List of All Articles with Tag 't'

Kevin De Bruyne reveals when he expects to be back from injury.

Trevor Lawrence and the Jacksonville Jaguars took control of their division

The time for upsets have come and gone with little chaos in college football and not much movement in the AP Top 25 for much of the season

Jude Bellingham broke a Real Madrid record held by Cristiano Ronaldo in the 3-0 win over Cadiz.

Abu Sama made his first start for Iowa State a memorable one

Chelsea are prepared to pursue Napoli striker Victor Osimhen in the January transfer window.

Bruno Fernandes & Erik ten Hag were both impressed by Kobbie Mainoo in Man Utd's 3-0 win over Everton.

Unai Emery had his list prepared. “There are seven contenders to be in the top four,” he declared. “Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Tottenham, Newcastle and Chelsea.” His Aston Villa side were absent. “We are not a contender,” Emery smiled. Which was an interesting claim, given Villa are fourth. They sit two points behind leaders Arsenal, one point behind champions City, level with challengers Liverpool, ahead of the other four sides on Emery’s list. After all, Villa had just beaten one of them, coming from behind to hand Tottenham their third straight defeat and leapfrog Ange Postecoglou’s side. After 13 games and nine wins, they sit four points clear of sixth-placed Manchester United, five ahead of seventh-placed Newcastle, who put five past them on the opening weekend at St James’ Park. Then there is Chelsea in 10th, who are separated from Villa by not just 12 points, but Brighton and West Ham as well as the aforementioned clubs. Emery, though, was keen to avoid signing off a statement win from Villa with a statement of his own. "Of course we can get confidence when we are winning matches like here at Tottenham,” he said. “But still in my mind, it is 38 matches that we have to be consistent.” Perhaps Emery was not aware of the milestone he and Villa had just reached. Perhaps he was. Either way, Sunday’s 2-1 win in north London was the 38th time Emery had taken charge of Villa in the Premier League, the equivalent of a full season. Emery’s record stands at 24 wins, five draws and nine defeats, culminating in 77 points. Only Manchester City and Arsenal have taken more since the Spaniard was appointed last October and it is enough to put Villa third. Theoretically, had the season started then, Villa would have qualified for the Champions League this weekend. Discount Emery’s first few weeks at the helm and Villa’s record improves further still. In 2023, only Pep Guardiola’s treble winners have won more Premier League games than Villa’s 22. Since the turn of the year, Villa have comfortably outperformed Manchester United and Newcastle, who both finished in last season’s top four, taking 11 more points than Eddie Howe’s side, scoring 15 more goals than Erik ten Hag’s men. If it is consistency over a season that Emery wants, Villa have shown that over a 38-match spell where they have taken an average of over two points per game. Premier League table since Unai Emery took charge of Villa After 38 games 1. Man City – 86 points, +54 GD 2. Arsenal – 80 points, +42 GD 3. Aston Villa – 77 points, +27 GD 4. Liverpool – 76 points, +36 GD 5. Man Utd – 76 points, +16 GD 6. Newcastle – 70 points, + 38 GD 7. Brighton – 63 points, +19 GD 8. Tottenham – 60 points, +5 GD Villa’s latest victory came on the road and if that has perhaps been the only area where Emery’s team have not excelled, with nine wins from 19 away trips, then it has been off-set by their outstanding home form: Villa Park has staged 13 home wins in a row in the Premier League, their longest run since 1983. A 2-0 defeat at Nottingham Forest aside, when Villa were poor and deservedly beaten, Emery’s high defensive line has been their undoing on their travels. It certainly was in the results at Newcastle and Liverpool. It threatened to be at Spurs but Villa were let off the hook by the hosts’ wasteful finishing. It is not an approach that appears best suited to away fixtures, particularly against the big sides and those who Emery considers to be the real contenders for the top four. Yet it is a plan that Emery has refused to compromise on – one that has required Villa to be brave and bold, which in turn helps explain their position. While the win at Tottenham was eye-catching, Villa’s push has until this weekend been built by beating the sides in the bottom half of the table, where Emery’s team can be aggressive, play on the front foot and suffocate their opponents. Sunday’s win at Tottenham was not an example of it, but Villa have an ability to win games comfortably. They have scored at least three goals in each of their last six Premier League matches at Villa Park and in Ollie Watkins, they possess what Manchester United and Chelsea do not appear to have, which is a leading forward who can score 20-plus goals per season. Incidentally, Watkins’ winner at Tottenham was his 20th Premier League goal under Emery. There are signs that Villa can sustain the pace for another 38 games. Certainly, with Tottenham unable to field their starting midfield three or their first-choice centre-back partnership, and Newcastle hit by a similarly severe injury crisis, Villa’s squad also currently looks to be stronger than some of those who have been more vocal in declaring their top-four ambitions. And these are still heady days in Villa’s recent history, at a time when there isn’t expectation, given that when Steven Gerrard was sacked and Emery was appointed 13 months ago the club were only outside of the relegation zone on goal difference. Now, after 38 games, there is a case to be made Villa have been the third-best team in the country since Emery arrived. While a Villa Park double-header against Manchester City and Arsenal looms next week, it appears to be a more daunting task for Guardiola and Mikel Arteta than it does for Emery’s in-form side. Keep this up, and he will be unable to talk Villa down any longer. Read More Son Heung-min hurt by defeats but ‘very pleased’ with way Tottenham are playing Tottenham and Aston Villa’s clash of high lines reveals a new top-four contender Tottenham vs Aston Villa LIVE: Latest Premier League updates What Alejandro Garnacho needs to achieve Man Utd greatness Emotional Darren Anderton pays tribute to ‘second dad’ Terry Venables Bruno Fernandes talks up Alejandro Garnacho after stunning goal at Everton

