Market: Cincinnati win

Odds: 2/3 @

Looking to make an immediate return to winning ways in the early hours of Thursday, Cincinnati will welcome Chicago to the TQL Stadium.

Starting with the hosts, missing out on what they had billed as a golden opportunity last weekend as they fell to a shock 3-1 loss at the hands of Charlotte, Cincinnati are seeking an immediate response here. Nevertheless, still leading the chase at the top of the Eastern Conference standings and pencilled in as a standout contender to defend their crown this season, Pat Noonan’s men have won 12 of their previous 15 appearances. With that run stemming all the way back to April 14th, the Ohio-based outfit will certainly be smelling the chance to lay down another marker here. Springing a major …

Frenchman Saliba – who had loan spells at former club Saint-Etienne, Nice and Marseille – enjoyed a superb debut season in the Premier League before a back injury curtailed his progress in mid-March and in turn perhaps also derailed Arsenal’s title drive. The Gunners won almost 80 per cent of the 27 league matches in which Saliba played, conceding an average of just under a goal per game, which showed how much of a key part of the defence he was.

Lewis Dunk (Brighton)

Long-serving club captain Dunk played an integral role in the progress under new Seagulls boss Roberto De Zerbi, which resulted in his recall to the England squad for the first time in five years. Revelling in a quarter-back role at the centre of defence, Dunk has proved a key link in Brighton’s fast trans…

Alexis Sanchez grabbed a 2-2 draw for 10-man Arsenal in the North London derby at White Hart Lane as Tottenham passed up the chance to seize the initiative in the Premier League title race.

Aiming to bounce back from a midweek reverse at West Ham, Tottenham pressed their opponents relentlessly during the opening period but fell behind in the 39th minute when Aaron Ramsey netted a superlative backheel.

But the prospect of Arsenal securing a derby triumph to relieve the pressure on Arsene Wenger following consecutive defeats to Manchester United and Swansea City unravelled at pace early in the second half.

Francis Coquelin was rightly red-carded for two bookings and, following Toby Alderweireld s 60th-minute equaliser, Harry Kane put Tottenham in front with a spec…

Watford s Walter Mazzarri claims he has no problem with Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho despite a series of disagreements in Italy.

The two men had a complicated relationship during their time together in Serie A, with Mourinho, who served as Inter coach from 2008 to 2010, verbally assaulting the ex-Sampdoria and Napoli boss on more than one occasion.

Nevertheless, Mazzarri is adamant he gets on with the Portuguese and is ready to have a post-match drink with his rival.

I have a very good relationship with Mourinho, Mazzarri stated at a news conference.

Sometimes the press look at what happened in Italy; the same with [Chelsea boss Antonio] Conte and Mourinho. 

It is normal when you fight for top positions that it happens but I have a …

Inter Milan are interested in signing Pau Torres from Villarreal in the summer of 2023, according to . The report has claimed that former Serie A campions Inter are looking for a potential replacement for Milan Skriniar, and that they have identified Torres.

Torres has been on the books of Villarreal since 2002 and has established himself as one of the first names on the teamsheet. The 25-year-old is also a regular for the Spain national football team, and given his age, he can only improve and get better in the coming years.

So far this season, Torres has made six appearances in La Liga for Villarreal. During the 2021-22 campaign, the 25-year-old Spain international centre-back scored five goals and gave one assist in 33 La Liga matches. Torres also scored one goal in …

Alan Pardew may have earned another stay of execution after Fraizer Campbell snatched a 3-3 draw for Crystal Palace at relegation-threatened Hull City in the Premier League.

The hosts had been in front at the break courtesy of a contentious Robert Snodgrass penalty at a sparsely populated KCOM Stadium.

Palace levelled, also from the spot, when Christian Benteke stroked home after Snodgrass, who dived to win his own penalty, felled Wilfried Zaha just inside the area early in the second half. 

Zaha put Palace ahead with a brilliant strike in the 70th minute, but Hull responded almost immediately, Adama Diomande netting courtesy of a dynamic solo effort of his own. 

Hull regained the lead through Jake Livermore, the former Tottenham player sauntering unopp…

Xavi urged Barcelona to keep believing in the project after his side crashed out of the Europa League on Thursday.

Barca stumbled in the Europa League quarter-final as they were eliminated by Eintracht Frankfurt, but their LaLiga form remains impressive and has guided them to second in the table.

The Blaugrana are 12 points behind leaders Real Madrid, who play third-placed Sevilla on Sunday, and are unbeaten in their last 15 Spanish top-flight games, winning their last seven.

Xavi insists his team must forget about the failure in Europe if they are to register eight straight league wins for the first time since January 2019 when they host Cadiz on Monday.

When we started in November, we knew we needed to be more competitive, that five or six years ago…

Riyad Mahrez must have had mixed feelings about his starring role for Manchester City against Fulham in the FA Cup, but Pep Guardiola was eager to shower him with praise.

On Sunday, the Africa Cup of Nations final sees Egypt and Senegal go head to head, vying to succeed Algeria as champions.

This time around, Algeria put up a dismal defence of their title, with captain Mahrez unable to prevent them tumbling out after the group stage with just one point from three games.

It has meant he has been available to City perhaps sooner than anticipated, and his two goals in the 4-1 win over Fulham on Saturday showed what he brings to Guardiola s team.

Mahrez fired in a second-half penalty to move City 3-1 in front, before adding the security of the hosts fourth g…

Market: Rangers win

Odds: 8/15 @

Desperate to make up some ground in the Premiership title chase, Rangers will make the trip to Pittodrie when they meet Aberdeen.

Starting with the hosts, while Aberdeen might have gained a string of plaudits last season as they secured another bronze medal finish among Scotland’s elite, the Dons have come crashing back down to earth this time around. Heading into November’s international break with a nightmare performance away at defending champions Celtic as they slumped to a woeful 6-0 drumming, Barry Robson’s side are in the midst of a major Premiership struggle. Already crashing out of the Europa Conference League after collecting just two points from their four Group G appearances, Aberdeen will be more than aware tha…

Real Madrid are interested in signing Victor Osimhen from Napoli in the summer of 2023, according to . The report has claimed that defending La Liga and UEFA Champions League winners Madrid’s head coach, Carlo Ancelotti, has personally requested the club bosses to sign the 23-year-old striker as well as AC Milan forward Victor Osimhen. 

Osimhen has been on the books of Napoli since the summer of 2020 when he joined from French club Lille. The Nigeria international striker has been superb for the Serie A club and has established himself as an important player in the team.

So far this season, Osimhen has scored eight goals and provided two assists in nine Serie A starts for Napoli. The striker has also scored one goal in three UEFA Champions League matches for the Napl…