Kepa benched again for FA Cup final as Chelsea tackle Arsenal

Gareth Bale claimed the standard of football in Major League Soccer has risen in recent years after he and Giorgio Chiellini made their Los Angeles FC debut in a 2-1 win over Nashville SC.

Bale made his MLS bow as a 72nd-minute substitute in Tennessee, while Italy and Juventus legend Chiellini played the first hour of a victory that put LAFC one point clear at the Western Conference summit.

The Wales winger, who won five Champions League titles during a trophy-laden spell with Real Madrid before his contract expired in June, suggested last week that MLS was not a retirement league .

And Bale repeated that assertion after his maiden appearance, telling LAFC s website: The standard of football, even just watching, has improved massively from when I used to wat…

Dele Alli has completed a loan move to Besiktas from Everton, with the Turkish club having an option to buy the England international.

The midfielder only joined the Toffees from Tottenham in January on a two-and-a-half-year deal as one of the first signings for manager Frank Lampard.

Alli made 11 appearances for Everton as they escaped from Premier League relegation last season, with only one start, and has featured twice so far in the new campaign, both times from the bench.

The 26-year-old was an unused substitute in the 1-1 draw against Nottingham Forest at Goodison Park last weekend, and will now look to get his career back on track with Besiktas.

Everton signed Alli on what was essentially a free transfer, but would have owed Spurs £10mill…

Aston Villa are interested in signing Nico Williams from Athletic Bilbao in the summer of 2023, according to . The report has claimed that Williams is a player that the Villans are going to monitor.

Williams is one of the best young wingers in Spain not to play for a top-four club in La Liga. The Spain international has been on the books of Bilbao since 2020 and has established himself as an important player in the first team.

So far this season, the winger has made 18 starts and one substitute appearance in La Liga for Bilbao, scoring three goals and providing three assists in the process. During the 2021-22 campaign, Williams made 11 starts and 12 substitute appearances in the league.

Villa are 11th in the Premier League table at the moment with 28 points from…

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.

We think you may have heard about this

Ross McCormack is back

…

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…