In the final weeks of his ultimately ill-fated Manchester United tenure, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer took to tweaking his system, switching to a back three against better teams in a bid to bolster a shaky defence.

Michael Carrick would be best advised not to follow suit when he takes United to Chelsea on Sunday.

Five Premier League opponents have lined up against Chelsea this season with three centre-backs – a system popularised in England by former coach Antonio Conte which the European champions have again made their own under Thomas Tuchel.

In those five meetings, in which inferior sides have sought to match up with Tuchel s men, Chelsea have won on each occasion, scoring 17 and conceding none.

Their rare slip-ups – 1-1 draws with Liverpool and Burnley, …

Jurgen Klopp has said Liverpool are in really good conversations with star player Mohamed Salah about signing a new deal at Anfield.

The Egyptian has proven himself to be one of the best players in the world in recent years and has had a sensational campaign to date, sitting six clear of his nearest rival at the top of the Premier League scoring charts on 15.

However, with his current deal on Merseyside due to expire at the end of next season, talk has begun as to whether he will sign a new one and extend his stay at the club where he has won the Champions League, Super Cup, Club World Cup and Premier League.

Ahead of Liverpool s trip to Tottenham on Sunday, Klopp spoke to Sky Sports and allayed some fans fears regarding Salah, insisting that talks are happening …

Everton have activated their option to extend the contract of midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure by 12 months.

It represents quite a turnaround in four months for the Mali international who, in the latter days of Frank Lampard’s reign, was training away from the first-team squad after a disagreement with the then Toffees boss.

can confirm we have activated the option to extend Abdoulaye Doucoure’s contract until the end of June 2024.

— Everton (@Everton)

Having been brought back into the fold when Sean Dyche was appointed in late January, the 30-year-old has scored four goals – ending a drought dating back to September 2021 – in his last nine games, including two in the crucial 5-1 win at Brighton earlier this month.

“Everton can confirm…

Best Odds: 4/6

Bookmaker:

In a heavyweight battle between two Italian giants in midweek, Inter Milan and Roma will turn their attention back to Coppa Italia duties when they meet at the San Siro on Tuesday night.

Inter Milan

Starting with the hosts, coming off the back on an action-packed defeat at the hands of their bitter rivals AC over the weekend, there is no doubt that Inter Milan will be seeking an immediate boost here. Eventually hit with a 2-1 defeat at the San Siro a few days ago, Head Coach Simone Inzaghi finds his side now holding just a one-point buffer at the top of the Serie A table. However, with their sights firmly set on reclaiming their domestic crown this season, the Nerazzurri have gained plenty of plaudits since bringing in the one-time Laz…

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…