Prediction: Brighton vs Manchester United

Best Odds: 10/11

Bookmaker:

Looking to spring a real upset on Saturday lunchtime, Brighton will welcome Manchester United to an empty Amex this weekend.

Brighton

Starting with the hosts, while on paper Brighton might have opened the New Year with a 3-1 defeat against Champions League outfit Chelsea, they asked a string of questions at the Amex and the mood in their camp appears to be at a real high. Really appearing to find their feet under Graham Potter, the South Coast outfit once again put in an eye-catching display while on EFL Cup duties in midweek. Along with picking up their first Premier League victory of the 2020/2021 campaign thanks to a very impressive 3-0 romp away at St. James Park last weekend, the one-time Swansea boss saw his side land a 2-0 vic…

CAF Champions League holders ES Tunis set up final with Wydad Casablanca

ES Tunis and Wydad Casablanca will meet in the CAF Champions League final after goalless draws in their respective semi-final second legs.

Holders ES Tunis went into Saturday s match against TP Mazembe holding a 1-0 aggregate lead, but had to withstand plenty of pressure from the hosts, with Tunisia international Moez Ben Cherifia making a string of impressive saves.

The crossbar came to ES Tunis rescue late on, as Youcef Belaili s effort from the first leg proved enough for the three-time CAF Champions League winners.

Wydad, champions in 2017, will provide their opposition in the final after drawing 0-0 with Mamelodi Sundowns in Pretoria to secure a 2-1 aggregate victory.

The Final has been decided

— CAF (@CAF_Online)

ES Tunis …

Wellington Phoenix 0-2 Western Sydney Wanderers: Hemed and Koutroumbis end hosts´ unbeaten run

Tomer Hemed and John Koutroumbis were on target as Western Sydney Wanderers ended Wellington Phoenix s unbeaten start to the new A-League season with a 2-0 away win.

The hosts took four points from their opening two games of 2021-22, stretching their unbeaten league run to a club-record 13 matches before the visit of the winless Wanderers.

Former Phoenix striker Hemed scored his eighth goal in as many games as he netted 66 minutes into his first appearance against his old club, while Koutroumbis sealed the victory in stoppage time on Friday.

Reno Piscopo dominated the first half for Phoenix as he arrowed wide and saw a second effort saved by Tomas Mejias either side of Josh Laws having a goal ruled out for offside at WIN Stadium.

Three points and a clean…

Rumour Has It: Lampard´s position under threat, Tottenham begin Kane contract talks

Frank Lampard s position as Chelsea head coach is under threat, while Tottenham have started talks to extend Harry Kane s deal.

Lampard is under increasing pressure at Stamford Bridge after just one win in their past six Premier League games.

Sunday s 3-1 loss to Manchester City has only put further pressure on the Chelsea boss.

 

TOP STORY – LAMPARD S POSITION AS CHELSEA BOSS UNDER THREAT

Lampard s job as Chelsea head coach is under serious threat, according to The Athletic.

The report says the Premier League club, who are eighth in the table, have started looking at replacements.

Lampard took charge of Chelsea in July 2019, but they sit seven points behind Liverpool and Manchester United – who have both played one game fewer…

Paris Saint-Germain 3-3 Le Havre: Ramos rescues point but title confirmation must wait

Paris Saint-Germain were held to a 3-3 draw at home to relegation-battling Le Havre on Saturday and will need to wait before confirming their 12th Ligue 1 title.

PSG would have clinched the title with three games to spare with a victory. They have a 12-point gap over second-placed Monaco, who are at Lyon on Sunday, and a goal difference of 47 to Monaco s 18.

The away side opened the scoring in the 19th minute through Christopher Operi and PSG levelled 10 minutes later with Bradley Barcola scoring, but Le Havre went ahead again seven minutes before the break when Andre Ayew found the net.

Le Havre made it 3-1 with an Abdoulaye Toure penalty in the 61st minute, before Achrif Hakimi gave PSG hope with a goal 12 minutes from time and Goncalo Ramos levelled in added t…

Brazil 2-0 Serbia: Richarlison at the double as Selecao make winning start in Group G

Richarlison scored twice as Brazil opened their World Cup campaign with a routine 2-0 win over Serbia.

The Tottenham forward broke the deadlock with a close-range finish just after the hour mark at the Lusail Iconic Stadium.

Richarlison then sealed the points with a stunning acrobatic effort 17 minutes from time as Tite s side made a winning start in Group G.

The Selecao remain unbeaten in their opening match at the finals since 1934, when they lost 3-1 to Spain in the first round.

Unbeaten in their past 15 World Cup group games, Brazil controlled the first half, but without creating many goalscoring opportunities.

Casemiro tested Vanja Milinkovic-Savic with an ambitious effort from distance, while the Serbia goalkeeper was quickly off his line to…

Everton miss out on Belgian midfielder

Everton loan move for Club Brugge midfielder Vadis Odjidja-Ofoe has fallen through, the English Premier League club have announced on their official website.

The Toffees agreed a loan deal for the highly rated midfielder on transfer deadline day and they believed the required documentation had been presented before the transfer deadline.

Everton expected that FIFA would confirm the deal and allow the player to make a switch to Goodison Park, but the Toffees received a negative response.

FIFA have today refused to ratify the loan transfer of Vadis Odjidja-Ofoe to Everton from Club Brugge, read a statement on club’s official website.

The decision comes despite both the Football Association and Premier League giving their full support to the loan agreem…

Behich gearing up for Derby showdown

Melbourne Heart defender Aziz Behich is ready to find something extra for the derby against his former club Melbourne Victory on Friday.

The left-back moved on from the Victory at the end of the 2009/10 season before finding himself at the Heart for their inaugural A-League campaign.

Behich, 21, became the first player to play for both Melbourne clubs and was sent off in the first derby.

While he said the encounter was just like any other game, he admits taking on the Heart s rivals helps him lift.

Every game is the same to me. I just want to win, Behich told Sportal.

This season we ve set ourselves goals and playing against your old team, and obviously being a derby, you get that extra bit of something.

It s always good to play in a d…

Clark wants more locals playing for Newcastle

Former Newcastle United midfielder Lee Clark hopes to see more local players emerge from the club s youth ranks and progress into the first team.

Paul Dummett, 23, and Adam Armstrong, 18, were born in Newcastle and both are prospects at St James Park, while Jack Colback, who arrived from Sunderland last year, is also from the area.

Wales defender Dummett has made 43 Premier League appearances since debuting in 2010, while Armstrong – on loan at Coventry City – has played 15 matches over the past two seasons.  

Clark, who enjoyed two spells at Newcastle between 1990-97 and 2005-06, believes the duo are good enough to make a name for themselves in the senior team – and he wants others to follow suit.

Paul has done extremely well and forced his w…

Mertens to sign new Napoli deal

Napoli winger Dries Mertens will end speculation regarding his future at Stadio San Paolo by signing a new deal with the club, Sky Sport Italia has revealed.

The 28-year-old hasn t quite managed to establish himself as an undisputed starter in Naples and with quite a few top clubs showing interest in his services, he was linked with a summer exit.

But, with the Azzurri keen to keep hold of their prized asset, they have now offered the winger a new deal until June 2010.

It is believed that talks over a new contract are already in progress and they should eventually result in Mertens extending his stay at Stadio San Paolo.

The Belgium international arrived as a big name signing from PSV Eindhoven two years ago and he has done well to justify the hype.