The next Liverpool manager to win the Premier League title will instantly earn legendary status at Anfield. Rafael Benitez almost did it 10 years ago, and Brendan Rodgers came within a Steven Gerrard slip of achieving it in 2014. Jurgen Klopp might be just over a week away from doing what Benitez and Rodgers were ultimately unable to, but the penultimate games of this season see his two recent predecessors handed a decisive role in either ending Liverpool’s title ambitions for another year or giving…
Join the Exploding Heads as they reflect back at April’s highlights, including Chris Hughton’s April Fools’ fallout, Tottenham’s new stadium tilting London and more.
The best way to deal with Lionel Messi is to treat him like football’s version of The Incredible Hulk: Don’t make him angry and you might just be spared an ordeal of pain and humiliation.
Liverpool midfielder James Milner did not get the memo, judging by his crude first-half barge on the home side’s No. 10 during Barcelona’s 3-0 Champions League semifinal first-leg win at the Nou Camp, and it is fair to say that the Premier League side went on to reap a whirlwind of two-goal Messi’s annoyance.
“In…
Join the Exploding Heads as they reflect back at April’s highlights, including Chris Hughton’s April Fools’ fallout, Tottenham’s new stadium tilting London and more.
The best way to deal with Lionel Messi is to treat him like football’s version of the Incredible Hulk: Don’t make him angry and you might just be spared an ordeal of pain and humiliation.
Liverpool midfielder James Milner did not get the memo, judging by his crude first-half barge on the home side’s No. 10 during Barcelona’s 3-0 Champions League semifinal first-leg win Wednesday at the Nou Camp, and it is fair to say that the Premier League side went on to reap a whirlwind of two-goal Messi’s annoyance.
“In…
ESPN FC’s Craig Burley highlights Roberto Firmino’s defending from the front as pivotal to Liverpool getting a result against Barcelona.
Jurgen Klopp has admitted that Liverpool must “suffer” at the hands of Barcelona if they are to stop Lionel Messi from carrying out his “threat” to bring the Champions League trophy back to the Camp Nou.
Liverpool, last season’s beaten finalists, face the Spanish champions in Wednesday’s semifinal first-leg after cruising past Porto in the previous round to book a place in the last four.
But after destroying Manchester United in the quarterfinals with a virtuoso performance in the home leg a fortnight…
Gab Marcotti shares his thoughts on where David De Gea might end up if he decides to leave Manchester United this summer.
Manchester United must win their final two games and rely on other results to have any hope of making the top four after a 1-1 draw with Chelsea.
Adri Embarba’s penalty in the first half was all Rayo Vallecano needed to upset a toothless Real Madrid at Campo de Fútbol de Vallecas.
Craig Burley and Frank Leboeuf feel both Eden Hazard and Chelsea would benefit from Hazard moving to Real Madrid.
Paul Pogba will be forced to take a pay cut if he leaves Manchester United for Real Madrid this summer, as sources have told ESPN FC that the Spanish club are not prepared to match his £290,000-a-week Old Trafford wages.
Sources at United have repeatedly said Pogba, 26, will not be sold at the end of the season, despite persistent speculation linking the midfielder with a move to the Santiago Bernabeu.
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– Real’s Varane considering future
Both Pogba and Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane have spoken recently about the prospect of the…
After another David De Gea blunder against Chelsea, Craig Burley examines the Man United keeper’s struggles and ponders his frame of mind.
Ian Fiveankles is not happy with this year’s picks for PFA team of the season and provides his own alternative XI.
Eric Bailly could be fit for the start of next season after suffering a lateral ligament injury during Manchester United’s 1-1 home draw against Chelsea, sources have told ESPN FC.
Ivory Coast defender Bailly limped out of the game after a 68th-minute challenge on Mateo Kovacic.
Both the centre-half and manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer feared a cruciate ligament injury that could have seen him sidelined for up to a year.
Tests on Monday ruled out a significant injury, with Bailly being told he could…
Chelsea and Manchester United did little to lay claim to the 4th and final Champions League spot as the Blues cling to a 2-point lead over Arsenal for 4th.
Manchester United must win their final two games and rely on other results to have any hope of making the top four after a 1-1 draw with Chelsea.
It is now all so simple for Chelsea and Maurizio Sarri. Victories against Watford and Leicester over the final two weekends of the Premier League season will ensure that Stamford Bridge stages Champions League football again next season.
Forget about the safety net of a potential Europa League final in Baku, Azerbaijan — six points from two games and Chelsea will be over the line and back where Roman Abramovich expects them to be: among the elite clubs of Europe.
It would mean that Sarri’s…
After another David De Gea blunder against Chelsea, Craig Burley examines the Man United keeper’s struggles and ponders his frame of mind.
Chelsea and Manchester United did little to lay claim to the 4th and final Champions League spot as the Blues cling to a 2-point lead over Arsenal for 4th.
MANCHESTER, England – As he walked off the pitch at the end of Manchester United’s 1-1 draw against Chelsea at Old Trafford, David De Gea threw his gloves into the crowd and headed up the players’ tunnel.
After making yet another costly mistake that led to his team conceding a goal — this one, scored by Marcos Alonso, is likely to have cost United a place in next season’s Champions League — some might suggest that the goalkeeper will not need his gloves again this season.
Whether that proves…
With three rounds of matches to go in the Premier League season, the race to qualify for the Champions League has become a battle between four clubs seemingly unable to grasp the opportunity.
Third-placed Tottenham, sitting on 70 points, took a huge leap towards confirming a top-four spot with a late home win against Brighton on Tuesday, but Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United, separated by just three points from fourth to sixth, continue to drop points.
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United host Chelsea at Old Trafford…
Liverpool cantered past a feeble Huddersfield winning 5-0 at Anfield to return to the top of the Premier League.
Liverpool cantered past a feeble Huddersfield winning 5-0 at Anfield to return to the top of the Premier League.
Liverpool cantered past a feeble Huddersfield winning 5-0 at Anfield to return to the top of the Premier League.
Ian Darke and Craig Burley explain why Liverpool’s thrashing of lowly Huddersfield Town sets them up perfectly for their trip to Barcelona.
LIVERPOOL, England — Mohamed Salah was tweeting pictures from a pizza restaurant in New York City on Tuesday afternoon before going on to share the spotlight with Taylor Swift and Emilia Clarke at the Time 100 Gala at the Lincoln Center later that evening.
He then flew back across the Atlantic on Wednesday, reporting for training at Liverpool on Thursday, so it’s fair to say that the forward ignored a few of the classic “dos and don’ts” when it comes to preparing for a big game ahead of his team’s…