Arsenal boss Arteta on Brentford defeat: We weren´t good enough to beat them

Mikel Arteta was left concerned by Arsenal s lack of a cutting edge after they started the new Premier League season with a disappointing 2-0 defeat away at Brentford.

The Gunners had 22 shots but managed to get just four on target on Friday, though their cause was not aided by the absences of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette due to illness.

Folarin Balogun was handed a first league start but was substituted after 59 minutes, by which time Arsenal were already behind following Sergi Canos first-half opener.

Worryingly, Arteta saw his team then concede a second from a long throw, Christian Norgaard heading in to seal a famous result for Brentford. In contrast, Arsenal have much to work on ahead of a home game against Chelsea next.

It s v…

James Rodriguez targeting silverware at Everton

James Rodriguez says he was attracted to Everton by their ambition to win trophies and is aiming to help end the club s long wait for silverware.

The 29-year-old completed a surprise switch to Goodison Park on Monday for a reported fee of  £20million (€22.4m) after falling out of favour at Real Madrid.

He has won an array of team and individual honours, including two Champions Leagues, and was one of the stars of the 2014 World Cup as Colombia reached the quarter-finals.

That is in stark contrast to Everton s recent exploits, the Merseyside club having gone 25 years since beating Manchester United in the FA Cup final for their last major trophy.

However, with midfield pair Abdoulaye Doucoure and Allan also being brought in for a reported £42m, James …

Vieira sacked by relegation-threatened Crystal Palace

Patrick Vieira has been sacked as Crystal Palace manager after overseeing a dire 11-game winless run in the Premier League, which has left the Eagles fighting to avoid relegation.

Palace sit 12th in the Premier League table but are just three points clear of the bottom three following Wednesday s 1-0 loss to rivals Brighton and Hove Albion.

The Eagles are without a Premier League win since New Year s Eve and recently became the first team since records began (in 2003-04) to go three successive games in the competition without having a shot on target.

Club chairman Steve Parish said: It is with enormous regret that this difficult decision has been made.

Ultimately, results in recent months have placed us in a precarious league position and we felt a chan…

Southgate should step down from England role after World Cup, claims Carragher

Gareth Southgate should leave his role as England manager with his head held high after the World Cup, according to Jamie Carragher, who says the Three Lions have overachieved during his reign.

Southgate has led England to at least the semi-finals in consecutive major tournaments, becoming the only boss to do so since Alf Ramsey (World Cup winners in 1966, Euro 1968 semi-finalists).

However, he has faced heavy criticism since he oversaw England s relegation from the top tier of the Nations League in September, and was jeered by supporters following a defeat in Italy.

While Southgate signed a contract extension to run until the end of Euro 2024 last year, Carragher believes he should call time on his tenure after the trip to Qatar, but says he has earnt the righ…

Prediction: Liverpool vs Fulham

Best Odds: 4/5

Bookmaker:

Looking to extend on their Anfield purple patch this weekend, Liverpool will welcome Fulham to Merseyside on Sunday afternoon.

Liverpool

Starting with the hosts, eventually cruising their way to the Europa League knockout stage earlier in the week as they secured a 4-0 victory against Austrian outfit LASK, Jurgen Klopp’s side have continued to shine since opening up the 2023/24 campaign. With some around Anfield starting to believe that their side could mount a genuine Premier League title charge this season, the former Borussia Dortmund boss will be calling on his superstar squad to make another domestic statement here. Marking their return from November’s international break with a late 1-1 draw away at defending champions Manche…

Liverpool buy back their former Melwood training ground for women’s team to use

Liverpool have bought back their former Melwood training ground for their women’s team to use.

The men’s first team vacated the site in West Derby in the city in November 2020 for a new build at their existing academy base in Kirkby.

Amid local protests, proposals were in place for the land to be turned into a modern, multi-generational housing complex by affordable housing group Torus but after the Robbie Fowler-Jamie Carragher academy moved in plans started to change, which has ultimately resulted in the club re-purchasing their former home.

As part of the move, the crest of the LFC Women’s team, which has previously trained at Tranmere’s base on the Wirral, will move to the official club crest to closer align the two operations.

We are once aga…

Ferguson convinced me to take up management – Milosevic´s road to Partizan

Joint-top goalscorer at Euro 2000 alongside Patrick Kluivert as the former republic of Yugoslavia reached the quarter-finals, it is Milosevic s first foray into management, however the ex-Aston Villa and Parma striker feels ready.

It s not new for me, he added.  I was partially doing that job in the past six, seven years working in the FA of Serbia. Then I started to work with UEFA s technical observer group, analysing the European high-level football. I was preparing myself for this.

I completed my UEFA license recently, which is one important part of education. When you put my experience as a player, it s not too complicated for me.

Of course, there s things I have to learn and learn quick. That s what I m trying to do now. But it was important that I start…

Arsenal linked with Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak

Arsenal are interested in signing Alexander Isak from Premier League rivals Newcastle United in the January transfer window, according to . The report has claimed that the Gunners are expressing a desire to secure the services of the Sweden international. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta and Sporting Director Edu are huge admirers of the 24-year-old.

Isak has been on the books of Newcastle since the summer of 2022 when he joined from Real Sociedad. The Sweden international striker has had injury problems during his time at the Magpies, but when fit and available, he has been influential. Isak has scored 19 goals and given one assist in 37 appearances in the Premier League so far in his career.

Arsenal are fourth in the Premier League table at the moment with 40 points from …

Prediction: Ireland vs Greece

Best odds: 8/5

Bookmaker:

Ireland will be looking to bounce back quickly after their disappointing performance against England when they host Greece at the Aviva Stadium in their second UEFA Nations League fixture.

Heimir Hallgrimsson s tenure as head coach began on a tough note, with Ireland being comprehensively beaten by their rivals, leaving them at the bottom of Group B2.

Ireland

Ireland started their Nations League campaign in a truly disappointing fashion, losing to their neighbours across the sea in what was their first competitive clash in over 30 years. They lost 0-2, and to make matters worse, two England players who are extremely unpopular in Dublin scored the goals; Declan Rice, who played for Ireland in friendly matches before switching al…

Tottenham standing firm on Harry Kane amid interest from Bayern Munich

Tottenham have no intention of selling Harry Kane this summer, the PA news agency understands.

The club’s record goal-scorer is approaching the final 12 months of his contract and reports on Tuesday indicated Bayern Munich had bid 70million euros plus add-ons for the England captain.

PA understands Spurs have not received an official offer from the Bundesliga champions and any bid would be immediately rejected.

Tottenham’s stance on Kane remains consistent with the last few transfer windows despite continued interest in the 29-year-old, who was heavily linked with a move to Manchester City in 2021.

Kane subsequently stayed with his boyhood team and broke the club’s all-time scoring record in February with the winner against Pep Guardiola’s side.