With what promises to be a stacked weekend from across England s footballing tiers, we have a string of interesting affairs that are worth keeping an eye out for. So, for those of you looking to place a Saturday acca, we have found a handful of fixtures that offer great value.
Saturday January 14th
BST 15:00 Sunderland vs Swansea
While Sunderland might have only made their Championship return this season, Saturday s hosts are enjoying a stellar second-tier flurry. Last seen extending on their FA Cup adventure thanks to a 2-1 victory away at Shrewsbury, Tony Mowbray s men should find the mood in their camp at a real high. Signing off 2022 with a stellar display as they cruised their way to a 4-1 romp away at Wigan, the former Blackburn boss now finds his squad just a …
Sinisa Mihajlovic has signed a new three-year deal to commit his future to Bologna, ending speculation he could leave the Serie A club.
Mihajlovic agreed a deal until the end of the campaign – with the option of another year – when he replaced Filippo Inzaghi at the end of January.
Bologna recorded a vital 1-0 win at Inter in his first match in charge and they ended the campaign strongly, finishing 10th in the table after a run of two defeats in 12 games.
That upturn in form led to reports Mihajlovic could be a target for managerless Roma, Lazio and even champions Juventus, while he was also linked with a return to AC Milan.
But Mihajlovic is staying put at Stadio Renato Dall Ara after signing a new contract, with the news announced on Saturday.�…
Market: Northampton double chance
Odds: 19/20 @
Looking to spring an upset on Tuesday night, Northampton will travel to the Valley when they meet a struggling Charlton.
Starting with the hosts, while some in Charlton’s camp might have opened up the 2023/24 campaign with their sights set on mounting a genuine play-off charge, the Addicks find themselves at the heart of a major League One nightmare. Last seen over the weekend putting in another worrying display as they slumped to a deserved 2-0 loss away at Burton, Michael Appleton has a real job on his hands at the Valley. Now looking over their shoulder at the drop zone and coming under a huge amount of scrutiny, the former Portsmouth boss finds his side in the midst of an 11-match winless run across all compe…
Ansu Fati can follow Marcus Rashford s example and turn a promising start into a flourishing career, according to Barcelona head coach Xavi.
Teenage Barcelona forward Fati has had a stop-start beginning to his time in the spotlight, with injuries and a dip in form seeing him struggle to establish himself as a starter.
He has featured in 47 first-team games for Barcelona over last season and the current campaign but has started just 13 times, netting 12 goals and adding three assists.
This season he has six goals in 32 appearances, having managed the same number in 15 games during the 2021-22 campaign, and his shot conversion rate has plummeted from 24 per cent last term to just 9.38 per cent this time around.
Fati turned 20 in November and Barcelona see t…
Barcelona and Bayern Munich statistically hold the upper hand heading into the return encounters of their Champions League last-16 ties.
Both sides secured goalless draws on their first-leg travels and history says 68 per cent of teams previously in that position have reached the next round.
And with Lionel Messi and Robert Lewandowski both in possession of imposing scoring records, there is plenty for Lyon and Liverpool to fear on Wednesday.
Get equipped with some essential Opta numbers as the round of 16 comes to a close
Bayern Munich v Liverpool
1 Bayern have only failed to score in one of their past 26 Champions League home games – that was in a goalless draw with Sevilla in last season s quarter-finals.
8 Niko Kovac s me…
LA Galaxy stunned derby rivals Los Angeles FC on Saturday with a superb second-half comeback to seal a 4-2 victory.
They overturned a 2-0 half-time lead with four unanswered goals around Lewis O Brien s sending-off, becoming the first team in the Western Conference to clinch a playoff spot.
Mateusz Bogusz gambled by peeling away to the back post and was in the right place to head Denis Bouanga s deflected cross into the back of the net after just four minutes.
Just 11 minutes later, Bouanga made another driving run down the left and went for goal himself, drilling a low shot past John McCarthy from a tight angle. They could have had a third before the break, but Olivier Giroud s half-volley struck the inside of the post.
Dejan Joveljic got his first, rifl…
Giorgio Chiellini has discovered a new love for football with Los Angeles FC as the Italian centre-back aims to guide his side to a second straight MLS Cup triumph.
The Columbus Crew will prove the final obstacle on Saturday in LAFC s quest to go back-to-back with MLS Cup successes, having defeated the Philadelphia Union on penalties in last season s final.
Chiellini has lifted nine Serie A titles and helped Italy win Euro 2020, but the hunger remains for the 39-year-old to add another success in the United States to his trophy-filled cabinet.
I m enjoying every day I spend here – training and everything, the former Juventus defender, who joined LAFC in 2022, told Stats Perform.
It s my life. I love what I do. I ve watched more MLS games this year and…
Best odds: 29/10
Bookmaker:
On Tuesday evening, Italy welcome Bosnia and Herzegovina to the Allianz Stadium in Turin, the home of Serie A champions Juventus. The match will be a part of round four in Group J of Euro 2020 qualifiers.
Italy
The home team will certainly be the favorites to win this game, maybe even more so given how they thrashed Greece in Athens only a few days ago. Coach Roberto Mancini has put together a good unit, one that is more a team than a group of great individuals, which hasn t always been the case when the Azzurri are concerned.
Against the Greeks, they showed fantastic capability of combining hard work, tactical discipline, responsible defending and clinical finishing. If they can repeat anything near that on Tuesday, they sho…
Cristiano Ronaldo says he discovered he belonged to a world of stars upon comparing himself to the rest of Manchester United s strong squad in 2003.
The future Real Madrid and Juventus forward rose to a prominence after moving to Old Trafford from Sporting CP as a skinny teenager.
Then a flashy winger, Ronaldo scored four goals from 29 appearances in his debut Premier League campaign.
Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Ruud van Nistelrooy were among United s most prominent players at the time and Ronaldo quickly gained belief he too was destined to reach the top of the game.
When I started playing for Manchester United at 18, 19, because I was as good as the players who were there I realised I m close to achieving great things , Ronaldo told Portuguese broadca…
Tim Walter says he is proud of his courageous Hull City side after earning his first win in charge, beating Stoke City 3-1.
Narcis Pelach led the Potters out for the first time on Friday and saw his side take a 1-0 lead through Ben Wilmot into half-time.
However, Hull came out fighting in the second half to claim three points for the first time this season.
Kasey Palmer saw a penalty saved just after the hour mark but turned in the rebound before goals from Regan Slater and an own goal from Wilmot completed their late turnaround.
It is a win that propels the Tigers from 19th to 13th in the Championship, above Stoke, and Walter believes it has been a long time coming.
It s hard to describe because I never had this feeling before. I ve never not h…