Higuain earns Argentina recall

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers is under immense pressure after his team s poor recent performances

Liverpool suffered a 3-1 defeat North West bitter-rivals Manchester United on Saturday and for a second consecutive game looked poor.

The Reds boss Brendan Rodgers is under immense pressure to deliver success this season, after the team from Merseyside finished sixth in the table last season.

Behind

The Reds finished a massive 25 points behind Premier League champions Chelsea last season, after finishing as runners-up in the previous campaign.

The 2013/14 campaign was characterised by some fantastic attacking football mostly involving forwards Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge.

Of course Rodgers did not have the services of Suarez to call-on …

Market: Both teams to score and over 2.5 goals

Odds: 

Two of Europe s heavyweights meet in Saint Petersburg as France and Belgium go head to head for a place in the World Cup final.

Starting with Didier Deschamps France side, although they may have started this summers World Cup finals slowly, the 2016 European finalists have improved with each round and after putting two past a Uruguay side who had only conceded one in their last eight, Les Bleus find their confidence at a high. While France have scored six in their last two and have kept three clean sheets in their last four, The Bleus did ship three against Argentina and backing both teams to score and over 2.5 goals seems like the most logical bet here. One man to watch for France is 19-year-old sensation K…

According to Mundo Deportivo, Chelsea have set a huge asking price for as continue their pursuit of the Brazilian. The 29-year-old attacking midfielder has been one of the Blues stand-out players over the course of his five-year tenure with the club, and now, he s attracting the attention of arguably one of the biggest clubs in world football.

Alas, it s a deal that may not end up coming to fruition, with Chelsea deciding to place an €80 million price tag on his shoulders. The report suggests that Barca aren t willing to pay that kind of fee for a player approaching his 30th birthday, which could wind up being the key to Willian staying put for at least another season.

Chelsea, who are in the midst of a managerial dilemma that could go on for at least another few we…

Rusty Ivory Coast face angry Algeria at Chiazi Stadium on Sunday with an Africa Cup of Nations semi-finals place at stake.

An Ivorian Elephants squad boasting stars like Didier Drogba and brothers Kolo and Yara Toure are fancied to defeat the star-less Algerian Desert Foxes in the second quarter-final of the biennial African football showpiece.

Tradition also tilts toward the west Africans, who have won four of five matches at this stage while Algeria have lost all three, ahead of a game that sees two of the five African qualifiers for the 2010 World Cup square off.

Ivory Coast also shade previous clashes between the countries, winning two, losing one while the 1988 clash was drawn 1-1 in Morocco where Ivory Coast suffered the agony of being ousted by a draw of …

Franck Ribery has been ruled out of France s World Cup qualifying matches against Austria and the Faroe Islands due to tendinitis in his left knee, the country s coaching set-up announced on Monday.

The Bayern Munich winger was ruled out of both matches after being seen by a specialist. No replacement has yet been named.

Ribery played from the start for Bayern against Cologne in the Bundesliga on Saturday but failed to shine in a drab 0-0 draw.

It was his second consecutive league start for the Bavarian giants after an injury-disrupted start to the season but he felt pain in his knee following s the club s goalless draw at home to Juventus in the Champions League last Wednesday.

Having been strongly linked with a move to Real Madrid in the summer, Ribery…

David Moyes has paid tribute to Howard Kendall after the Everton great died at the age of 69.

Kendall starred as a player at Goodison Park, winning the First Division title in 1970 as part of an acclaimed line-up featuring Colin Harvey and Alan Ball.

He surpassed those feats during the first of three spells as Everton manager between 1981 and 1987, when he won the league title twice and guided them to glory in the FA Cup and European Cup Winners Cup – achievements that Moyes believes establish him as the Merseyside club s greatest tactician. 

Real Sociedad coach Moyes managed Everton between 2002 and 2013 and revealed that Kendall served as a mentoring figure to him throughout his time in charge.

I’m really saddened to learn of the death of Howa…

Stoke City have signed Wales international Ashley Williams on a season-long loan from Everton.

Williams, 33, joined Everton from Swansea City for a reported fee of £12million in 2016, having helped Wales reach the semi-finals of Euro 2016.

The centre-back, rumoured to be a long-term target for Arsenal during his time with the Swans, will be tasked with helping Stoke return to the top flight after their relegation from the Premier League last season.

The arrival of Williams follows the permanent signing of Oghenekaro Etebo, Tom Ince, Adam Federici and James McClean, while Benik Afobe has also moved to Stoke on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers.

We have two very good senior central defenders in Ryan Shawcross and Bruno Martins Indi but I felt it was impo…

Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson has been named Vanarama National League manager of the season.

But Wrexham striker Paul Mullin, who scored 47 goals in all competitions, lost out on the player of the season award to Macaulay Langstaff.

Notts County striker Langstaff scored 42 National League goals – four more than Mullin – as Luke Williams’ side finished four points short of champions Wrexham’s record total of 111.

Parkinson steered Wrexham over the line amid the fierce spotlight on the Welsh club because of their Hollywood star owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.

Phil Parkinson scoops the Manager of the Season award with Macaulay Langstaff named Player of the Season |

— The National League (@TheVanaramaNL)

Wrexham missed out…

Market: Atletico Madrid win

Odds: 4/11 @

Looking to extend on what has been a real domestic romp, Atletico Madrid will make the trip to an already-relegated Elche on Sunday afternoon.

Starting with the hosts, only continuing on what has been a woeful La Liga campaign this season, Elche have long since accepted their top-flight relegation. Coming under a huge amount of scrutiny and sat a staggering 18 points adrift of safety heading into this weekend’s fixtures, Sebastian Beccacece’s men were last seen putting in yet another downbeat display. Making an immediate return to losing ways as they slumped to a 2-1 defeat away at Almeria, Los Franjiverdes have lost each of their last nine La Liga appearances a run that stems all the way back to a 1-1 draw against Va…

Manchester City travel to Newcastle United on Sunday eyeing a win that would move them to the top of the Premier League.

City, who sit second ahead of Saturday s fixtures, have an outstanding record against Newcastle in recent times, their last defeat coming in 2005 at St James Park when a goal from Michael Owen gave the Tyneside club a 1-0 win.

Since then City have continually piled misery on Newcastle and will be confident of taking all three points from a team they have already beaten twice so far this season.

Manuel Pellegrini got his reign at the Etihad Stadium off to a flying start with a 4-0 home victory over Alan Pardew s side in his first game in charge, although the 2011-12 Premier League champions were made to work harder for a 2-0 League Cup triumph at Newc…