even Stelling’s in on itGetty Images - Getty
What to do next?
Firstly, you should absolutely keep commenting on articles based solely on social media headlines — under no circumstances should you click through to read ‘justifications’. Pfffft.
Secondly, follow as many Twitter accounts as possible.
The likes of RagingFirmino, DeftLindelof, and EnergeticDrinkwater, are the truth-bearers in this crazy world.
Thirdly, never stop accusing the media scum of obsession with your club — it’ll break us eventually.
There you have it, the truth is out there.
Oh, I nearly forgot, the referees are in on it as well.
NEXT: 9 Premier League players it’s absolutely impossible to hate
After each matchday in the English Premier League, Sportsnet will rank the top 20 players for the 2018-19 season. Regardless of reputation, everyone starts from scratch at Matchday 1, and will steadily move up, down, or out of the rankings as the games progress.
1. Eden Hazard, Chelsea (Previous matchday: 1)
Manchester United had clear intent to disrupt him by any means necessary with both Nemanja Matic and Ashley Young picking up yellow cards after chopping him down.
Young did a good job overall and United will say it worked, but Hazard unfortunately woke up the next morning with back problems and one can only hope he isn’t forced to miss matches because of it.
Eden Hazard walked off on Saturday with a grimace and back pain. In an average Premier League game he gets fouled 2,6 times, in the last 4 games against United in London 5,5 times. #cfc pic.twitter.com/GbLshBqHwq
— Kristof Terreur (@HLNinEngeland) October 22, 2018
2. Sergio Aguero, Manchester City (Previous matchday: 2)
It’s almost a little disappointing that City potted five against Burnley and Aguero scored just once. That’s an indication of the level of both the team and the man this season, who is now just a goal behind Hazard on the scoring chart.
3. Aymeric Laporte, Manchester City. (Previous matchday: 3)
It was a quiet afternoon for the Frenchman as Burnley managed only five shots all game without ever hitting the target. Still, it’s another clean sheet and another week where Pep Guardiola can pencil him in to start without a second thought.
4. David Silva, Manchester City (Previous matchday: 5)
He continued his sparkling form and chemistry with Aguero, who he has now assisted 20 times over the course of their careers in Manchester. That’s more than any other City combination.
Silva added another assist for City’s second goal, putting him in rare company.
5. Virgil van Dijk, Liverpool (Previous matchday: 4)
Liverpool were certainly tested by Huddersfield Town, and a couple of nervy moments could have gone very differently. Van Dijk has a lot of responsibility now with carrying both his club and country’s defence, and it will be interesting to see if he can maintain his level as the matches pile up.
Also:
6. Alexandre Lacazette, Arsenal (Previous matchday: 6)
Lacazette was very good once again in linking up with both Mesut Ozil and Alex Iwobi and will be livid with himself for missing an absolute sitter with less than 15 minutes remaining that would have sealed the fixture.
Arsenal are very much back and the Frenchman is a huge reason why.
7. Mohamed Salah, Liverpool (Previous matchday: 11)
Salah’s continuing to do the right things as far as movement in and around defenders and picking and choosing when to pass and when to shoot. He provided a great finish to Xherdan Shaqiri’s through ball but the finishing wasn’t quite the same after that.
Mohamed Salah's game by numbers vs. Huddersfield:
67 touches
4 shots
2 crosses
2 take-ons
2 shots on target
1 goal
His 50th for an English club. pic.twitter.com/ys6dX2GVXD
— Squawka Football (@Squawka) October 20, 2018
8. Ryan Fraser, Bournemouth (Previous matchday: 7)
It was a surprise that Fraser played at all as all the pre-match talk was about his struggles with a hamstring injury. He was clearly below his best, but his willingness to battle through pain for 76 minutes in a draw is a testament to his commitment and leadership.
9. Jorginho, Chelsea (Previous matchday: 10)
Jorginho was at his best in the first half against United when Chelsea were the better side, but wasn’t the same in the second half as United made a couple of tactical changes to get themselves back in the match.
He’s still comfortable atop the league in passes completed and this was quite an interesting take on what the midfield maestro means to his manager:
10. Aleksandar Mitrovic, Fulham (Previous matchday: 9)
He played his part in a high-scoring thriller, flicking on brilliantly for Ryan Sessegnon to follow through and score his first Premier League goal.
That both players either side of him (Andre Schurrle being the other) got in among the goals is a reflection of the attention he commands and the chemistry the trio have developed playing alongside each other.
