Premier League

Subterms

    More stories

    • 175 Shares159 Views

      in Soccer

      Arsenal and Chelsea in five-club transfer battle to land son of ex-Premier League star

      by

      MANCHESTER CITY rookie Kian Breckin is on the hitlist of a host of Premier League clubs.The 19-year-old midfielder is the son of former Nottingham Forest centre-back Ian.
      Kian Breckin is attracting attention from a number of Premier League clubsCredit: Getty
      The likes of Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal, Spurs and Southampton have all watched the midfielder in action.
      However, only a sizable bid could tempt City to sell.
      Breckin has played 21 times in the Premier League 2 for City’s U21s this season.
      He has an impressive return from midfield, scoring seven goals and providing four assists this term.
      Read More in Football
      The teenager first joined City back in 2015.
      He played a key role in helping the club to the U18 Premier League title in 2020-21 and 2021-22.
      The youngster then moved up to City’s Elite Development Squad for the current campaign.
      SunSport exclusively revealed in January that Breckin was attracting interest from Southampton.
      Most read in Football
      BETTING SPECIAL – BEST FOOTBALL BETTING SITES IN THE UK
      Breckin’s dad, Ian, played over 150 times for Forest in a four-year spell at the City ground from 2005 to 2009.
      The former centre-back, 47, also spent time with Rotherham, Chesterfield and Wigan. More

    • 238 Shares199 Views

      in Soccer

      Premier League ‘ready to DITCH Sky Sports and BT Sport and show football in new way in dramatic shake-up’

      by

      THE Premier League are ready to ditch Sky Sports and BT Sport in a huge shake-up to football broadcasting, reports claim. Sky Sports have been at the centre of the Premier League since its inception in 1992 and have helped fuel the huge financial boom that has made England’s top-flight the richest division in the world.
      Sky Sports have dominated the Premier League TV landscape since 1992Credit: Getty
      While BT have become an increasingly bigger player in recent years and boast Champions League football among plenty of other packages.
      But when it comes to domestic football, the broadcasting world could be on the brink of change.
      The Mirror report that the Premier League are prepared to leave behind their traditional broadcasters and show games on their own platform.
      If this change were to happen, it would not be immediate.
      READ MORE IN FOOTBALL
      The current TV deal runs until 2025 after a £5.1bn deal was signed in 2021.
      The Mirror claim that only one more multi-year deal might be signed before the Prem “cut out the middle men”.
      It would be a radical change to broadcasting with fans currently having to fork out on multiple subscriptions to follow all the live games.
      Sky normally show four or five games across a weekend while BT Sport have Saturday’s lunchtime kick-off.
      Most read in Football
      BETTING SPECIAL – BEST FOOTBALL BETTING SITES IN THE UK
      Meanwhile Amazon in recent years have had one or two full rounds of fixtures during the Christmas period where they show every game live.
      Reports have also suggested that channels like Disney and DAZN could try and get involved in Premier League broadcasting.
      Broadcasters still have to fit their scheduling around England’s 3pm blackout and the Premier League would also have to do this unless rule changes were introduced.
      If the league were to take control of the broadcast deal, it would also give them more control over kick-off times.
      Fans have expressed frustration in recent years over asocial kick off times that supporters have had to put up with to satisfy TV schedules.
      And Kevin Miles, chief executive of the Football Supporters Association, said footy followers are also under the cosh over the money paid to watch football on TV.
      BT Sport currently show the Saturday lunchtime Premier League game every weekCredit: Reuters
      He told the Mirror: “There’s no question that supporters are increasingly feeling the financial strain.
      “We’re not untouched by the general cost of living crisis but the more platforms there are, the more subscriptions we have to find.
      “For those fans who want to watch everyone of the club’s televised games the costs are really starting to mount.”
      The reports come as Sky Sports make huge cutbacks on their output with iconic shows like Soccer AM getting the axe.
      Read More on The Sun
      Meanwhile, BT Sport have also been making changes with their Saturday Score programme set to be scrapped.
      The channel is also set to get rebranded next season. More

