Author: bigbanng

Sammy Rowland has been on fire for Hashtag United this season, with her performances drawing comparisons to Manchester City star Erling Haaland. With 11 goals in four matches in the Women’s FA Cup, she is currently leading the race for the tournament’s Golden Ball. The striker will be hoping to continue her goalscoring exploits against Coventry United in the fourth round this afternoon. Hashtag United are flying high at the top of the National League South-East, while Coventry are rock bottom of the Championship. Just 13 league places separate the two teams. The fixture is ripe for an FA Cup upset, and Rowland will…

Real Madrid will mull over signing veteran Brazilian forward Robert Firmino from Liverpool in the summer transfer window. According to a report by Spanish outlet Defensa Central, Roberto Firmino is the subject of interest from Real Madrid. The reigning La Liga champions are considering signing the Liverpool veteran in the summer transfer window. And a possible deal might be a free transfer, with the 31-year-old in the final six months of his Liverpool contract. Roberto Firmino has been a vital cog in Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool juggernaut. The Brazilian forward arrived at Anfield before the German tactician and reprised different roles under…

If Ten Hag is to lift silverware in his first season as manager, Casemiro will be pivotal to that success. Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag thanks Casemiro as he is substituted off. Photo: AFP “He is really important with all his experience but he is such a smart player and intelligent,” Ten Hag said. “He knows the positions, how to deal with the ball and also he is creative as well and we are really happy with him. He is important for the improvement of the team. “When you see his profile, if you see performances over his last…

Nassr’s Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo (R) gestures during the Saudi Super Cup semi-final football match between Al-Ittihad and Al-Nassr at the King Fahd Stadium in Riyadh on January 26, 2023. — AFP picSunday, 29 Jan 2023 10:37 AM MYT HONG KONG, Jan 29 — Cristiano Ronaldo’s headline-grabbing arrival at Al Nassr on a bumper pay deal captured global attention last month, but in an alternate world the five-time Ballon D’or winner may well have been destined for a move further east. The Portuguese striker’s Saudi Arabia switch following the cancellation of his Manchester United contract has highlighted a shift within…

The Scout looks at the lessons learned over the opening 21 Gameweeks of 2022/23 Fantasy Premier League. Pairing Erling Haaland (£12.2m) with Harry Kane (£11.7m) looks key to having a successful second half to the season. But just how can FPL managers afford them both? Haaland has taken Fantasy by storm in his debut campaign, amassing 169 points. His tally of 25 goals is already more than anyone managed in the entirety of last season. Although Kane has been overshadowed by Haaland, the Tottenham Hotspur star is on course for his best-ever Fantasy campaign. If he continues his current average of 6.7 points per match, Kane will surpass…

Real Madrid were expected to have one of the best defences in world football this season after the club signed Antonio Rudiger on a free transfer in the summer. The German centre-back had been one of the best in the world in the position over his last 18 months at Stamford Bridge under the management of Thomas Tuchel. On the other hand, Los Blancos already had a Champions League-winning duo in Eder Militao and David Alaba. Unfortunately, Rudiger has not been able to replicate his world-class form in a Real Madrid shirt. There have been decent performances here and there,…

After making two loan signings, Manchester United are running out of time to make further additions to their squad in January. Jack Butland became the Red Devils’ first mid-season recruit when he arrived from Crystal Palace, essentially as a replacement for Martin Dubravka, while Wout Weghorst followed the England international to Old Trafford. There could yet be further ins and outs, but some already have eyes on the summer. United look set to strengthen up front, and manager Erik ten Hag will hope they can do so with Champions League football on the horizon. Here are the latest transfer lines ahead of what could well be…

Cristiano Ronaldo had a couple of scoring opportunities during the semi-final game but was unable to take advantage of them. Al-Nassr were eliminated from the Saudi Super Cup after losing to Al-Ittihad 3-1. Romarinho had given Al-Ittihad the lead after just 15 minutes. Cristiano Ronaldo had a clear shot at goal in the first half but could not score. If Ronaldo had not flubbed his lines at that critical juncture, according to manager Rudi Garcia, the result might have been different. “One of the things that changed the course of the match was Cristiano Ronaldo’s missed opportunity in the first…

