Championship

Subterms

    More stories

    • 213 Shares159 Views

      in Soccer

      Watford star Imran Louza charged with SPITTING at Swansea’s Ryan Manning by FA and faces six-game ban

      by

      WATFORD midfielder Imran Louza has been charged with spitting at Swansea’s Ryan Manning during their Championship clash last week.The 23-year-old Moroccan international could face a six-game ban as punishment for the offence.
      Watford star Louza could be banned for up to six gamesCredit: Rex
      Louza came on 11 minutes into the second half of the second tier clash at home to Swansea on Wednesday evening.
      And the alleged incident is thought to have occurred during the lengthy stoppage time at the end of the game.
      More than 20 minutes of added time were played due to a delay caused by a problem with the officials’ equipment.
      With Watford trailing 2-1 in the dying moments, they had an appeal for a penalty denied which led tempers to flare.
      READ MORE CHAMPIONSHIP NEWS
      It is believed that it was then where Swansea’s players claimed Louza spat at Manning.
      And the FA have now released a statement following the incident.
      It read: “Watford FC’s Imran Louza has been charged with a breach of FA Rule E1.1 following their EFL Championship game against Swansea City FC on Wednesday 5 October 2022.
      “It is alleged that the midfielder spat at an opposing player towards the end of this fixture, and he has until Thursday 13 October 2022 to provide a response.”
      Most read in Championship
      HOW TO GET FREE BETS ON FOOTBALL
      Watford have been in poor form in recent weeks – with manager Rob Edwards sacked at the end of last month and replaced by Slaven Bilic.
      They have won just one of their last six games and endured a second successive defeat away at Blackpool on Saturday.
      As a result, Watford sit 12th in the Championship table, four points adrift of the play-offs and six points above the relegation zone. More

    • 250 Shares139 Views

      in Soccer

      Man Utd star Amad Diallo forced to play for Sunderland Under-21s as £37m winger struggles to make impact on loan

      by

      MANCHESTER UNITED loanee Amad Diallo was in action for Sunderland Under-21s last night as his loan struggles continued.The Ivorian joined the Red Devils from Atalanta for £37million in January 2021 but is yet to make an impact.
      Amad Diallo is yet to make an impact at SunderlandCredit: Rex
      Amad, 20, signed a one-year loan deal with Sunderland on transfer deadline day.
      But he has since managed just one start and five substitute appearances for Tony Mowbray’s side – and is yet to register a goal or an assist.
      In a bid to get Amad more match sharp, the Black Cats dropped him down to their Under-21s side for last night’s PL2 clash with Leeds United.
      But it didn’t seem to do the trick, with the Whites running out 1-0 winners, despite Amad playing the full 90 minutes.
      READ MORE ON MAN UTD
      The winning goal was scored by Wilfried Gnonto – who is a six-cap Italy international but curiously hasn’t cracked Leeds’ first-team yet.
      Amad also had a somewhat underwhelming spell on loan at Rangers during the second half of last season.
      He wasn’t used at all by boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst in their incredible run to the Europa League final.
      Overall he managed 13 appearances for Rangers, scoring three times.
      Most read in Football
      FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS – BEST NEW CUSTOMER OFFERS
      After returning from Scotland, Amad did travel on Man United’s pre-season tour of Thailand and Australia, having the chance to impress Erik ten Hag.
      He also scored in the Old Trafford friendly 1-1 draw with Rayo Vallecano.
      Amad has made nine competitive appearances in total for the Red Devils, scoring once.
      His latest loan spell has some United fans concerned.
      One wrote on social media: “If Amad doesn’t score here then I’m finished.”
      Another added: “Amad Diallo playing for Sunderland academy Wtf.”
      He needs to find a better end productTony MowbraySunderland Manager
      Asked about Amad last week, Black Cats boss Mowbray said: “He’s just a young boy really, but he’s supremely talented.
      “To see his touch, and see how fast and direct he is, it’s a lovely thing to watch on the training pitch.
      “You see how talented he is, and you can see why he’s at Man United, but you can also understand why he’s out on loan, to develop the core materials you need to be a competitive footballer.
      “He needs to find a better end product. He has all this soft, lovely feet and brilliant skills, but he needs to shoot when he gets in the box.
      “When he sees the goal, he needs to shoot, and he needs to add goals and assists to his name.
      “It’s not enough just to be a lovely footballer who can dribble and go past people, but never have an end product.
      “That’s the message, yet it’s not a simple one.
      Read More on The Sun
      “You have to keep repeating it to him all the time – we have to drill into him that we want him to shoot and get in the box.
      “Can he score a scruffy goal, can he get a rebound off the goalie? We have to get him into those positions, but when it all clicks for him, he’s going to be some footballer because he’s got every attribute you want.”
      Amad, 20, scored for Man United in pre seasonCredit: Reuters
      The Ivorian spent the second half of last season at RangersCredit: Willie Vass More