India allrounder Hardik Pandya has sealed his return to Mumbai Indians in a high-profile trade ahead of the upcoming Indian Premier League season

Bruno Fernandes believes Manchester United teenager Alejandro Garnacho has the potential to become “something special in the world of football”. Acquired from Atletico Madrid in 2020, the 19-year-old forward starred in last year’s FA Youth Cup triumph and has gone on to establish himself as a first-team regular at Old Trafford. Garnacho enjoyed the finest moment of his nascent career at Everton on Sunday, showing outstanding ingenuity and technique to thunder home an outrageous overhead kick just 133 seconds into a 3-0 win. The Argentina international followed his jaw-dropping goal-of-the-season contender by replicating former United great Cristiano Ronaldo’s celebration after an effort his idol would have been more than proud of. “It’s amazing – something out of this world, I think,” United captain Fernandes told the PA news agency. “Probably he’s watching too much Cristiano clips! We all know that he’s a big fan. Still a long way for him to be like Cristiano but he’s getting his steps. “He wants to be something special in the world of football and I think he has the capability to do that, but he has to do more than that goal!” Garnacho was not the only impressive teenager at Goodison Park on Sunday, with fellow FA Youth Cup winner Kobbie Mainoo flourishing on his first Premier League start. The 18-year-old midfielder recently recovered from the injury he sustained during United’s pre-season tour and produced a performance that belied his tender years. “I talk always about Kobbie,” Fernandes said. “I think he’s a special player too. “Obviously, people will not talk as much as they will about Garnacho because Garnacho scores goals, does assists and everything. But what he puts on the game, what he gives to the team, it’s known to anyone (in the squad). “I think he has great players in front of him to learn (from) because he plays with one of the best in the world like Casemiro. Also Sofyan (Amrabat) who plays in that position that is really good and he’s getting everything from them. “He wants to learn, is eager to learn and I think that’s probably the best capability he has because he wants to learn every time. He’s eager to listen to everyone to get better and better.” United’s young stars stepped up in the absence of a swathe of injured players, with the likes of Garnacho and Mainoo helping to invigorate the experienced core. Probably he’s watching too much Cristiano clips! We all know that he's a big fan. Still a long way for him to be like Cristiano but he's getting his steps Bruno Fernandes on Alejandro Garnacho Asked what he thought of the young players coming through as one of the older players, 29-year-old Fernandes said with a laugh: “I’m not that old, eh? “Obviously, we are really happy for them. We know that all the young players are eager to play and to get your position, so me as an older one I have to step up and do my job! If not, they’re going to take my space.” Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial goals complemented Garnacho’s stunner in an eye-catching win that Erik ten Hag’s team need to build on against Galatasaray in the Champions League. As for Everton, they travel to Nottingham Forest next weekend looking to bounce back from a heavy home loss after the shock of being deducted 10 points. Toffees boss Sean Dyche said: “We have created a lot of chances this season but not always scored goals. We have to maintain our belief in what we are doing. We are doing that, I think we did through this game.”

