Arne Slot got off to a winning start at Liverpool as the Reds kick-started their 2024-25 Premier League campaign with a 2-0 defeat of Ipswich Town.
Ipswich impressed in flashes in their first Premier League match since 2002, but Liverpool ultimately had too much as the Slot era began with a comfortable triumph at Portman Road.
Their goals came in quick succession – Diogo Jota opening the scoring on the hour with a composed close-range finish.
Having supplied the assist for Liverpool’s opener, Mohamed Salah got in on the act himself in the 65th minute, and Slot’s side showed no sign of slipping up from there.
Jota had squandered a golden chance just before putting Liverpool ahead, though the Reds were arguably second-best for much of the first half.<…
Memphis Depay will not be joining Inter from Barcelona in the January window, his lawyer has said.
The Netherlands striker is expected to leave Barca this month, with Inter among the clubs reported to be keen to sign him.
Following Barcelona s signing of Robert Lewandowski, Depay has found first-team opportunities difficult to come by – making just two starts in LaLiga this season.
Depay s lawyer Sebastian Ledure has denied that the 28-year-old, also linked with the likes of Atletico Madrid, could be on his way to San Siro.
There are no negotiations ongoing for Memphis to join Inter, he told Fabrizio Romano.
I can deny all these links, it s not a possibility that we are discussing.
The former Lyon and Manchester United forward joined …
Manchester City have completed the signing of defender Manuel Akanji from Borussia Dortmund for a reported fee of £15.1million (€17.4m)
The Switzerland international has put pen to paper on a five-year deal for the Premier League champions, and will wear the number 25 shirt at the Etihad Stadium.
Akanji will provide further competition for a place in the heart of Pep Guardiola s defence, with Aymeric Laporte and Nathan Ake injured.
The 27-year-old, who was into the final year of his contract at Signal Iduna Park, is the second player to swap Dortmund for City during this window after Erling Haaland, alongside whom he won the German Cup in 2021.
Akanji played 158 times for BVB across all competitions after arriving from Basel in 2018, scoring four …
Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 26th goal of the season as Al-Nassr swept aside rivals Al-Shabab to reach the semi-finals of the Saudi King Cup.
Ronaldo netted his side’s fourth in a 5-2 win with 16 minutes of the match remaining.
The breakthrough took his goal tally for the calendar year to 50.
Into semi-final
— AlNassr FC (@AlNassrFC_EN)
Former Liverpool striker Sadio Mane was also on target for Al-Nassr, who are hunting for their first King Cup win since 1990.
Qualification for next year’s AFC Champions League would be assured were they to achieve it.
…
Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting has signed a one-year contract extension with Bayern Munich.
The 33-year-old has excelled this season, scoring 15 goals in 24 matches to stand as the team s joint-top scorer alongside Jamal Musiala.
Cameroon international Choupo-Moting s reward is another year in Munich, with his fresh deal due to expire in June 2024.
I m super happy to be staying longer and continuing to have lots of fun with the club. I feel very much at home here, he told the club s website.
My family also feel at home in Munich. That s a very important point for me. I m obviously pleased I can help the team so much. I get on really well with the guys, we work hard on our goals.
The competition is big, but when you want to be among the best, that s p…
Barcelona head coach Xavi admits he must be self-critical about his side s recent drop in quality, but insists they will see the positives after victory over Celta Vigo.
A poached first-half finish from Pedri was enough for a 1-0 win for the Blaugrana to extend their winning run in LaLiga to seven consecutive games and take them back to the summit on goal difference ahead of Real Madrid.
Yet between their latest result and a similar narrow triumph against Mallorca, Barca appear to be fading away from their early bullish intensity, with a loss to Inter in the Champions League further compounding matters.
Speaking afterwards, Xavi acknowledged he was less than satisfied with his team s latest drop in temperament, but still highlighted the vitality of their ability …
Italian news outlet Premium Sport reports the experienced Italian striker Marco Borriello is nearing Inter Milan summer swoop.
The 36-year-old forward could make a return to the city of Milano where he already enjoyed two stints with AC Milan from 2002 – 2007 and from 2008 – 2010.
Nerazzurri are thought to have already approached the veteran forward who would be joining Inter Milan as a free agent after ending his contract with SPAL. Borriello joined the Italian minnows in 2017 but only managed 15 league games, during which time he scored just one goal.
Having sold Eder to Jiangsu Suning earlier in July, Inter Milan are looking for reinforcements in attack and have decided to go for Borriello whose vast experience is expected to be a valuable asset for Neraz…
Former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson has died at the age of 76 after being diagnosed with cancer.
Eriksson, who led England between 2001 and 2006, announced in January he had best case, a year to live after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
The Swede was subsequently the subject of an Amazon Prime documentary, in which he delivered an emotional farewell message to fans.
I hope you will remember me as a positive guy, trying to do everything he could do, Eriksson said in the documentary.
Don t be sorry, smile. Thank you for everything, coaches, players, the crowds. It s been fantastic. Take care of yourself and take care of your life, and live it.
A widely reported statement released by Eriksson s family on Monday read: After a long …
And Comolli, who worked at Tottenham and Liverpool as sporting director, believes all their success comes from their use and understanding of the data.
“Our whole football operation is driven by data, whether it his how we recruit a coach or sign a player, the way we play, the way we attack, the way we defend, from where we shoot, from where we cross, where we press,” Comolli said at Web Summit in Lisbon.
“We try to optimise the wage bill and transfer budget using data. Data is part of our culture.
“Where we gain a competitive advantage is we have decided to stick by data compared to the football wisdom. We are very disciplined at it.
“At the moment we are struggling in the league, doing well in Europe. But with underlying data, we don’t look …
Manchester City started the defence of their Premier League title with a resounding 5-0 win over West Ham.
Raheem Sterling was in sparkling form, plundering a hat-trick, with Gabriel Jesus and Sergio Aguero also on target in a game that suggests the rest of the league will have their work cut out stopping Pep Guardiola s side marching to a third consecutive title.
Liverpool, who pushed City so close last season, also picked up where they left off, scoring four first-half goals to defeat promoted Norwich City 4-1 at Anfield.
Marcus Rashford scored twice as Manchester United thumped Chelsea 4-0 at Old Trafford, while Harry Kane was at his ruthless best as Tottenham came from behind to see off Aston Villa 3-1.
STERLING TREBLE SETS CITY ON THEIR …