Gareth Southgate is aware Ben White could face a backlash after he made himself unavailable for England duty but felt it was “impossible” to conceal the reason behind Thursday’s omission.
White has starred for Premier League leaders Arsenal this season and was set to be part of this month’s 25-man squad for the friendlies with Brazil and Belgium.
However, Arsenal sporting director Edu informed John McDermott, technical director at the Football Association, last week that White does not want to be currently considered for England squads, having not been called-up since he was sent home early from the 2022 World Cup.
White left Qatar for what the Football Association called “personal reasons” but reports later emerged of an alleged bust-up with England …
Best odds: 7/5
Bookmaker:
On Tuesday evening, Celta Vigo is set to host Real Sociedad at Balaidos for the second time in a matter of days.
Following their loss in the league meeting on Saturday, the hosts will seek revenge as they go head-to-head with the Basque side in the quarter-final of the Copa del Rey.
Celta Vigo
Celta Vigo find themselves in the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey for the first time since the 2016/17 season following a 3-1 victory over Valencia in the previous round. Despite entering the weekend on the back of a four-game unbeaten run across all competitions, their positive momentum was halted by a narrow 1-0 defeat to Real Sociedad.
With the loss, Os Celestes remain in 16th place in La Liga, just two points above the rele…
With the Premier League title scrap reaching a boiling point, we have a string of heavyweight affairs throughout Saturday afternoon.
With all three of Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal stealing centre stage, we could be set for a season-defining weekend of top-flight action.
So, for those of you who are looking to stick on a Saturday flutter, we have found a trio of helpful Premier League betting markets that are worth keeping an eye out for.
Saturday, February 17th
BST 15:00 Burnley vs Arsenal
Making what was an empathic statement last weekend as they stormed their way to a stellar 6-0 romp away at West Ham, Arsenal are enjoying quite the purple patch. Firmly battling it out at the top of the Premier League table and looking to get their hands…
Christian Eriksen revealed he snubbed repeated advances from Manchester United before signing up last month.
The Denmark international joined Erik ten Hag s side on a free transfer in July following a short-term stint with Brentford, having left Inter due to medical issues that meant he was no longer able to play in Italy.
The implantable cardioverter-defibrillator he had fitted after suffering cardiac arrest at the European Championship last year counted Eriksen out of a Serie A return to action.
Eriksen excelled with Thomas Frank s Brentford side, scoring once and contributing four assists in 11 Premier League matches, leading to United s interest.
He indicated he had previously spoken to Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer about a…
Marco Rose joked Yann Sommer would have snubbed a move to Bayern Munich in order to reunite with him at RB Leipzig if he had only asked.
The goalkeeper made the switch to the Bundesliga champions from Borussia Monchengladbach on Thursday after almost a decade at Borussia-Park.
He arrives to replace the injured Manuel Neuer and could slot straight into the starting line-up for Bayern s league match with Leipzig on Friday.
Rose, who coached Gladbach for a two-year period between 2019 and 2021, quipped that Sommer could have made the move to another destination if he had intervened.
He called me and said if you don t take me, I ll go to Bayern , he said. I hold Yann in very high regard, as a person but also as a player.
I think he s had an outstand…
Liverpool failed to keep their winning run going on Saturday, drawing 1-1 against Aston Villa at Anfield in a match significant for the Merseysiders on several levels.
It was also a match in which the home team didn t have their manager in the dugout, as Jurgen Klopp served his suspension for the comments he made about referee Paul Tierney after his team s victory over Tottenham Hotspur a few weeks ago.
Jacob Ramsey broke the deadlock to give the visitors a lead in the 27th minute, and Roberto Firmino came off the bench in the second half to net an 89th-minute equalizer.
The game
Liverpool pushed hard to score first through the opening 15 minutes, but having repelled their advances through hard work and determination, Aston Villa gradually leveled the playing f…
UEFA has received the Euro 2024 bid dossier put together by the German Football Association (DFB).
The DFB announced its decision to submit a bid in March 2017 and have handed their book over to UEFA three days before the deadline.
UEFA expect the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) to submit a rival bid later in the week.
Former Germany captain Philipp Lahm played for his country when they last hosted an international tournament, the 2006 World Cup, and is now an ambassador for the DFB s bid.
And he counted Germany s cosmopolitan culture, as well as their modern stadiums, among the strongest points of the bid.
Reinhard Grindel. General Secretary Dr. Friedrich Curtius, Celia Sasic have delivered the DFB s bid book for their application to !
Luis Enrique says Atletico Madrid have to love me first amid rumours the former Spain boss could be a long-term replacement for Diego Simeone.
La Roja and Luis Enrique parted ways in the aftermath of a shock last-16 defeat to Morocco on penalties at the World Cup last week, with Luis de la Fuente named as his replacement.
Spanish publication AS reported the former Barcelona head coach is a target for Manchester United and Atleti, despite both positions being occupied.
The links to Atleti would seemingly hold more credence. Diego Simeone has been in charge since 2011, winning two LaLiga titles, as many Europa Leagues, and the Copa del Rey, while they have finished as Champions League runners-up twice.
But with Atleti fifth in the table this season and alre…
Kylian Mbappe spoke from the heart when defending Zinedine Zidane from sniping by French Football Federation chief Noel Le Graet, according to Paris Saint-Germain boss Christophe Galtier.
Le Graet is facing calls to quit as FFF president after coming under fire for a bizarre comment about France great Zidane, and allegations about his leadership.
The 81-year-old Le Graet told RMC he did not give a toss where the 1998 World Cup winner went in his next coaching job, and added he would not answer the phone to the former midfielder.
Former Real Madrid head coach Zidane had been thought to be a likely contender for the France post if coach Didier Deschamps had decided to leave after the recent World Cup in Qatar.
It was instead announced Deschamps would be sta…
Scotland could qualify for the 2024 European Championship when Norway host Spain in Oslo on Sunday night and unsurprisingly Erling Haaland is a central figure in the fixture.
Steve Clarke’s side lost 2-0 to La Roja in Seville on Thursday night and their first defeat after five Group A wins left them three points ahead of Luis de la Fuente’s men, having played a game more.
Scotland face France in a friendly in Lille on Tuesday night but in essence, if Norway fail to beat Spain then the Scots will be appearing at their second successive Euros, while there are two fixtures next month, Georgia away and Norway at Hampden Park, which offer opportunities to clinch qualification.
Norway, who lost 2-1 at home to the Scots in June with Haaland scoring from the penalty …