Postecoglou reflects on ´worst experience´ as a manager in Man City defeat

Gareth Southgate says Harvey Barnes is a player England “like a lot” and Kieran Trippier praised Elliot Anderson’s potential amid talk of a possible tug-of-war with Scotland for the Newcastle duo.

There is an increasing number of players that have been part of the English set-up that have gone on to represent another country, including Jamal Musiala and Wilfried Zaha.

Angus Gunn was called up to the England senior squad by Southgate before switching allegiance to Tuesday’s opponents Scotland, who are now reportedly targeting Barnes.

The 25-year-old has yet to add to the solitary senior England cap he won in 2020 but remains on the manager’s radar, as does Newcastle team-mate Anderson.

The Whitley Bay-born 20-year-old spent two days with Scotland…

Michael O’Neill admitted Northern Ireland’s miserable Euro 2024 qualifying campaign was starting to feel like Groundhog Day as he urged fans to look at the bigger picture while he tries to mould a new team.

After Thursday’s 4-2 defeat to Slovenia on Thursday, it was back the old familiar feeling of a 1-0 defeat in Kazakhstan on Sunday – a fifth consecutive defeat in this campaign and the fourth 1-0 reverse during that run.

The build-up to the match was dominated by talk of injuries – Northern Ireland have been without as many as 18 different players during this campaign to date – and yet again the talk after was of a game decided by narrow margins.

Defeat in Astana

— Northern Ireland (@NorthernIreland)

Maxim Samorodov’s 27th mi…

Best odds: 3/2

Bookmaker:

The match between Italy and North Macedonia, set to take place on Friday at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, carries significant importance for the Azzurri as they aim to secure a top-two finish in Group C of the Euro 2024 qualifications.

North Macedonia have lost all hope of qualification for the main tournament next year, but they have the potential to make things challenging for Italy, as evidenced by their shocking victory in the World Cup play-offs.

Italy

Last month, Italy thrashed Malta by 4-0, and they got off to a good start against England at Wembley when Gianluca Scamacca took advantage of some inexplicably poor defending from the home side to fire the Azzurri ahead in the 15th minute, but a brace from Harry Kane and a go…

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has agreed with Mohamed Salah that the Liverpool star is the best player in the world in his position.

Ancelotti s Madrid face Jurgen Klopp s Liverpool in the Champions League final on May 28 in Paris, with two contenders for the Ballon d Or lining up against each other in Salah and Karim Benzema.

Salah has been in fine domestic scoring form once again this season, on course for the Premier League s Golden Boot award with 22 strikes, while he has been directly involved in 35 goals in 34 league games.

The Egypt international, speaking after winning the Football Writers Association Player of the Year in England, declared himself as the best forward in the world at present.

If you compare me with any player in my positio…

Gavin Gunning was delighted as he watched his Swindon side upset the form book with a 2-0 League Two victory at Barrow but insisted their unlikely win was well merited.

Not that opposite number Pete Wild or Barrow fans wanted to argue after their team was second best in virtually all departments.

But for Bluebirds’ goalkeeper Paul Farman’s heroics, Swindon’s margin of victory could easily have been wider.

In the end, goals in a 10-minute spell before half-time from Williams Kokolo and Paul Glatzel were sufficient for Town to leave Holker Street with victory.

“I came here a few times in my playing career and got skittled with the wind and the rain,” said interim boss Gunning.

“People might have thought we would come here and be a soft t…

Market: Over 1.5 goals

Odds: 2/5 @

Looking to extend on their charge away from the drop zone, Lyon will welcome Nice to the Groupama Stadium on Friday night.

Starting with the hosts, while Lyon might have opened the 2023/24 campaign in the midst of a public Ligue 1 crisis, Les Gones have turned a crucial corner of late. Skyrocketing their way out of the drop zone and enjoying their brightest run of the campaign, Pierre Sage’s men have won eight of their previous 10 domestic appearances across all competitions. With their recent purple patch stemming all the way back to a 3-0 drumming against Marseille back on December 6th, the Whites will be desperate to make another statement here. Last seen putting in an eye-catching performance as they secured a 2-1 victory…

Germany playmaker Thomas Muller hopes striker Harry Kane s England goal drought goes on a little while longer.

England renew their rivalry with Germany next Tuesday in a mouth-watering Euro 2020 last-16 tie at Wembley with misfiring Kane set to lead the line for the Three Lions.

Kane started all three of England s Group D matches, but has just a solitary shot on target to show for his efforts.

The 27-year-old came into the tournament on the back of formidable season in the Premier League with Tottenham as he topped the goals (23) and assist (14) charts but has struggled so far.

He has managed five shots in total, three of which were deemed as big chances by Opta. No other England player missed more than one across those three games.

Great strike…

Sweden got their Women’s World Cup campaign up and running in dramatic fashion while Jamaica claimed a historic point on day four of the tournament.

The Swedes, who finished third in 2019, battled back to beat South Africa while Jamaica held France and in the day’s other game, the Netherlands claimed a narrow win over Portugal.

Here the PA news agency takes a look at all of Sunday’s action.

Netherlands down debutants

How it feels to score the opening goal at the !

— OranjeLeeuwinnen (@oranjevrouwen)

Stefanie van der Gragt’s header saw the Netherlands open their challenge with a 1-0 victory over debutants Portugal in Dunedin.

The defender beat Ines Pereira after 13 minutes but needed to wait before the effort was awarded by …

With the Premier League getting underway on Friday night, there are a host of European heavyweights that will steal centre stage.

Watching AC Milan travel to the Stadio Olimpico for a heavyweight showdown against Roma, we have found a pair of eye-catching affairs that can potentially offer a great return for your Friday flutter.

19:45 Roma vs AC Milan

While AC Milan might have been disappointed after only just scrapping themselves to a top-four ticket, the Italian heavyweights certainly gained a string of plaudits for their famous Champions League romp. Reaching the semi-finals and looking to replicate that European flurry this time around, Friday’s guests will be hopeful of laying down another marker here.

Opening the 2023/24 campaign with a rugged …

Eddie Nketiah scored twice as Arsenal set up a mouthwatering FA Cup fourth-round tie against Manchester City by beating Oxford United 3-0.

The Premier League leaders failed to register a shot on target in the first half at the Kassam Stadium on Monday after Mikel Arteta made seven changes to his starting line-up.

They demonstrated their superior quality after the break, though, Mohamed Elneny opening the scoring before in-form Nketiah struck twice in the space of six minutes.

Fabio Vieira provided two assists in a ruthless second-half display from Arsenal, but an injury sustained by Bukayo Saka will be a concern for Arteta ahead of their North London derby against Tottenham on Sunday.

— Arsenal (@Arsenal)

League One side Oxford had no…