    • 263 Shares149 Views

      in Soccer

      Fans all say the same thing as Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa play out bore draw to remain in relegation trouble

      by

      MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL fans were all saying the same thing after watching Nottingham Forest’s draw with Aston Villa.Emmanuel Dennis gave the hosts the dream start after quarter of an hour as he headed home Morgan Gibbs-White’s free-kick.
      Viewers were quick to slam the quality on display in Forest’s draw with Aston VillaCredit: Rex
      But a rocket from Ashley Young just seven minutes later from 25 yards levelled the scores.
      Despite the exciting start, the match soon dipped and eventually ended with Forest being held by Villa to a 1-1 draw.
      And those that tuned into Sky Sports to watch the action were soon taking to Twitter afterwards to slam the quality that they had seen.
      READ MORE FOREST NEWS
      One viewer wrote: “Nobody can convince me that Forest Villa game wasn’t a Championship play off semi-final, first leg. Just awful football teams.”
      Another tweeted: “That Forest Villa game was Championship standard at the absolute most!”
      A fellow fan commented: “Villa vs Forest was a championship game.”
      And another said: “Truly awful standard Forest v Villa poor Championship standard tbf.”
      However, a fellow fan claimed: “Villa and Forest are so bad, it’s disrespectful to even call them Championship level.”
      Most read in Football
      HOW TO GET FREE BETS ON FOOTBALL
      The result ended a run of five consecutive defeats for Steve Cooper’s side.
      Forest have now moved up to 19th in the Premier League table, a point above Leicester.
      They sit four behind Steven Gerrard’s Villa who remain 16th. More

    • 200 Shares199 Views

      in Soccer

      Norwich keen on Leeds centre-back Charlie Cresswell after making checks on star during Millwall loan transfer

      by

      NORWICH CITY are checking on Leeds centre-half Charlie Cresswell during his loan spell at Millwall.The Canaries are keen on the powerful defender, who has dropped to the Championship for game time.
      Norwich are monitoring Charlie Cresswell with a view to signing the centre-backCredit: Getty
      Cresswell, 20, is still part of plans at Leeds but Norwich are hanging around in case that changes in the long term.
      The centre-back made his Premier League debut against West Ham last season and went on to make four more top-flight appearances.
      But his last game came in March and Jesse Marsch allowed him to join Millwall – he has also represented England Under-21s on six occasions.
      The Lions have had a difficult start to the season with just five wins in 13 games.
      READ MORE IN FOOTBALL
      But on an individual basis Cresswell has performed well and even proved a matchwinner at times.
      He has three goals in nine league games though has only helped his side keep two clean sheets.
      Marsch will be pleased he is getting regular game time after admitting he “needs to play”.
      But with Norwich battling for promotion Cresswell would not be guaranteed game time at Carrow Road.
      Most read in Football
      HOW TO GET FREE BETS ON FOOTBALL
      As a result, Marsch and Leeds may be unwilling to unsettle the youngster by terminating his loan at Millwall.
      The Leeds boss said of Cresswell: “Personality is not afraid of anything. Even the first session we had he was the loudest player on the pitch. Does not shy away. He needs to play.” More