11. Andrew Robertson, Liverpool (Previous matchday: 13)
Robertson seemed to have a better flow to his game than in the past couple of matches and that may have had a bit to do with being awarded more freedom in the absence of Sadio Mané.
12. Marcos Alonso, Chelsea (Previous matchday: 8)
Alonso was withering in pain in the box when United were allowed back into the game with a scrappy goal, and he will feel hard done by that the referee didn’t manage to stop play.
The bottom line is that it cost his side a goal. He has failed to inspire his side going forward as much as he did early in the season, so he drops a few spots.
13. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Arsenal (Previous matchday: N/A)
He is absolutely buzzing now, with four goals in his last two matches, and he was a massive difference-maker in the match against Leicester City after coming on as a substitute.
Unai Emery has a problem all managers like to have with both Lacazette and Aubameyang firing on all cylinders.
14. James Milner, Liverpool (Previous matchday: 14)
Milner is just a smooth engine that motors along, hardly ever needing any maintenance. He doesn’t need goals or plaudits but his team ranks show just how important Liverpool’s leader is to the club’s balance.
15. Marko Arnautovic, West Ham United (Previous matchday: 17)
It was a fascinating battle between the Austrian and Hugo Lloris this weekend. Arnautovic was denied four times by the French goalkeeper, a major reason why West Ham were held scoreless.
There’s no doubting Arnautovic’s form and he’ll look to get back on the scoring trail against Leicester City next week.
16. Raheem Sterling, Manchester City (Previous matchday: 12)
He didn’t play, as Champions League was clearly the priority this week, so Sterling suffers a drop down the rankings.
17. Lucas Moura, Tottenham (Previous matchday: 18)
With Erik Lamela making the most of his opportunities now and Moura maintaining his level, there is growing confidence that the Spurs have found a formula for success even when Harry Kane isn’t at his best.
As long as Moura can keep dancing around defenders the way he dances in the locker room, Tottenham will have every reason to be confident.
#MondayMotivation, courtesy of @LucasMoura7
@MoussaSissoko #COYS pic.twitter.com/H9IBjhpYtw
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) October 22, 2018
18. Toby Alderweireld, Tottenham (Previous matchday: N/A)
The competition gets stiffer for Tottenham from here, but if this past week was any indication, he is relishing the opportunity to go up against the best. West Ham had some very good moments and Alderweireld played a big part in keeping them at bay.
The Belgian central defender seems to have impressed even himself with a sliding challenge on Arnautovic.
Best way to slide back into the @premierleague after the international break Important derby win! #COYS pic.twitter.com/bZSoGkL7GG
— Alderweireld Toby (@AlderweireldTob) October 20, 2018
19. Sadio Mané, Liverpool (Previous matchday: 15)
Mané didn’t play after suffering a thumb injury during the international break and Jurgen Klopp will be hoping that all this time away will help rejuvenate one of his main men.
20. Bernardo Silva, Manchester City (Previous matchday: N/A)
On form alone he’s been one of the best players in the Premier League this season, but City’s squad rotation has kept him from consistent minutes. The return of Kevin De Bruyne looms large as well now so he’ll have to fight hard to ensure this isn’t his only appearance.
Honourable mentions:
Joseph Gomez, Alisson (Liverpool), Harry Kane, Kieran Trippier, Jan Vertonghen (Tottenham), James Maddison, Harry Maguire (Leicester City), Mesut Ozil (Arsenal), Richarlison, Idrissa Gueye (Everton)
LONDON — Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho was involved in a touchline skirmish after his team conceded a goal in the sixth minute of injury time to draw 2-2 at former club Chelsea in the Premier League on Saturday. One of Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri’s assistants celebrated wildly in front of United’s bench following Ross […]
The post Mourinho melee as United concedes late, draws 2-2 at Chelsea appeared first on Inquirer Sports.
Barcelona plan to visit China and Japan as part of a pre-season tour to Asia next summer, the club announced on Tuesday. After consecutive years traveling to the United States for the International Champions Cup, Barca will return to Asia for the first time since playing a friendly in Qatar in December 2016. The trip […]
The post Barcelona announce 2019 summer tour to Asia appeared first on Inquirer Sports.
LAS VEGAS — A lawsuit filed by a Nevada woman who claims Cristiano Ronaldo raped her nine years ago and paid her $375,000 in hush money has set in motion a two-track legal process in Las Vegas. One involves the lawsuit, which will proceed to a jury trial in civil court only if a state […]
The post Ronaldo rape allegation moving on 2 legal tracks in Nevada appeared first on Inquirer Sports.
A couple of years ago, we were all super excited about the emergence of Iceland, weren’t we?
