Aston Villa linked with Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams

Christian Eriksen believes he and Bruno Fernandes have formed a strong relationship in Manchester United s midfield due to their complementary qualities.

Eriksen has become a key part of Erik ten Hag s new-look United team since swapping Brentford for Old Trafford in July, playing behind Fernandes in a deep-lying midfield role.

The Denmark international produced a masterful showing in United s last Premier League game against Arsenal, claiming an assist and leading his team-mates for passes completed (33) and chances created (three) in the 3-1 victory.

Speaking to United s media channels after winning the club s Player of the Month award for September, Eriksen said playing alongside Fernandes was a key reason for his success.

Some people see us as very …

Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Renato Sanches has been left out of Portugal s World Cup squad, joining the country s second-most capped player Joao Moutinho in missing out on the trip to Qatar.

Sanches has won 32 senior caps for Portugal since his 2016 debut and was named Young Player of the Tournament as Portugal clinched their first major trophy at the European Championship in France that year.

However, since swapping Lille for Ligue 1 rivals PSG this August, Sanches has struggled for game-time, starting just three matches in all competitions and playing a total of 427 minutes.

Fellow PSG midfielders Marco Verratti, Vitinha, Danilo Pereira, Fabian Ruiz, Pablo Sarabia and Carlos Soler have all made more starts this campaign, leaving Sanches out of Fernando Santo…

Liverpool boss Arne Slot made himself at home at Anfield as goals from Luis Diaz and Mohamed Salah secured a 2-0 victory over Brentford.

After winning by the same scoreline away at Ipswich Town last week, Slot saw his team dominate much of Sunday’s encounter to keep up their perfect record to start the 2024-25 Premier League season.

Slot waited just 13 minutes for his first home game to spark into life – Diogo Jota leading a rapid counter-attack from a Brentford corner before laying it off to Diaz, who lashed in beyond Mark Flekken to mark his 100th Reds appearance in style.

Flekken and Nathan Collins combined to keep Liverpool at bay in the second half, while Brentford – who were again without Ivan Toney – went close through Kristoffer Ajer at the other …

Aston Villa registered their 13th Premier League home win on the bounce as Unai Emery’s men beat Fulham 3-1.

Villa were two goals up at the break following an Antonee Robinson own-goal and a strike from skipper John McGinn.

Fulham came close early in the second half when Emiliano Martinez tipped a Raul Jimenez shot against a post before Ollie Watkins added a third for the hosts with a 64th-minute finish.

Jimenez pulled a goal back for the visitors, but Villa were not to be denied as they equalled the post-war club record for successive top-flight home victories, matching the 13 in a row achieved in 1983.

Emery’s side have scored at least three times in each of their Villa Park wins this season, with the total being 23 goals for the midlands outfit acr…

Paris Saint-Germain are interested in signing Rafael Leao from AC Milan as a potential replacement for Kylian Mbappe, according to . France international forward Mbappe in the January transfer window, and the defending Ligue 1 champions want to bring in Leao as his long-term replacement.

Leao has been on the books of AC Milan since 2019 and has established himself as an important player for the Rossoneri. The Portugal international can operate as a forward or as a winger and is a regular in the Milan first team. 

PSG are reportedly ready to make an offer of €150 million for Milan star Leao. The player himself is claimed to be willing to make the move to the Parisian outfit. However, it is unlikely that Milan will sell  the attacker or any of their best players in t…

Veteran striker Ross McCormack has returned to former club Motherwell on loan until the end of the Scottish Premiership season.

The 32-year-old, still under contract at Aston Villa, originally played for Well between 2006 and 2008 before earning a move to Cardiff City and kickstarting his career in the Championship in England.

McCormack is back at Fir Park after he was recalled from previous loan club Central Coast Mariners earlier on Saturday, citing family reasons.

I feel like this was the club that helped launch my career and I will be forever grateful for that, he said. I ve had a frustrating few years and I am desperate to just get back on the pitch again and do what I do.

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Ross McCormack is back

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Aston Villa want to sign Crysencio Summerville from Leeds United in the January transfer window, according to Fabrizio Romano. The Italian journalist has reported on Twitter that Villa are among a number of clubs who are keeping tabs on Summerville.

Romano has added that Leeds have “no intention” of selling Summerville in the January transfer window. The reporter has added that the West Yorkshire club turned down a bid of £20 million from Burnley for Summerville in the summer of 2023.

https://twitter.com/FabrizioRomano/status/1739209378543141368

Summerville is one of the best young players in the Championship and is a key player for Leeds. The 22-year-old winger has made 18 starts and two substitute appearances in the Championship for the Whites so far this…

Nottingham Forest have sacked boss Steve Cooper and are in talks to appoint former Wolves and Tottenham boss Nuno Espirito Santo as his replacement, the PA news agency understands.

The 44-year-old has paid the price for a run of just one win in 13 Premier League games, which has seen Forest plummet to just five points above the drop zone.

The Portuguese is the preferred candidate to take over at the City Ground and has met with club officials ahead of a possible appointment.

Nuno has been out of work since leaving Saudi Pro League club Al-Ittihad in November. He appears set for a return to the Premier League two years after his sacking from an ill-fated four-month stay at Spurs.

Cooper has had the support of the Forest fans after taking them from the bott…

Having already been crowned league champions, Red Star Belgrade completed the Serbian double by beating arch-rivals Partizan in the final of the Serbian Cup on Tuesday at the Rajko Mitic Stadium. The match was settled through a penalty shootout after 120 minutes of play without any goals.

Open contest

In recent years, matches between Red Star and Partizan have always yielded little in terms of goals, and this time it was no different, but it should be said that it wasn t for lack of trying. They usually play cautiously and with a lot of grit and passion.

Well, the grit and the passion were certainly there, but both teams played to win, that much was clear from the start. Following an early period of Red Star domination, Partizan grew into the contest which bec…

Real Madrid are to take legal action against a Portuguese newspaper that suggested the club pressurised Cristiano Ronaldo into seeking a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) with Kathryn Mayorga.

Ms Mayorga has accused Ronaldo, who left Madrid for Juventus in July, of raping her in a hotel in Las Vegas in 2009, allegations the player and his lawyers have repeatedly denied.

The story originated in German publication Der Spiegel, whose initial claims an NDA worth $375,000 had been reached was confirmed by Ronaldo s lawyer Peter Christiansen on Wednesday.

Ms Mayorga filed a lawsuit last month in an attempt to quash that agreement while Las Vegas police have re-opened an investigation.

Correio da Manha claimed on Wednesday that the NDA was put in place at Madrid s …