    • 263 Shares149 Views

      in Soccer

      Wigan face FA rap after taking on Cardiff with one goal BIGGER than the other as EFL demand answers following clash

      by

      CARDIFF’S 3-1 Championship victory at Wigan faces an FA probe after it was played with one goal BIGGER than the other.Bluebirds caretaker boss Mark Hudson revealed two of his coaching staff spotted one crossbar was TWO INCHES taller than the permitted eight feet.
      One of the DW’s goals was not regulation heightCredit: Rex
      Cardiff twice scored into the dodgy goalCredit: Rex
      But Hudson claimed referee James Bell insisted it would take “two hours” to investigate the problem so the match took place with different-sized goals.
      To add to the farce, Cardiff’s third goal – scored by Ryan Wintle – went in off the underside of the taller crossbar at the North End of the Latics’ DW Stadium.
      Wigan boss Leam Richardson said: “It just summed our day up – if he’d had the free kick at the other end, it would have bounced off the crossbar and not into the goal.”
      The EFL confirmed to SunSport that goal-line technology was recalibrated before kick-off, but FA Law 1, regarding the field of play, stipulates goals must by eight foot tall by eight yards wide.
      READ MORE EFL NEWS
      Furthermore, the rules state that if a crossbar becomes displaced or broken, play must be stopped until it is replaced in position – and if it cannot “the match must be abandoned.”
      Yesterday’s game – which was delayed for just seven minutes over the crossbar issue – also raises questions over the integrity of the Championship as two of Cardiff’s three strikes were scored in the illegal goal.
      Hudson declared: “Two of my coaching staff spotted the problem, which we tried to flag straight away.
      “We were told by the ref that it would take two hours to investigate, but we just wanted to continue.
      Most read in Football
      HOW TO GET FREE BETS ON FOOTBALL
      “I did ask if we could just use the one goal for the whole game!”
      Rugby League side Wigan Warriors also play at the DW Stadium, but they have not hosted a home game since mid-September.
      The goals are dismantled by Wigan ground staff at the end of every game and then erected prior to the next match.
      The Professional Game Match Officials Board, the body responsible for match officials in the Prem and EFL, were contacted for comment.
      SunSport understands the decision to go ahead with the game came after match and club officials agreed to play as fans were already in the stadium.
      Read More on The Sun
      EFL regulations require match officials to ensure the Laws of the Game are adhered to.
      And the EFL will now write to home club Wigan, demanding answers, after believing the issue had been resolved prior to kick-off. More

    • 200 Shares179 Views

      in Soccer

      Phil Jagielka, 40, scores and assists for Stoke against former club Sheff Utd sending fans wild

      by

      PHIL JAGIELKA sent fans wild as he scored and assisted for Stoke against former club Sheffield United this afternoon.The ex-England ace is still going strong in the second tier aged 40-years-young.
      Phil Jagielka heads home Stoke’s second of the afternoonCredit: Alamy
      The 40-year-old is congratulated by his team-matesCredit: Reuters
      Jagielka was making just his fourth league appearance of the season as he lined up against his old team.
      And he didn’t miss a beat, setting up his defensive partner Ben Wilmot to score just four minutes into the match.
      The table-topping Blades levelled via ex-Liverpool kid Rhian Brewster on 28 minutes… only for Jagielka to produce another moment of magic.
      On the stroke of half-time he expertly headed home a corner to reclaim the Potters’ lead at the Bet365 Stadium.
      READ MORE IN FOOTBALL
      Fans online loved seeing the 40-cap former Three Lion rolling back the years.
      One wrote: “Give Jagielka’s back a break from carrying your club.”
      A second tweeted: “40 year old Phil Jagielka is playing at Stoke. He’s scored today. What a guy.”
      Another added: “Jagielka with an assist and a goal at 40 #classispermanent.”
      Most read in Football
      HOW TO GET FREE BETS ON FOOTBALL
      Not everyone was quite as thrilled, however, as one social media user fumed: “A 40 year old Phil Jagielka is about to ruin my accumulator I honestly cannot be a**ed.”
      Stoke went on to add a third, with club hero Rory Delap’s son Liam, on loan from Manchester City, getting in on the act in stoppage time.
      The 3-1 win saw Alex Neil’s side rise to 15th, while Sheffield United remain top of the Championship on goal difference.
      Liam Delap celebrates scoring Stoke’s thirdCredit: Getty More

