Sterling’s hat trick beats Ribery, Ben Yedder to top of Player Power Rankings

Craig Burley and Alejandro Moreno were in full agreement that Raheem Sterling’s first goal against Watford should never have been allowed to stand.

In a weekend when a handful of players registered hat tricks — and one hat trick of assists — one three-goal performance stood out above the rest. Our global editors pick their top 10 performers from the weekend.

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Also receiving votes: None.

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Power Rankings: Barcelona remain at the summit as PSG fall out of top 10

Mark Donaldson takes us through his picks for his Fantasy La Liga team, which includes three Barcelona players and no one from Real Madrid.
Barcelona are still our No. 1, but three mammoth clubs have fallen outside the top 10 of Shaka Hislop’s Power Rankings.
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Dropping out: Paris Saint-Germain, Liverpool, Borussia Dortmund.
Agree? Disagree? Let us know, and watch Shaka defend his picks on ESPN FC TV.

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Alvaro Morata beats Ji Dong-Won to top of Player Power Rankings

The FC crew answer your tweets on the wind factor at Goodison Park, the most intriguing title race in Europe, how good Gerard Pique is and more.

Netting your first brace for your new club is a good way to reach the summit of Player Power Rankings this week. Our global editors pick their top 10 performers from the weekend.

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Also receiving votes: Troy Deeney (Watford), Emre Can (Juventus).

Let us know what you think of the countdown by commenting on Twitter using #ESPNFCrankings.

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Power Rankings: Barcelona reclaim top spot as Man City slip; Liverpool climb

Alejandro Moreno examines Barcelona’s reliance on Lionel Messi after he scored his 50th career hat trick in a win at Sevilla.

After another dominant first-half performance against Barcelona, the FC crew attribute Real Madrid’s defeat to poor finishing and defensive lapses.
The Lionel Messi show, followed by an emphatic Clasico win, sees Barca back at No. 1. Elsewhere, the Premier League leaders move up.
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Dropping out: Tottenham.
Agree? Disagree? Let us know, and watch Shaka defend his picks on ESPN FC TV.

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Firmino, Fernandinho injuries force Liverpool, Man City to make tweaks in midst of title race

After another disappointing performance for Liverpool’s front three, ESPN FC’s Steve Nicol tries to make sense of their goalscoring struggles.

While reflecting on Liverpool’s seven-year trophy drought, Steve Nicol says Jurgen Klopp’s side have a great chance at a double in 2019.

During Manchester United and Liverpool’s dull goalless draw on Sunday afternoon, it was unquestionably Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side who were affected more damagingly by injuries, with three players limping off before half-time. In comparison, Liverpool lost only Roberto Firmino, who was seen departing Old Trafford on crutches.

In a wider context, though, it’s the Firmino injury that carries more weight. The 0-0 draw might have been a disappointing result for Liverpool, but it also took them to…

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Messi on top of Player Power Rankings ahead of Sancho, Mbappe

Alejandro Moreno examines Barcelona’s reliance on Lionel Messi after he scored his 50th career hat trick in a win at Sevilla.

From another Lionel Messi masterpiece to a dramatic and bizarre Carabao Cup final, here’s how Europe’s top clubs fared at the weekend.

When you directly contribute to all of your team’s goals, against a team with Champions League aspirations, you have a chance at topping Player Power Rankings. Our global editors pick their top 10 performers from the weekend.

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Also receiving votes: Christopher Nkunku (Paris Saint-Germain), Ederson (Manchester City), Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace), Henrikh Mkhitaryan (Arsenal), Troy Deeney (Watford), Remi Oudin (Stade Reims), Chiquinho (Moreirense).

Let us know what you think of the countdown…

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Fernandinho and Casemiro lead the game’s most underrated midfielders

Fernandinho is a classic box to box player but has adapted to life under Guardiola at Man City. He’s now more of a deep-lying creator.

Football has never been so obsessed with individual brilliance and star quality given the quality on show but not everyone can the hero. There remains a place for the humble, workmanlike and dependable holding midfielder. Here are five who have been in particularly good form this season.

Fernandinho, Manchester City

City’s title challenge seemed to falter during the Christmas period when they suffered back-to-back defeats to Crystal Palace and Leicester. Notably, it was also the first two matches…

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Power Rankings: Man City stay top; PSG, Barca climb; Juve plummet

ESPN FC’s Craig Burley believes Manchester City showed another facet of their game by coming from behind in a gritty contest against Schalke.

Manchester City’s quest for the quadruple continues on Sunday at Wembley as Pep Guardiola’s side take on Chelsea in the Carabao Cup final.
There is no change at the top, but there has been movement aplenty below Pep Guardiola’s side. Plus, there’s a new entry from the Turkish leaders.
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Dropping out: 
Agree? Disagree? Let us know, and watch Shaka defend his picks on ESPN FC TV.

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Juventus’ twin towers of Ronaldo, Mandzukic to provide a unique test for Atletico’s stingy defence

With two aerial specialists in Mario Mandzukic and Cristiano Ronaldo, Juventus are a bit of a throwback and present a unique challenge to any defence.

It might not provide the most enthralling technical football of the Champions League round of 16, but there’s something wonderfully intriguing about the tie between Atletico Madrid and Juventus, the first leg of which takes place on Wednesday evening.

These are effectively the two nearly-men of the last half-decade in this competition, both defeated finalists twice: Atletico losing to Real Madrid in 2014 and 2016, Juventus falling to Barcelona and Real in 2015 and 2017. But that status, and…

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Tragedy in the Vulture’s Nest: the preventable death of 10 rising stars at Flamengo

Vinicius Vital cries during the funeral of his friend Arthur Vinicius, one of ten young soccer players who lost their lives after the fire at Flamengo.

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil — Fifteen-year-old Christian Esmerio’s funeral on a 95 degree Sunday packed the humble chapel at Rio’s Iraja cemetery well beyond capacity, with photographers and television crews jostling for space along cracked sidewalks.

Burials in front of the media are rare here. Most people laid to rest are fameless residents of the working-class suburbs, where Esmerio was born to a 20-year-old recent high school graduate and a 23-year-old street vendor. But Esmerio, a goalkeeper,…

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