Everton Women 1-1 Arsenal Women: Hobson breaks WSL record to all but end Gunners´ title hopes

Isabella Hobson came on from the bench to score a record-breaking goal as Everton Women drew 1-1 with Arsenal Women in the WSL.

Arsenal had been hoping to move level on points with second-place Chelsea on Sunday, and were on course to do just that when Alessia Russo scored from close range in the 80th minute.

That opener came after a glut of missed chances from the visitors, who were wasteful throughout at Walton Hall Park.

Russo should have put the game to bed in the third minute of stoppage time, only to blaze over with the goal gaping, and the Gunners were subsequently made to pay.

Arsenal failed to clear their lines from a corner, with Hobson able to rise up and plant a brilliant header into the back of the net, with the 16-year-old becoming the young…

Maracana grand gesture in Pele´s memory revealed by Rio mayor

The road surrounding Rio de Janeiro s world-famous Maracana stadium will be renamed in honour of Pele, city mayor Eduardo Paes announced.

Paes said the road known as the Avenida Radial Oeste – West Radial Avenue – would be named Avenida Pele, and declared it would be confirmed formally by the city on Wednesday.

That led to suggestions the renaming did not go far enough, however, and that the road should instead be titled Avenida Rei Pele – King Pele Avenue.

Paes did not disagree, asking his 691,000 followers: What do you think?

He put the matter to a poll on Twitter. After 13,200 votes on the ongoing poll, some 89.6 per cent of voters preferred it to be named as Avenida Rei Pele.

Muita gente sugerindo que a Radial Oeste passe a se chamar Re…

Barcelona trip to test mentality of Sevilla side who went from Champions League to potential relegat

It wasn t long ago that Sevilla fans were dreaming of actually winning LaLiga for the first time since their only title success in the 1940s.

Sporting director Monchi built the squad and Julen Lopetegui maximised its potential, using a brilliant defence as the platform for a solid and effective team.

Ultimately, Sevilla s form in the final weeks of the 2020-21 season saw their challenge tail off, but they finished just nine points adrift of eventual champions Atletico Madrid.

Essentially going toe-to-toe with three teams whose budgets dwarfed their own was itself an achievement, and the positivity carried through into the 2021-22 campaign.

At the end of matchday 20, second-placed Sevilla were just two points behind Real Madrid and 10 clear of Real Betis i…

Klopp refutes claim his comments on Man City´s ownership were xenophobic

Jurgen Klopp has insisted his comments about Manchester City s ownership were not in any way xenophobic.

Last week, ahead of Liverpool s meeting with the reigning Premier League champions at Anfield – which finished 1-0 to the Reds – Klopp claimed his side were unable to compete with City due to the financial might of their owners, the Abu Dhabi United Group, which bought the club in 2008.

City have gone from Premier League also-rans to a dominant force in English football, having won the title six times since 2012.

Indeed, four of the last five Premier League titles have gone City s way, with Liverpool pushing them hard in two of those seasons as well as winning the top flight themselves in 2020.

Klopp said: There are three clubs in world football w…

Chicago Cubs owners and billionaire Griffin partner to bid for Chelsea

The Chicago Cubs owners, the Ricketts family, and billionaire hedge fund tycoon Ken Griffin have partnered together to launch a bid to buy Chelsea.

Blues owner Roman Abramovich, who has been sanctioned by the United Kingdom government following Russia s invasion of Ukraine, is attempting to sell the Premier League club.

The deadline for bids is expected to be Friday, with a plethora of investors interested – including British billionaire and boyhood Blues fan Nick Candy.

The Ricketts family, who became major shareholders of Major League Baseball s Cubs in 2009, have reportedly combined with American Griffin to form a consortium capable of taking over at Stamford Bridge.

A widely reported statement from the Ricketts family on Wednesday confirmed their …

The Numbers Game: Jesus-less Arsenal hope Nketiah can continue Gunners´ Boxing Day streak against We

It may sound bizarre in practically every way, but the Premier League resumes on Boxing Day following its mid-season World Cup break.

Barely eight days on from the World Cup final in Qatar, England s top flight returns with no one able to afford a sluggish resumption.

Of course, much has changed since Premier League teams were last in action in early November, and in one respect nowhere is that truer than at Arsenal.

Although top of the table, the Gunners are now without the man that many felt was key in transforming their fortunes this season, with Gabriel Jesus facing a significant spell on the sidelines due to injury.

Their season resumes at home to West Ham on Monday, with all eyes on how well they adapt without the Brazilian.

Let’s crack o…

Pedro Neto out ´to make history´ at new club Chelsea

Pedro Neto has declared he wants to make history at Chelsea after completing his move from fellow Premier League side Wolves.

The Portugal international joined Chelsea in a £51.4million deal on Sunday, becoming the Blues ninth senior signing of the transfer window.

Neto was paraded to supporters at Stamford Bridge at half-time of the 1-1 pre-season friendly with Inter later the same day.

And the 24-year-old is raring to make his mark at Chelsea after bringing an end to his five-year stay with Wolves.

It s a big club, with big ambitions, he told the club s official website. I know the history the club has.

I m really looking forward to meeting my teammates, meeting the staff, and meeting everyone else, because I want to make history with the cl…

Prediction: Fulham vs Liverpool

Best Odds: 4/11

Bookmaker:

Looking to open the 2022/23 campaign with a flurry on Saturday lunchtime, Liverpool will make the trip to Premier League returners Fulham.

Fulham

Starting with the hosts, while Fulham might have cruised their way back to the Premier League last season, many are expecting a tough top-flight return for Marco Silva s men. Signing off their pre-season preparations with a 1-1 draw against Spanish outfit Villarreal, the ex-Everton boss did see his squad show some signs of a struggle when signing off the 2021/22 Championship campaign. Including a final day 4-0 drumming away at Sheffield United, the Cottagers won just a pair of their last seven second-tier outings. However, despite being tipped as a landslide underdog on Saturday lunchtime, t…

Terzic: Dortmund ´closer than ever´ to Bundesliga glory

Edin Terzic wants his Borussia Dortmund players to capitalise on their position in the Bundesliga title race, saying they are closer than ever .

Since Dortmund claimed two successive league titles between 2010 and 2012, rivals Bayern Munich have dominated, lifting the trophy for 10 straight campaigns.

However, an excellent run of form since the start of 2023 in which they have lost just one Bundesliga game, against Bayern, means Dortmund sit just two points behind the Bavarian side with six matches to play.

With a real chance of finally ending Bayern s string of titles, Terzic hopes his team can take advantage, telling reporters ahead of Saturday s game against Eintracht Frankfurt: We re closer than ever to the championship trophy, and we don t want to miss this …

Los Angeles FC confirm departure of Fall to Barcelona

Mamadou Fall has completed a permanent transfer to Barcelona from Los Angeles FC, the MLS club confirmed on Monday.

Fall initially joined the 27-time La Liga champions on loan last season, making 22 appearances for Barcelona Atletic, who play in the third tier of the Spanish league system.

The 21-year-old spent the previous campaign on loan with Villarreal s B team but made his name with the Black and Gold in the MLS.

Fall arrived from Senegal to join the Montverde Academy as part of Sport4Charity, an organisation run by former Senegal international footballer Salif Diao.

He signed a two-year contract with LAFC in 2021 and would go on to make 42 appearances in all competitions, registering six goals and one assist in that time.

Barcelona s cap…