Author: Andrew Rogers

Patrick Bamford has joined Sheffield United, just seven months after leading an abusive chant about the club’s manager Chris Wilder during Leeds United’s promotion celebrations. The 32-year-old striker, a free agent since leaving Leeds in August, has signed a short-term deal with the Championship strugglers until January. Wilder, who managed the Blades to Premier League promotion in 2019, has opted to put past tensions aside as he looks to boost the league’s lowest-scoring attack. The pair’s rivalry dates back to 2018–19, when Wilder’s United pipped Leeds to automatic promotion. After Bamford’s chant went viral in April, both he and Leeds…

Barcelona have identified Harry Kane as their top target to succeed Robert Lewandowski next summer, with the club prepared to activate a £57m release clause in the striker’s Bayern Munich contract. The 32-year-old England captain has been a prolific success in Germany, scoring 108 goals in 113 games since his £100m move from Tottenham in 2023 and helping Bayern reclaim the Bundesliga title. Lewandowski, now 37, is out of contract in June, prompting Barça to seek a younger replacement to lead their attack. Despite Kane’s public openness to extending his deal at Bayern beyond 2027, a move to one of…

The Premier League has confirmed that Arsenal and Crystal Palace will have their league matches moved to ease scheduling pressure before their Carabao Cup quarter-final on Tuesday, 23 December. Originally set to play on Sunday, 21 December, Arsenal’s trip to Everton and Palace’s visit to Leeds United will now take place at 8pm on Saturday, 20 December. The change comes after both clubs requested more recovery time before their cup tie at the Emirates Stadium. Palace, who host KuPS in the Europa Conference League on 18 December, opted for a tighter turnaround between European and domestic matches rather than face…

Manchester City made a powerful title statement with a 3-0 win over Liverpool, cutting Arsenal’s lead to four points and extending their unbeaten run. Despite Erling Haaland missing an early penalty, the Norwegian opened the scoring soon after, netting his 19th goal of the season. A deflected Nico González strike doubled City’s lead before Jérémy Doku sealed the result with a brilliant curling finish after a dazzling performance on the left. Liverpool saw a potential equaliser from Virgil van Dijk ruled out by VAR for offside, but they were second-best throughout. City’s pressing, intensity, and midfield fluency overwhelmed the visitors,…

Harry Kane scored a stoppage-time header to earn Bayern Munich a 2-2 draw at Union Berlin, preserving their unbeaten season but ending their record winning streak. Bayern had trailed twice — first after Manuel Neuer’s error let in Danilho Doekhi’s shot, and again when Doekhi volleyed home late on — but Kane’s 13th league goal salvaged a point. Bayern stay six clear at the top after Leipzig’s 3-1 loss to Hoffenheim. “It wasn’t our best game, but we stayed focused,” Kane said. “We’ll take the point.” Elsewhere, Dortmund conceded a 97th-minute equaliser in a 1-1 draw at Hamburg, while in…

Ruben Amorim accused his Manchester United players of becoming “too comfortable” after letting a winning position slip in a chaotic 2-2 draw against Tottenham Hotspur. United looked set for all three points after Bryan Mbeumo’s first-half strike put them ahead, but goals from Mathys Tel and Richarlison turned the game on its head before Matthijs de Ligt salvaged a point with a dramatic 96th-minute header. Despite extending their unbeaten run to five games, Amorim was far from satisfied. “We were comfortable in the game but I think we should do better, be more aggressive,” he said. “We need to feel…

David Raya’s superb form shows no sign of slowing after Arsenal equalled a club record of eight consecutive clean sheets, a milestone that has stood since 1903. The Spanish goalkeeper was rarely tested during Arsenal’s 3–0 Champions League win over Slavia Prague, but remained sharp, consulting goalkeeping coach Iñaki Caña before a late penalty was overturned by VAR. The result secured Arsenal’s 10th straight victory and extended Raya’s personal unbeaten run to nearly 13 hours without conceding. Raya, who joined from Brentford in 2023, has now kept 50 clean sheets in 110 games for the club, surpassing early-1900s keeper Jimmy…

Chelsea remain fully behind head coach Enzo Maresca’s selection and rotation approach despite criticism following Wednesday’s 2-2 Champions League draw with Qarabag. Maresca made seven changes to his lineup in Baku, prompting questions over whether he had gambled with the team selection. However, senior figures at the club view his strategy as essential for maintaining player fitness throughout a demanding season across four competitions. Chelsea’s leadership believe their deep squad must be regularly rotated to avoid burnout, especially given the lack of a proper pre-season after last summer’s Club World Cup and the current injury list that includes Pedro Neto,…

Tottenham defender Destiny Udogie has been revealed as the Premier League player allegedly threatened at gunpoint by a football agent in north London. The incident reportedly occurred on 6 September in Cockfosters Parade, Barnet, while Udogie was out with a friend. Police said the suspect, a 31-year-old man, was arrested two days later on suspicion of possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, blackmail, and driving without a licence. He has since been released on bail as inquiries continue. There is no suggestion that the suspect is Udogie’s own agent. Udogie, who was not on international duty…

Sir David Attenborough’s new BBC series Kingdom captures extraordinary animal behaviour — including a lion rescuing a pregnant hyena from wild dogs. Filmed over five years in Zambia’s Luangwa Valley, the series follows lions, hyenas, leopards and wild dogs, revealing both their rivalries and resilience. Executive producer Mike Gunton called the footage “a script only nature could write.” The documentary features rare moments such as wild dogs saving a packmate from a crocodile and a hyena hiding stolen prey underwater to mask its scent. Narrated by Attenborough, Kingdom also highlights human threats like habitat loss and snare traps. Scientific consultant…