Prediction: Liverpool vs Newcastle

Best odds: 14/17

Bookmaker:

The Premier League schedule on New Year s Day 2024 brings a showdown in the North as Liverpool welcome Newcastle United to Anfield.

Liverpool aim to maintain their position at the top of the table after securing a 2-0 victory against Burnley on Boxing Day. Meanwhile, Newcastle suffered a 3-1 defeat at home against Nottingham Forest in their recent fixture.

The last meeting of these teams ended with an unlikely 2-1 victory for Liverpool at St. James Park, with the Merseysiders coming back from a goal down to win with 10 men, courtesy of a Darwin Nunez brace.

Liverpool

Liverpool s encounter against then-leaders Arsenal on December 23rd showcased a theme of missed opportunities, echoed in their performance against Burnle…

Macheda set for shock switch to Elche

Manchester United hotshot Federico Macheda is set for a loan move to Elche, the Spanish club have confirmed.

Just hours after Stuttgart sporting director Fredi Bobic expressed interest in the Italian forward, it was revealed that the player was likely to end up at Elche.

The Segunda Division club president Jose Sepulchre claims Macheda has agreed to join the Spanish side.

The agreement between the three parties is complete, but we still cannot say that the player will come because nothing has been signed yet, he told Spanish news agency EFE.

Macheda exploded onto the biggest stage during the 2010/2011 season, when he made no less than seven Premier League appearances for the Red Devils, but he has since failed to fulfill his undoubted potential.

Montella excited as AC Milan close in on Pasalic

AC Milan boss Vincenzo Montella is excited by the impending loan signing of Chelsea midfielder Mario Pasalic.

The San Siro club have confirmed the 21-year-old is undergoing a medical, although those checks are taking longer than usual as they make sure a back injury which has kept him out of action since February has fully healed.

Pasalic, a central midfielder, signed for Chelsea from Hajduk Split in July 2014, but is yet to make an appearance for the club.

He has instead been loaned out to Elche and Monaco in the last two seasons, with a move to Milan set to see him farmed out for a third straight campaign. 

Pasalic is undergoing medical tests, said Montella ahead of Saturday s Serie A match against Napoli.

He s a quality player, with a very …

Juventus chairman Agnelli expects €8.5billion losses for European football

Juventus chairman Andrea Agnelli does not expect fans to be allowed back into stadiums this season and fears the losses incurred by European clubs due to the COVID-19 crisis could rise to €8.5billion.

The Deloitte Football Money League this week reported that the 20 richest clubs in Europe are predicted to lose in excess of €2billion by the end of the 2020-21 campaign as a result of the pandemic.

A lack of matchday revenue with games played behind closed doors and less broadcast income have hit clubs across the continent hard.

Agnelli, also chairman of the European Club Association, does not envisage supporters returning to watch their teams live this season and believes the financial picture is bleaker than Deloitte painted.

My firm opinion that we …

Real hope for Getafe favour as Barca keep busy

After reaching the Champions League semi-finals for the second successive season Barcelona are back in league action on Saturday when they travel to Getafe, who have proved a difficult customer for the Catalans in recent seasons.

Barca have a six-point lead over Real Madrid at the top of the table but have failed to beat Getafe in their last three league meetings, while Getafe famously thrashed Barca 4-0 to reach the 2007 King s Cup final.

Real will hope their city neighbours, just four points above the drop zone, can do them a favour in the title race, while Real can fulfil their end of the bargain by beating third-bottom Recreativo Huelva.

On Wedneday Barcelona overcame Bayern Munich to reach the last four of the Champions League where they will face Chelsea a…

Villas Boas unsure what to do with Kane

Tottenham Hotspur manager Andres Villas-Boas is considering sending Harry Kane out on loan, .

The England U21 international, who scored a hat-trick for Gareth Southgate’s side against San Marino a fortnight ago, has barely had a look in at Spurs, racking up just twelve minutes of league football for the club since turning professional in 2011.

Whilst Villas-Boas has admitted that the 20 year old has impressed in training, he remains behind Roberto Soldado, Erik Lamela and Jermaine Defoe in the pecking order, and would possibly benefit from gaining more first team experience elsewhere though he hasn’t ruled out him staying and competing for a place at White Hart Lane.

Kane has already enjoyed spells with Leyton Orient, Millwall, Norwich City and Leicester…

Mexican star Lozano completes transfer to Napoli

Napoli have completed the signing of Mexico forward Hirving Lozano from PSV in a deal reportedly worth €40million.

Lozano spent two seasons in the Eredivisie, scoring 34 league goals for PSV across the two campaigns, and impressed in the Champions League last term.

The 24-year-old winger also starred for Mexico at the 2018 World Cup, scoring a memorable goal in a 1-0 win over Germany in the group stage.

Lozano, who had also been linked with Manchester United, has now swapped the Eredivisie for Serie A, with Napoli reportedly paying a club-record transfer fee reported to be €38m plus bonuses.

Benvenuto Hirving !

— AurelioDeLaurentiis (@ADeLaurentiis)

Prior to the club s official announcement on Friday, Napoli president Aurelio …

Premier League predictions – United to heap more pressure on Rafa?

He would hate to see Rafa suffering!

Saturday 24th October

Birmingham v Sunderland

Steve Bruce takes his Sunderland team back to one of his old clubs and must be feeling pretty happy about where he is now. He has taken his side to seventh place after a great draw at Old Trafford and a win over Liverpool at the Stadium of Light.

Birmingham, meanwhile, may have a new owner, but it is a new striker that they desperately need. Just six goals in nine games tells a sorry story and points towards a season of real struggle. I don’t expect Brucie to cheer anyone up at St Andrews.

SoccerNews prediction: 1-2

Burnley v Wigan

Here’s a game to get the juices flowing and the excitement levels rising. Oh no, sorry, wrong game.…

Giovinco open to China move but says no to Barca

Sebastian Giovinco is aware of interest from the Chinese Super League, with the Toronto FC star to see what the MLS club wants to do, while Barcelona is not appealing as he would be a ball boy at Camp Nou.

Giovinco has been the latest player linked with the CSL after his agent claimed the 2015 MLS MVP had a huge offer from China.

The 30-year-old, who is entering the third year of a five-year deal following his arrival from Italian giants Juventus, addressed the reports on Thursday.

The market is really hotting up over there. They told me there is interest, so we ll talk it over with Toronto and see. I am happy here, but we ll see what the club wants to do, Giovinco told Sky Sport Italia.

My agent told me there is an offer, but did not tell me which club…

Everton 0-3 Manchester City: What Did We Learn As Pep Guardiola’s Side Take Another Step Towards Defending Their Premier League Crown?

Taking another giant step towards retaining their Premier League crown, Manchester City stormed their way to a 3-0 victory away at Everton on Sunday afternoon.

With the red-hot Ilkay Gundogan opening the scoring eight minutes before the half-time break thanks to a sublime acrobatic effort, Pep Guardiola’s side certainly didn’t look back as they eventually ran out a routine victor at Goodison Park.

With Gundogan bagging back-to-back Premier League braces and watching Haaland only extend on his record-breaking flurry, the Sky Blues also at least briefly extended their buffer over Arsenal to four points.

Now in the midst of a 22-match unbeaten run across all competitions, City’s attention will now turn to their blockbuster Champions League second-leg showdown…