    • 213 Shares169 Views

      in Soccer

      Huge bonus Chelsea owners paid Marina Granovskaia for helping with takeover revealed as Blues record £1BILLION losses

      by

      MARINA GRANOVSKAIA was paid £35million for helping to facilitate Todd Boehly’s £4.25billion Chelsea takeover last year.Having been a trusted assistant to Roman Abramovich for over a decade, Granovskaia then served as a director at Stamford Bridge under the previous ownership.
      Marina Granovskaia departed Chelsea last summer after facilitating Todd Boehly’s takeoverCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
      Todd Boehly bought Chelsea for £4.25bn last yearCredit: Rex
      She was swiftly moved on by Boehly, departing in June with the American instead taking control of their summer business.
      Chelsea’s accounts at the end of the financial year have revealed that Granovskaia was paid £35m for “services relating to the sale”.
      Former chairman Bruce Buck, who served in the role for 18 years under Abramovich, was paid a portion of a remaining £14m.
      Chelsea’s accounts also confirm that they spent a staggering £368m on new players and staff last summer.
      READ MORE ON CHELSEA
      Despite getting rid of 16 players, the Blues recouped just £22m in sales.
      The West Londoners’ lavish spending saw them record an operating loss of £235m for the 2021-22 season.
      This sees their overall losses reach £1billion – the first Premier League side to ever reach this eye-watering figure.
      Chelsea’s £323m January transfer splurge on the likes of Mykhailo Mudryk and Enzo Fernandez, among others, will appear in their next financial accounts.
      Most read in Football
      FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS – BEST NEW CUSTOMER OFFERS
      Bruce Buck served as Chelsea chairman for 18 yearsCredit: PA
      Their large spending hasn’t translated to success on the pitch this season.
      The Blues sit in 11th place in the Premier League, having sacked both Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter this season.
      They appointed Frank Lampard as caretaker manager until the end of the season earlier this week.
      But the Stamford Bridge favourite couldn’t immediately turn around their fortunes, overseeing a 1-0 defeat at Wolves yesterday.
      Chelsea went out of both domestic cups early, but are still in the Champions League after Potter managed to see off Borussia Dortmund.
      Ahead of Wednesday night’s quarter-final first leg against Real Madrid, Lampard expects his side to be competitive.
      He said at Molineux yesterday: “If you are worried don’t come. The players shouldn’t be.
      “I’m not saying the squad doesn’t have that aggression, it’s just bringing it together. Wednesday will be a completely different game.
      “I’m very happy to be back. We have a huge game waiting for us on Wednesday where everything changes.”
      Frank Lampard returned as Chelsea caretaker boss this weekCredit: Alamy More

    • 200 Shares159 Views

      in Soccer

      PGMOL apologise to Brighton for huge Tottenham blunder as they are ‘robbed’ after FIVE controversial decisions

      by

      THE PGMOL have apologised to Brighton for the third time this season after admitting the match officials and VAR made a mistake in not awarding the Seagulls a penalty against Tottenham.The incident, which was one of five controversial decisions, occurred with the scores level at 1-1 when Kaoru Mitoma was caught by Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg inside the area.
      Brighton controversially had two goals ruled out by VAR during their 2-1 defeat to TottenhamCredit: Not known, clear with picture desk
      It is the third time this season that the PGMOL have apologised to BrightonCredit: Premier League
      Referee Stuart Atwell waved away the Brighton appeals for a penalty and it was quickly looked at by VAR official Michael Salisbury at Stockley Park.
      Referee chief Howard Webb has since been in contact with Brighton and said they should have been awarded a penalty for following the tackle by Hojbjerg on Mitoma.
      The incident was just one of three penalty appeals Roberto De Zerbi’s side had, none of which were awarded in what was a feisty game with both managers sent off following a touchline bust up.
      Brighton were furious with the decision making during the match and demanded an explanation from the PGMOL.
      READ MORE IN FOOTBALL
      De Zerbi’s men had two goals controversially ruled out by VAR with Mitoma penalised for a handball, which on second viewing looks like it hit his shoulder.
      The visitors were then further enraged as Danny Welbeck’s second half strike was ruled out for a handball by Alexis Mac Allister in the build up.
      Clement Lenglet wasn’t punished for what appears to be a handballCredit: bbc match of the day
      Lewis Dunk clearly had his shirt pulled in the box but again no penalty was givenCredit: match of the day
      Alexis Mac Allister was judged to have handled the ball in the build up to Danny Welbeck’s goalCredit: bbc match of the day
      Replays appeared to show the ball may have hit his hip though.
      BETTING SPECIAL – BEST FOOTBALL BETTING SITES IN THE UK
      Former Chelsea striker Chris Sutton branded the penalty incident and the first handball decision as “horrendous.”
      Most read in Premier League
      He said: “Brighton have been robbed this afternoon.
      “At least two horrendous decisions go against Mitoma. [Referees’ chief] Howard Webb will be apologising to them once again, of that I’m sure! Truly awful.”
      Former midfielder Danny Murphy was also critical of the officials.
      Speaking on Match Of The Day he said: “It is beyond belief that those two decisions weren’t given.
      “It is hard to find any logical reason why.
      “As far as I’m concerned it’s just complete incompetence.
      “I feel for (referees chief) Howard Webb to a degree.”
      Alan Shearer, the Premier League’s record scorer, also slammed the officiating.
      Also speaking on Match Of The Day he said: “It should be a clear penalty. De Zerbi I’m sure will be getting an apology at some time in the next 48 hours to say, ‘Sorry, we got that one wrong’.
      Read More on The Sun
      “It’s not good enough, it’s not acceptable.”
      It could prove a costly defeat for Brighton as they drop down to seventh, 10 points off Manchester United in fourth. More

