Southampton will seek to bounce back from League Cup humiliation when they host struggling Aston Villa in the Premier League on Saturday.
Ronald Koeman s side suffered the indignity of exiting the League Cup quarter-finals with a 6-1 thrashing at the hands of Liverpool in front of their own fans on Wednesday.
The Saints took the lead in the first minute at St Mary s Stadium through Sadio Mane, but were overwhelmed by the visitors response, as a Daniel Sturridge brace, Jordan Ibe s goal and Divock Origi s hat-trick saw Jurgen Klopp s in-form Reds cruise into the last four.
Southampton have a good opportunity to make amends at the first opportunity this weekend, against the Premier League s bottom club.
Villa have not won in the league since they were last …
British police say the number of potential suspects in the investigation into child abuse in football now stands at 155.
The National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) announced on Thursday that the number of clubs referenced in the UK-wide probe now stands at 148 an increase of 60 since figures were last published on December 9.
The indicative number of victims has reached 429, ranging in age from four to 20 at the time of the alleged offence, with the vast majority relating to football. Ninety-eight per cent of the victims are male.
Chief constable Simon Bailey, the NPCC lead on child abuse investigations, said in a statement: We are ensuring an efficient and effective service-wide approach to investigating allegations, removing the potential for duplication and…
Borussia Dortmund do not have an alternative plan should Erling Haaland leave the club, but they would listen to an exceptional offer for Jadon Sancho, according to managing director Hans-Joachim Watzke.
Norway international Haaland is in high demand after netting 49 goals in 50 appearances for Dortmund, attracting interest from the likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester City and Manchester United.
He has scored 21 goals in 22 Bundesliga games this term, adding another 10 from six games in the Champions League, a competition in which he tops the scoring charts.
Haaland s agent, Mino Raiola, is reported to have been in contact with a number of clubs as speculation over the 20-year-old s future grows.
But, according to Watzke…
Bayern Munich and Manchester City have agreed a deal for the transfer of Leroy Sane, according to multiple sources.
The 24-year-old winger spent a large part of the 2019/20 season on the sidelines having suffered and ACL injury in Community Shield clash against Liverpool last summer. He had reportedly been on the verge of joining the Bundesliga champions back then, but the injury prompted Bayern to withdraw from the negotiations for the time being.
City sought to take advantage of the situation and convince the Germany international to sign a new contract, but their hopes proved in vain. It seems Sane has long had his heart set on returning to his homeland, unhappy with the amount of game-time he was getting under Pep Guardiola even before the injury.
The transf…
Real Madrid s French striker Karim Benzema said he has not yet been summoned for questioning by French police investigating an under-age sex scandal, but said he is not worried about the case.
A judicial source said last month that Benzema would be questioned over allegations he had sex with a 16-year-old call-girl in 2008.
I m not worried about this affair, Benzema, 22, said Monday. They haven t summoned me. I feel very at ease, I am thinking only of football.
The call-girl also said she had relations with Benzema s France team mate Franck Ribery in 2009, when she was 17 but told him she was over 18, the source said.
Sources close to the investigation said police had also questioned a third France international, Lyon winger Sidney Govou, 30.
I…
(GSM) Sevilla midfielder Renato has committed himself to the Andalusian club by extending his contract up to 2012.
The Brazilian, who has penned a 12-month extension to his current deal, has now a €36million (£30.7m) buy-out clause inserted in his contract.
The 31-year-old, who joined Sevilla from Santos in 2004, will have the option of two further years on top of that should certain criteria be met.
For now Renato and Sevilla are readying themselves for another crack at the UEFA Champions League, with a fourth-placed finish in 2009/10 sending them into the qualification stages of Europe s premier club competition.
…
Inter Milan will seek to preserve their position as Serie A leaders when they entertain Sassuolo on Sunday and their lofty status comes as a surprise to forward Rodrigo Palacio.
Roberto Mancini s men are a point clear of Fiorentina and Napoli after a 1-0 midweek win over Empoli, with champions Juventus poised a further two points behind in what is shaping up to be a devilishly tight title race.
Palacio put an end to immediate speculation over his Inter future by penning a contract extension through until the end of next season on Friday.
The 33-year-old forward concedes that he did not expect to be in prime position to enter the 2016-17 campaign as a defending champion when Inter began their first full season of Mancini s second spell in charge back in August.
Michail Antonio has completed his move from Nottingham Forest to West Ham United, .
The winger only moved to the City Ground from Sheffield Wednesday last summer, but racked fifty-four appearances for the East Midlands club in all competitions, scoring nineteen goals – four of which have come in the first month of this season.
However, he has now been confirmed as a West Ham United player after penning an initial four year deal after a fee of around £7m was agreed between the two clubs.
Antonio began his career with Reading, moving to Hillsbrough initially on loan in February 2012 while he has also had temporary spells with Cheltenham Town, Southampton and Colchester United.
The twenty-five year old, who has been given the number 30 shirt at West…
Manchester City are interested in signing Fabian Ruiz from Napoli, according to .
The report claims that the Premier League champions are actually stepping up their interest by sending scouts to watch the midfielder in Napoli s triumph over RB Salzburg in the Champions League on Wednesday. Likened in style to David Silva, City will soon be in need of a long-term replacement for the Spaniard, and they obviously consider his 23-year-old compatriot as a good candidate to be a future partner to Phil Foden in the middle of the park.
Napoli signed Ruiz from Real Betis in 2018 for €30 million and they certainly won t be parting with with him for a small price, especially if the reports about them being determined to keep him for the long term are to be believed. Quite apart …
Bayern Munich head coach Niko Kovac confirmed that Leon Goretzka will make his second Bundesliga start for the club against former club Schalke on Saturday.
The midfielder, who joined Bayern on a free transfer in June, made his only start of the season so far in a 3-0 win at Stuttgart on September 1.
But Kovac, who left Goretzka out of his squad for the subsequent victory over Bayer Leverkusen and then used him as a late substitute in the Champions League win over Benfica, said the 23-year-old had done enough to earn a start this weekend.
Leon Goretzka is playing well so far, Kovac told reporters.
He has integrated well in the team. I m convinced that he will do well tomorrow and will be in the starting 11.
Against Schalke we want to pick up wh…