Former England captain Terry Butcher believes the Three Lions could benefit from scaled-back expectations at the World Cup after enduring a torrid Nations League campaign.
Gareth Southgate s team are the only nation to reach the semi-finals at each of the last two major tournaments, having been beaten by Croatia in the last four at the 2018 World Cup before losing the Euro 2020 final to Italy.
Despite their strong tournament record in recent years, England arrive in Qatar in poor form after being relegated from Nations League Group A3 following a winless campaign in the competition.
However, Butcher believes England may replicate their feats from four years ago by springing a surprise in Qatar.
I think a lot of people will see them as less looking like …
Aston Villa blew the chance to go top of the Premier League and needed Nicolo Zaniolo’s late goal to rescue a 1-1 draw against struggling Sheffield United.
The substitute levelled in stoppage time just as Cameron Archer’s 87th-minute strike looked to have given the Blades a stunning smash and grab win.
Villa needed victory to go top but now sit second, behind Arsenal on goal difference.
Aston Villa s last 16 home matches…
WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWD
Chris Wilder s are the first side to take something from Villa Park since February!
— Premier League (@premierleague)
The Blades, meanwhile, still climbed off the bottom of the table after coming so close to a brilliant, resilient, victory.
Leon Bailey had a goal disallowed and …
Inter Milan are interested in signing Trevoh Chalobah from Chelsea in the summer transfer window, according to . The report has claimed that the Italian club have made contact with the Premier League outfit and have registered their interest in the 23-year-old, who can operate as a central defender or as a defensive midfielder.
The report has claimed that if Chelsea give permission, then Chalobah would be keen on holding talks with Inter. The Nerazzurri won the Serie A title under former Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur head coach Antonio Conte in 2020-21 and will play in the final of the UEFA Champions League this season.
Chalobah made 18 starts and seven substitute appearances in the Premier League for Chelsea this season. The 23-year-old also made four starts and two su…
Wales are back in Euro 2024 qualifying action away to Turkey on Monday.
Rob Page’s side are bidding to recover from their shock home defeat to Armenia on Friday against the Group D leaders.
Here, the PA news agency looks at the main talking points surrounding the crunch game in Samsun.
Page must strike right balance
This time last year Wales boss Page was basking in the glow of guiding Wales to their first World Cup for 64 years. How times have changed.
Wales have won only once in 11 games and Page’s tactics have come under intense scrutiny.
Reverting to three at the back and playing two holding midfielders in front of them might provide Wales with the solidity they have so woefully lacked over the past 12 months.
Counter-attack best for…
Kenedy concluded an implausibly nightmarish performance by having a stoppage-time penalty saved as 10-man Newcastle United drew 0-0 at Cardiff City.
The on-loan Chelsea winger failed to complete a pass during a first half when he should have been sent off for kicking out at Victor Camarasa.
Newcastle belatedly had their numbers reduced when Isaac Hayden s 66th-minute foul on Josh Murphy was adjudged worthy of a red card by referee Craig Pawson.
Cardiff captain Sean Morrison handballed substitute Yoshinori Muto s cross to give Kenedy a 96th-minute shot at redemption, but Neil Etheridge guessed correctly to save from the spot as he did in the Bluebirds 2-0 defeat at Bournemouth last weekend.
FULL TIME: 0-0 !
The earn their first point of the 2018/…
Lucas Vazquez does not believe Real Madrid s squad receive the respect they deserve following three consecutive Champions League titles, while he revealed his plan to stay at the LaLiga club.
Madrid are set to finish third this season, with Zinedine Zidane s side 15 points adrift of Spanish champions and bitter rivals Barcelona.
It has been a forgettable campaign for Madrid, who sacked Julen Lopetegui and then Santiago Solari after their Champions League defence came to a shock end at the hands of Ajax in the last 16.
Zidane – back at the Santiago Bernabeu for his second stint in charge – is set to overhaul Madrid s squad but Vazquez defended the team.
FT: 3-2
2 , 49 , 40 Gerard 11 , Costa 90 +4 |
— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadrid…
Struggling to live up to the hype
Joao Felix seemed set to be a superstar when he broke into the Benfica side in the 2018-19 season.
He directly contributed to 22 goals in 26 league appearances, netting 15 and assisting seven, creating 29 chances. Joao Felix was awarded the Primeira Liga s Best Young Player of the Year and the Golden Boy award, and a huge move was on the cards.
Atletico Madrid, cash-rich with the imminent sale of Antoine Griezmann to Barcelona, pipped the rest of Europe s elite to the 19-year-old boy wonder, paying a club-record €126million to take him to the Spanish capital.
Yet, for whatever reason, whether that be Diego Simeone s pragmatic approach or Joao Felix suffering the inconsistencies that many young players do, it hasn t quit…
Mats Hummels showed courage by agreeing to a return to Borussia Dortmund, according to sporting director Michael Zorc.
The World Cup winner is heading back to Signal Iduna Park, where he spent eight years between 2008 and 2016, in a reported €38million move from Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich.
Zorc is delighted to welcome Hummels back and believes the decision to depart the Bundesliga s dominant force after three seasons is a brave one.
We are very happy that we were able to secure this transfer, Zorc told Bild.
Mats is not only a seasoned Bundesliga player who brings everything but he is also a very important leader on and off the pitch.
It was also a courageous sporting decision for Mats, which shows what kind of character he has.
…
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Desperate to make up some ground in the Serie A title chase, AC Milan will welcome Bologna to the San Siro on Saturday night.
AC Milan
Starting with the hosts, while AC Milan might find themselves facing a major uphill battle in their bid to claim a 20th domestic crown this season, the Rossoneri are enjoying a domestic purple patch. Last seen mounting a stellar last-gasp comeback away at Udinese as they eventually snatched an action-packed 3-2 victory, Stefano Pioli’s side are sat firmly in the driving seat to clinch another Champions League ticket in 2024. Making a real statement earlier in the month as they secured a a 3-1 romp against historic rivals Roma, the former Lazio boss has seen his high-flying squad win five of their pre…
Putting in another toothless display last weekend as they slumped to a 2-0 loss away at Tottenham, Chelsea find themselves in the midst of what has become a public Premier League nightmare.
Opening their Champions League knockout stage adventure with a 1-0 loss away at Borussia Dortmund on February 15th, it is no secret that Graham Potter finds a huge amount of pressure on his shoulders.
Knowing that they are in need of a minor miracle if they’re to claim a crucial top-four finish this season, Chelsea are facing the real threat that they could miss out on Europe football entirely come May.
Failing to find any kind of stability since appointing the ex-Brighton boss back in September, the fading Premier League giants have recorded just a pair of top-flight victo…