    • 238 Shares99 Views

      in Soccer

      Chelsea fans fear RELEGATION amid horror run of fixtures but say ‘at least we might win in the Championship’

      by

      CHELSEA fans have started to fear that they could be relegated at the end of the season amid the club’s terrible run of form.The Blues suffered a 1-0 defeat to Wolves on Saturday, marking their 11th loss of the campaign.
      Chelsea suffered a 1-0 defeat to Wolves on SaturdayCredit: Alamy
      Fans now fear that the club could be relegatedCredit: Getty
      They now sit 11th in the Premier League table, just 12 points from the relegation zone.
      And some fans are starting to worry that the club could be in danger of dropping down to the Championship.
      One person tweeted: “AS IT STANDS: If Chelsea lose at least 4 of their next 8 & Everton win at least 4 of their next 8 Chelsea could be in the relegation zone.”
      Another added: “This could actually happen.”
      Read More on Chelsea
      A third wrote: “I’m actually scared now…”
      While a fourth joked: “We might win games in the Championship, might do us good.”
      Nottingham Forest are 18th on 27 points and a -30 goal difference, while Chelsea are on 39 points with -2 goal difference.
      But should they not pick up a point in the next four games – and Forest and the six teams above them go on extraordinary runs – the Blues would incredibly find themselves in the bottom three.
      Most read in Football
      BETTING SPECIAL – BEST SPORTS BETTING APPS IN THE UK
      Chelsea still have the likes of Arsenal, Manchester City, Newcastle and Brighton to play this season.
      And their track record against teams in the top six has been poor.
      The Blues have gained just two points from 10 games played against top-six opponents since the start of the campaign.
      And new manager Frank Lampard has hinted that it could take a while to turn things around.
      After Saturday’s defeat to Wolves, the former midfielder said: “It’s a big task managing Chelsea.
      “We know we’re not in a position we want to be in. There’s always a reason for it.
      “I didn’t expect to solve everything in one day. You have to have more aggression in your game, more speed and more competitive duels which go your way.
      “The players need to be aware of that because without that you can’t win games. It was interesting to see anyway, I’m here to help with that. It’s not stinging criticism, I know there’s a lot of talent there.”
      Lampard re-joined Chelsea as caretaker manager earlier this week following the dismissal of Graham Potter. More

    • 238 Shares109 Views

      in Soccer

      Thomas Frank blames Newcastle dark arts for Ivan Toney missing first penalty in almost five years in Brentford defeat

      by

      BRENTFORD boss Thomas Frank is calling for an end to football’s dark arts after Ivan Toney missed his first penalty in almost five years.England international Toney had a 29th minute effort saved by Newcastle keeper Nick Pope before netting a second spot kick just before half-time during his team’s 2-1 defeat.
      A distraught Ivan Toney looks away after his spot-kick failure – his first miss after 22 perfect pens in a rowCredit: Reuters
      And unhappy Frank said: “Every single time we have had a penalty, someone has tried to get inside Ivan’s head and referees need to be aware of that.
      “It wasn’t why he didn’t score today because the law of statistics says that one day he would miss one.
      “But instead of trying to think of a strategy to protect him from the abuse, maybe we should ask where is the sportsmanship?
      “The penalty decision has been made so why not have a man to man duel between the keeper and the striker instead of all that mental stuff?
      READ MORE IN FOOTBALL
      “Today the ball moved just before he took the penalty so maybe there was a bit of doubt that affected him, so it took a lot of mental strength for him to put the second one in the back of the net.”
      Frank was also unhappy with the behaviour of Eddie Howe’s Newcastle assistant Jason Tindall as the visitors claimed all three points with goals from Joelinton and Alexander Isak.
      He said: “Today we were deliberately more active towards the fourth official because we knew that Newcastle have that strategy.
      “Jason Tindall always speaks in the fourth official’s ear throughout the game and we needed to be aware of that.
      Most read in Football
      HOW TO GET FREE BETS ON FOOTBALL
      “Today we went toe-to-toe with Newcastle and did to them what no other team has done this season. We missed a penalty, had a goal disallowed or a marginal offside and could have been 3-0 up at half-time.”
      Newcastle boss Howe said: “Today is a huge moment in our season. We needed incredible character to come back like that and we have proved time and again that we have the energy and fight in us.”
      But he wasn’t happy with substitute Anthony Gordon’s furious reaction to being replaced in the final minute of stoppage time.
      He said: “Anthony is a passionate boy who wants to do well and I have no problem with that. But he needs to control his emotions.
      “He was holding his ankle and we wanted to get the experience of Matt Ricthie on for the final 30 seconds. It was no reflection on Anthony’s performance.” More