    • 250 Shares109 Views

      in Soccer

      Burnley winger Manuel Benson knows what it takes to beat Championship bullies as he has already done it in BASKETBALL

      by

      MANUEL BENSON knows what it takes to beat the Championship bullies because he has already done it in BASKETBALL.Burnley’s new Belgian winger was given a warm welcome to English football by Watford’s Hassane Kamara hacking him down three times in the opening 10 minutes of his debut at Vicarage Road.
      Manuel Benson is working on beating the Championship bully boys
      Burnley ace Manuel Benson has been a target for some meaty challenges
      And ever since he has been a constant target for opponents who keep trying to take lumps out of him in a bid to stop his attacking prowess.
      But Benson, 25, signed from Royal Antwerp, knows it comes with the territory of playing in the second tier — where defenders are safe from VAR scrutiny and referees let a lot more tackles go than they do in the Premier League or Europe.
      However the Belgian insists he must be smart like he is with the brown ball.
      He said: “I love basketball and enjoy playing with friends. I’m not the tallest or most powerful on court and, just like here in the Championship, they keep fouling me.
      READ MORE EFL NEWS
      “I learned to be smarter and get some distance because they’re all so tall. I found ways around it — and will do exactly the same in football.”
      Benson is lucky to have two fantastic tutors in how to beat the bully boys.
      His Clarets boss Vincent Kompany was of course a world-class centre-half at Manchester City who would lick his lips at the prospect of giving a player of Benson’s size some rough-house treatment.
      And assistant-manager Craig Bellamy was also an attacking player that was not the biggest but certainly made a living out of out-foxing centre-halves.
      Most read in Championship
      FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS – BEST NEW CUSTOMER OFFERS
      The pair have even put on training games where they have instructed defenders to mete out some tough treatment to the Belgian.
      Benson said: “We’ve been working on it because it’s something I must adapt to.
      “It’s tough because there is no VAR so everything is based on the referee’s decision. It’s something that comes with football and I must learn to be smarter.
      “Craig Bellamy has been giving me a lot of help. He has told me to be one step ahead of the defenders and don’t let them get even close to making the tackle.
      “You can leave space between you and the defender but, because of the way I play, I sometimes like to be close to the defender so you just have to accept this is part of football.
      “We’ve been working hard on it in training and some of the guys have been fouling me. With lots of practice, I can implement what I learn in both training and games.
      “In that first game at Watford I thought surely it’ll ease off but it didn’t happen. I got distracted a little because of it but each week and game that passes, I’m getting smarter.”
      Benson admits that some of the tackles he sees are “scary” and “dangerous”.
      He said: “Most times defenders don’t want to go for a foul. They’re just going for the ball and trying to be smart. But as an attacking player, you always feel more at a disadvantage because you move a little bit faster and when the challenge comes in, it can be quite scary sometimes. It can be dangerous. 
      “Because we tend to be quicker on balls and move to situations when the challenge comes in, we must think sometimes to hold a bit in.
      [embedded content]
      Manuel Benson is enjoying life at Burnley since moving from Royal Antwerp
      Manuel Benson with our man Justin Allen at Burnley’s training ground
      “Maybe, because there is no VAR, defenders can afford to be a bit more ruthless.
      “I don’t want to complain though. I’ll keep working on being smarter and hopefully the referees will eventually see the clear fouls.”
      But the fact that having no VAR in the Championship is not to Benson’s advantage, he is glad that the EFL have not introduced it.
      He said: “For me, it’s not necessary because I like the atmosphere it brings to the stadium. It’s better for the game that decisions can be made in a split second. 
      “I’m more old-school and like how football used to be. I’m not waving my hands about complaining. I must adapt.”
      Benson revealed he religiously watched Match of the Day back home and Burnley were a team he tuned into because  ex-Belgium international Steve Defour used to strut his stuff at Turf Moor.
      Although, the winger concedes, he probably would not have joined the club under former boss Sean Dyche — must preferring the dominant possession-based game that Kompany has implemented at the club.
      He said: “There were too many long balls and for me that’s not really football. It’s not something I’d enjoy. 
      “When I was at Antwerp, it was all about going deep and playing the long ball. I had to adapt to that but couldn’t reach my best level.”
      The winger caught Kompany’s eye when they played against each other in 2019. The City legend was in the last season of his playing career for Anderlecht and Benson came on as a 55th-minute sub for Antwerp in a 0-0 draw.
      And when Kompany was managing Antwerp last season, Benson caught his eye again with two good performances.
      The Burnley ace said: “I hurt him a few times but they also did beat us in one of the games. It’s great when someone like him remembers you and when he called me to come here my mind was made up.
      “First, Vincent was someone I would watch play for the national team and City. Everyone knows he was a world-class defender. Also he is Belgian and I’ve admired his transition to a coach.
      “He’s a young manager who, because he hasn’t been out of playing for so long, still has a strong feeling for the game. Although he is the manager, he communicates calmly and it never feels as though when he speaks that it’s coming from so high up. It all feels like he is level with us and that’s really nice.
      “This is an important time in my career. I want to progress. I want to play in the Premier League and still have ambitions to play for Belgium, even if it takes until I am 32 to get there!”
      Read More on The Sun
      Benson has revealed that apart from Turf Moor, the only place he has visited so far in Burnley is Tesco.
      He said: “I’ve been to Manchester, which is nice, and in Burnley only Tesco. I haven’t got a car at the moment so that has made travelling around a bit more difficult but I am just about to move into a place and my mum and fiancee will be joining me soon. So hopefully I can see more soon.” More