They were brand new, tough to beat and relatively easy-on-the-eye, and as they thunder-clapped their way into Euro 2016 we collectively thought: “Well, good for them!”
But then of course, they knocked England out of the big tournament in France and suddenly they lost a little bit of their appeal, but their underdog story lives on all the same.
-- Nightmarish[/caption]
There’s just something about ‘small’ teams at international level, isn’t there?
Greece’s success at Euro 2004 still ranks as one of the biggest shocks in recent football history, and we all got behind the likes of Costa Rica in 2014.
But now it looks like we have a new little guy to get excited about, in the form of Finland.
Lehtikuva New kids on the block[/caption]
That’s right, the country that gave us Nokia phones, the Moomins and Kimi Raikkonen are one of the biggest success stories of the UEFA Nations League so far, maintaining an impressive 100% record through a combination of solid defending and picking a consistent line-up.
Following their 2-0 win over Greece on Monday, they’re now just one point away from promotion into League B, having also narrowly defeated Hungary and Estonia (twice) in their previous games.
Their habit of winning by slim but solid results is all the more impressive when you read into their defensive stats.
For example, in their last four matches, they’ve conceded just six SHOTS on goal, keeping four clean-sheets in the process.
AP:Associated Press This Nations League stuff is great, isn’t it?[/caption]
Playing this style of well-organised and defensively airtight football has certainly helped the likes of Greece and Iceland in recent years, and could help Finland in their bid to qualify for Euro 2020.
READ MORE:
How Spain’s last competitive home defeat paved the way for Greece’s Euro 2004 win You think the UEFA Nations League is a waste of time? Tell that to teams like Gibraltar Georginio Wijnaldum has literally played in EVERY position (bar goalkeeper) in his career WATCH: Love of the Game – Part 2
LAS VEGAS— Cristiano Ronaldo’s new Las Vegas criminal defense lawyer went on the attack Wednesday, saying documents cited in media reports about a rape claim against the soccer star were “complete fabrications” and the encounter was consensual. In a statement , attorney Peter S. Christiansen blamed reports about the 2009 encounter on electronic data leaks […]
The post Attorney: Ronaldo rape report documents altered, fabricated appeared first on Inquirer Sports.
Wayne Rooney has called on Manchester United’s players to stand up and be counted, saying that manager Jose Mourinho is an easy target for the club’s troubles. United battled back from two goals down to beat Newcastle 3-2 at the weekend but are languishing in eighth place in the Premier League, seven points off top […]
The post Rooney calls on Man United players to ‘stand up’ appeared first on Inquirer Sports.
Jadon Sancho bolstered his position as Europe’s assist king as he put the ball on his plate for a teammate once again.
Days after his first England call-up Sancho was rewarded with his first league start of the season.
Jadon Sancho now has the most assists in Europe’s top five leagues after his brilliant display from the bench against LeverkusenEPA
Jadon Sancho starts for Dortmund today!
He's got 8 assists and one goal in just 317 mins this season 
What a week he's had earning his first senior England call-up 
pic.twitter.com/HCcFP0S7i7
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) October 6, 2018
Sancho, got two assists against Leverkusen last weekend before another against Monaco in Europe, is ahead of Barcelona star Lionel Messi, Juventus’ Cristiano Ronaldo and Manchester City’s Benjamin Mendy in the rankings for assists in Europe’s big five leagues.
Sancho made a run into space on the right against Augsburg today before sliding it across the box for Paco Alcacer for his ninth assist this season.
And it’s only the beginning of October.
Jadon Sancho is so, so special.
What an assist just SEVENTY seconds after coming on as a sub for Dortmund. Incredible counter-attack.
The hype is real pic.twitter.com/jeGbhxahyh
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) September 29, 2018
BVB were one goal down before Sancho made it easy for Alcacer to restore parity.
That sparked a 30 minute frenzy as four more goals were scored for the game to finish 3-3.
The 18-year-old England youth star came off the bench to grab two assistsGetty
Sancho helped Dortmund come from two behind to defeat Bayer Leverkusen and go top of the BundesligaGetty
Alcacer got another before another of Dortmund’s youth flyers Achraf Hakimi set up Mario Gotze to put his side 3-2 up in the 84th minute.
But Augsburg weren’t finished yet and managed to find the equaliser with less than three minutes left.
In genuine scenes at the Westfalenstadion Alcacer found time to curl a delicious free-kick past the goalkeeper.
Afraid you can’t get an assist for free-kicks Jadon.
WATCH: Love Of The Game: Leyton Orient (Episode 1)