    • 175 Shares99 Views

      in Soccer

      Fans love Lisandro Martinez ‘schooling’ Neal Maupay after Everton star confronts Man Utd ‘Butcher’

      by

      LISANDRO MARTINEZ confronted Everton’s Neal Maupay in a moment that Manchester United fans are loving. The Red Devils secured a 2-0 victory over the Toffees as they made it back-to-back wins since last week’s damaging loss at Newcastle.
      Maupay initiates the confrontation but Martinez was happy to get involvedCredit: TikTok / @strettyend
      Referee Michael Oliver had been casting an eye over both teams before Maupay decided to get involvedCredit: TikTok / @strettyend
      The Everton striker was soon into retreat as Martinez coldly stared him downCredit: TikTok / @strettyend

      While the attacking football on display delighted fans, they also seemed equally happy at Martinez once again establishing his authority on the pitch.
      The centre-back, nicknamed “The Butcher”, did no harm to his hardman image as he took issue with Maupay in a clip that is doing the rounds among United fans.
      Referee Michael Oliver called over Martinez and Everton sub Tom Davies in the second-half during a stoppage in the game.
      But Maupay then intervenes and attempts to pull Martinez away.
      READ MORE ON MAN UTD
      The Argentine immediately pushes the striker away and gestures at him dismissively after his rude interaction.
      The Everton man shoves him back but almost immediately appears to recognise his mistake.
      He slowly walks away as Martinez menacingly follows him.
      With his tail between his legs, Maupay retreats further away from Martinez as the pair continue to exchange verbals.
      Most read in Football
      FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS – BEST NEW CUSTOMER OFFERS
      Man United fans were loving the 25-year-old’s ability to strike fear into his opponents.
      One supporter joked: “Maupay didn’t wanna see tomorrow I guess.”
      Another fan, who added an ‘axe’ emoji to their tweet, said: “I was like ‘Licha is the WRONG person to be pushing from this United side.’
      “Licha looked like he honestly wanted to chop Maupay’s head off.”
      And another happy United fan added: “Martinez schooled him.”
      Martinez’s tough-tackling style has seen fans and teammates brand him “The Butcher” at Old Trafford.
      Since his signing last summer, he has formed a fantastic partnership with Raphael Varane despite some initial criticism from pundits that he would not be able to deal with life in the Premier League. More

    • 213 Shares99 Views

      in Soccer

      Man Utd ‘target Brighton pair in sensational double transfer swoop’ but face competition from Premier League rivals

      by

      MANCHESTER UNITED are interested in signing Brighton duo Alexis Mac Allister and Moises Caicedo, according to reports.Erik ten Hag is eager to add to his midfield ranks ahead of the 2023-24 campaign.
      United want to sign Caicedo and Mac AllisterCredit: AFP
      And according to The Telegraph, he believes both Mac Allister and Caicedo would be a perfect fit for the Red Devils.
      United have struggled this season when missing Casemiro and Christian Eriksen in midfield.
      And with loan star Marcel Sabitzer set to return to Bayern Munich this summer, reinforcements will undoubtedly be required to build on the club’s current form.
      However, it will cost a lot to tempt the Brighton duo away from the Amex Stadium.
      Read More on Man Utd
      Caicedo, who was on the verge of joining Arsenal for around £70million in January, recently signed a new contract with the Seagulls.
      His current deal expires in 2027, so United would likely have to pay upwards of £100m if they want to lure him to Old Trafford.
      Mac Allister also comes with a hefty price tag.
      Brighton have valued the World Cup winner at around £70m, but that amount will likely increase with the growing interest in him.
      Most read in Football
      FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS – BEST NEW CUSTOMER OFFERS
      Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal are also keen on signing the Argentina international.
      Mac Allister recently revealed that he would prefer to remain in the Premier League if he did decide to leave Brighton.
      He told Gaston Edul of TyC Sports: “The truth is I don’t have a team in particular where I say they suit my way of playing.
      “I think that here in the Premier League, there are very strong teams, teams who play very well, like Manchester City and Arsenal.
      “Chelsea, I had (Graham) Potter and I know more or less the idea he has for playing football.
      “Manchester United are returning a bit to what they were and Liverpool are having ups and downs but have still got a very important team and coach.
      “If you ask me, I’d like my next step to be in the Premier League.”
      Also on United’s shortlist of midfield targets are West Ham’s Declan Rice and Morocco ace Sofyan Amrabat. More