Man City 1-0 Arsenal (Ake 64′) One of the great joys of the FA Cup is the greater allocation of tickets given to away clubs. In the Etihad’s South Stand, the top two tiers were flecked with red and white in a sea of winter coats. The last time they came to this stadium, Arsenal were three goals and a man down before half-time. Undoubtedly they ventured north to watch this new age, but mainly they did it so they could chant “We are top of the league” at the champions. That was enough to keep them cheerful. Mikel Arteta grasped at a win-win situation. His…

Imanol Alguacil’s Real Sociedad has defied expectations this season and could wrestle its way into the LaLiga title fight on Sunday when it faces Real Madrid. The Basque team was on a winning streak of nine consecutive games before their tight 1-0 defeat at Barcelona on Wednesday in the Copa del Rey quarterfinal. If La Real bounces back strongly at the Santiago Bernabeu, it can tie Real Madrid for second place in the standings on 41 points. LaLiga leader Barcelona travels to Girona for a Catalan derby on Saturday, holding a three-point lead over Madrid. After winning the 2020 Copa…

Manchester United do not want to lose Facundo Pellistri, but the player is in need of some more first-team minutes. That’s according to the South American’s agent, La Salvia, who, while discussing his client’s future recently, admitted that Pellistri is not getting enough game-time at Old Trafford, and therefore, wouldn’t rule out another loan move. Pellistri, 21, joined the Red Devils from Uruguay side Penarol back in 2020 and even though he arrived with a strong reputation, the young attacker has struggled to compete with the club’s senior wingers. Making just one first-team appearance, Pellistri has spent the last two-and-a-half-years…

It’s an individual rivalry that so many spent their formative years watching. Cristiano Ronaldo vs Lionel Messi, the endless playground and office debate that rolled on for so long as each posted more and more ridiculous numbers that had never been seen before. With Messi being 35 years old and Ronaldo being 37, the height of that rivalry is far behind. Many will say that it was put to bed when within a calendar month of each other, Messi lifted the World Cup with Argentina and Ronaldo signed for Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia after having his Manchester United contract…

Micah Richards believes Manchester City are a ‘different’ team with Erling Haaland present but rubbished talk of his former side being worse with the Norwegian. City endured a dismal week that saw them knocked out of the Carabao Cup at Southampton before Saturday’s 2-1 defeat against Manchester United, but managed to round it off with a brilliant 4-2 comeback win at home to Tottenham Hotspur on Thursday – Haaland finding the net in the second half as Pep Guardiola’s side came from 2-0 down. The Manchester derby defeat in particular saw Haaland suppressed inside the borders of the United penalty area, instead dropping deep and trying to link…

Borussia Dortmund manager Edin Terzic has urged Jude Bellingham to “break the mould” and reject the approaches of Real Madrid and Liverpool to stay with the German giants. Bellingham is being courted by Los Blancos and Liverpool, while Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea are also interested in the 19-year-old midfielder. He is very unlikely to leave Dortmund in the January transfer window, but speculation over his future continues to build up ahead of a pivotal summer. The England international is to hold crunch talks with Dortmund ahead of the restart of German football following the winter break. He has reportedly indicated to his employers that he prefers the option of joining Real Madrid over Liverpool, who are ninth in the Premier…

Manchester United star Aaron Wan-Bissaka has a ‘reasonably strong possibility’ of sealing his Old Trafford exit this month, transfer insider Dean Jones has told GiveMeSport. Red Devils boss Erik ten Hag has completed the loan acquisitions of Jack Butland and Wout Weghorst since the January window opened for business, but he could still sanction further incomings and outgoings ahead of the deadline. According to The Sun, Crystal Palace fear they will be priced out of re-signing Wan-Bissaka after he has worked his way back into Manchester United chief ten Hag’s plans in recent weeks. The report suggests the Eagles have been interested in luring the…

Cristiano Ronaldo appeared shocked after being awarded the Man of the Match for his performance in a glamorous Riyadh XI exhibition friendly against Lionel Messi’s PSG. Ronaldo struck a brace in the game but still seemed perplexed when he was presented with a trophy in the post-match ceremony. R The veteran striker was making his long-awaited debut in Saudi Arabia following his free transfer switch to Al-Nassr in December. However, he is yet to play for his new club due to a ban imposed by the English Football Association. Ronaldo instead made his bow as part of a Riyadh XI, a team made up of…