    • 213 Shares169 Views

      in Soccer

      Man Utd legend Michael Carrick wanted by Middlesbrough as Championship strugglers line up replacement for Chris Wilder

      by

      MIDDLESBROUGH want to hold talks with Manchester United legend Michael Carrick over becoming their new manager.The Championship club sacked Chris Wilder on Monday after a dismal start to the campaign left them in the bottom three.
      Middlesbrough want talks with Michael Carrick over their vacant manager’s jobCredit: EPA
      Leo Percovich, a coach at the club under Aitor Karanka, Jonathan Woodgate, Neil Warnock and then Wilder, was placed in temporary charge following Wilder’s dismissal.
      He guided Boro to a 1-0 win over Birmingham on Wednesday and the 54-year-old Uruguayan will be in charge for the trip to Millwall on Saturday while the search for a new boss continues.
      And one of those that chairman Steve Gibson is keen to speak to is ex-United captain Carrick.
      The 41-year-old is from the North East and is currently out of work.
      READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWS
      Former England international Carrick, who won the Premier League five times and the Champions League during his Old Trafford playing career, initially joined the club’s coaching staff under Jose Mourinho.
      He was then part of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s backroom team before then getting a brief taste of management himself after the Norwegian was axed in November 2021.
      Newcastle-born Carrick had a three-game stint as caretaker and led United to two wins and a draw against Chelsea but left after Ralf Rangnick’s arrival.
      He has already revealed his management ambitions and has now appeared on Boro’s radar for the job.
      Most read in Championship
      JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET A FREE £10 BONUS WITH 100s OF GAMES TO PLAY AND NO DEPOSIT REQUIRED (Ts&Cs apply)
      Former Watford manager Rob Edwards, who was sacked by the Hornets after just 10 games this season, is another name in the running.
      He guided Forest League to League Two promotion last term before departing to the Hornets.
      And Carlos Corberan, who quit Huddersfield Town just weeks before this season, is another candidate.
      The Spaniard guided the Terriers to the brink of Premier League football, only to lose the play-off final to Nottingham Forest. More