Tottenham captain Son Heung-min admits recent defeats hurt but has urged the squad to keep playing the Ange Postecoglou way. Aston Villa produced a comeback win in north London on Sunday to make it a November to forget for Spurs. Premier League leaders at the start of the month, Tottenham have since suffered three consecutive losses and seen their list of absentees move into double figures. Spurs went ahead against Villa, like they had in recent defeats to Chelsea and Wolves, but were wasteful in front of goal and also unable to keep up the relentless attacking style Postecoglou wants for the whole match. “I think especially in this game, when you are 1-0 up, we have to control even more,” Son told SpursPlay. “We have to respect the (opposition) and we made a couple of mistakes this season where we are going up 1-0 and started playing a little bit slowly. “Then conceding goals, offsides, delays in the game, this is losing our game tempo a little bit and we are giving chances to Villa to come into the game. “Before half-time when you concede a goal from a set-piece, I think we have to be more stronger. “The players gave everything, especially in difficult circumstances. It is just tough to take. “It doesn’t matter how well you are playing, obviously in the end you are taking the results and we are talking about the results. “Yeah, we created chances, good, very good. The way we are playing, I am very pleased and happy but it hurts when you lose a game, especially at home. “We had such amazing support again and losing this game hurts.” All the focus at Tottenham now turns to Sunday’s daunting trip to champions Manchester City and Rodrigo Bentancur is an early doubt after he sustained an ankle injury against Villa. Bentancur made his first start since he suffered a serious knee injury in February and impressed before he was caught by a poor challenge from Matty Cash. Spurs will have Yves Bissouma back from suspension and will check on Pape Sarr after he returned from Senegal national team duty with a knock, but Postecoglou knows he will be down to the bare bones for a while. We'll get Biss (Yves Bissouma) back but we might have lost (Rodrigo) Bentancur. Ange Postecoglou on his options for Man City Tottenham boss Postecoglou said: “The reality of it is that we’re not going to get too many back. “We’ll get Biss back but we might have lost Bentancur. We only had six or seven on the bench so everyone who is here at the moment is going to have to play a part.” While Tottenham contemplate another defeat, Villa produced a clinical display to move up to fourth in the Premier League after goals by Pau Torres and Ollie Watkins, but Unai Emery played down the current table. “Enjoy the position and of course the players are aware about where we are, but we will continue being demanding,” Emery said. “In 38 matches, there are still a lot of things to happen. “Now we have to rest and think about Thursday (against Legia Warsaw) and then Sunday against Bournemouth.” Read More David Seaman pays tribute to ‘great guy’ Terry Venables Football rumours: Victor Osimhen keen on making Chelsea move On this day in 2007: Christine Ohuruogu wins appeal against Olympic ban The sporting weekend in pictures Laura Kenny sets her sights on a fourth Olympics Man City boss Pep Guardiola taking safety-first approach with John Stones

Monday's football transfer rumours include Man Utd and Thomas Muller, Barcelona potentially re-signing, Thiago Alcantara, Ivan Toney, Douglas Luiz & more.