Pep Guardiola’s switch to playing with a recognised No 9 remains a work in progress but the Norwegian was on the scoresheet once more in a stunning comeback victory over Tottenham The great Erling Haaland goal drought spanned 20 days and 333 minutes of football. Almost long enough to watch the entirety of Fawlty Towers and definitely long enough to invite questions if a prolific striker made Manchester City faulty. There was a counter-argument that they were not worse, but that Pep Guardiola was malfunctioning instead, his strange selections hampering City, until the patron saint of midfielders may have become…

Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic has reportedly offered his services to La Liga champions Real Madrid. According to a report from Fichajes, Dusan Vlahovic is unhappy at Serie A club Juventus. And the 22-year-old Serbian international has offered himself to Spanish giants Real Madrid. Carlo Ancelotti could definitely use more depth in the attacking department. And it will be interesting to see if Real Madrid decide to make a move for the Juventus striker at the end of the season. The Italian giants paid €70 million to sign the player from fellow Serie A club Fiorentina. But things have not gone according to plan…

Manchester United’s favourite is Napoli striker Victor Osimhen, according to reports emanating from Italy. That’s according to a report from Italian media outlet Il Mattino who claim the 24-year-old is being courted by six Premier League clubs, including United. Erik ten Hag wants to bring a world-class striker to Old Trafford in the summer transfer window. The Dutchman signed Wout Weghorst earlier this week, but the giant forward is a short-term solution to a long-term problem. And it seems as though the United boss has a plan in place for the summer transfer window. Victor Osimhen is ‘Manchester United’s favourite’ Il Mattino…

Cristiano Ronaldo will make his Saudi Arabia bow against some of the best in the world, but the rest of his stay in the Middle East won’t be like that. Ronaldo’s departure from Manchester United didn’t secure him a move to another European club, even if that’s what he initially wanted to do. He claimed he had offers to carry on his time on the continent but instead ended up moving to Saudi Arabia to sign for Al Nassr, and become the world’s highest paid athlete. Whilst he’s yet to make his debut for the club, he will come up against old foe…

Manchester City worse? Manchester City find themselves in a rare slump under Pep Guardiola following defeats to Southampton and Manchester United. Despite scoring 21 goals in 17 Premier League games, questions are being asked about Erling Haaland and how his presence up front affects City’s approach to games. Is it ridiculous to suggest that such an effective goalscorer can actually make a team worse? Jon Mackenzie takes a look at how City’s super striker maybe isn’t so super in the usual Guardiola system. Source: theathletic.com

The agent of Jude Bellingham has told Real Madrid they have begun discussions with Liverpool over a potential move. Fabrizio Romano has regularly spoken to CaughtOffside via his Substack column regarding Bellingham. Romano has confirmed that there will be a host of clubs interested in signing Bellingham this year, including Liverpool and Real Madrid. It’s set to be a competitive race to sign Bellingham this summer if he becomes available, but former player and journalist Jan Aage Fjortoft has now provided an update on the situation, as seen in the tweet below. It’s unclear whether Bellingham’s team have told Madrid this to…

Wout Weghorst has been spotted adjusting to life in England after his move to Manchester United. The Dutch striker arrived in England last January but only stayed for six months as Burnley were relegated from the Premier League. He then moved to Turkey to join Beşiktaş J.K. on loan for the 2022/23 season. However, Man United came calling just a couple of days ago and then he made the move back to England. It is expected that he will play some part in the Crystal Palace match but whether he starts is yet to be confirmed. The Daily Mail has captured photos of…

When Cristiano Ronaldo’s move to Al Nassr was confirmed, many football fans thought they had seen him mixing it against the elite for the final time. The 2022 World Cup was his final opportunity to impress in front of the world’s cameras — but Portugal crashed out in the quarter-finals and Ronaldo was benched. He has subsequently moved to Saudi Arabia but he has had to wait for his debut. Ronaldo’s first league appearance for Al Nassr is set for Sunday against Ettifaq, but in a twist of fate, his Saudi Arabia bow looks set to come against PSG — the side spearheaded by long-term rival, Lionel Messi.…