Roberto Pereyra scored both goals including a sublime volley as Watford began the new Premier League season with a comfortable 2-0 win over Brighton Hove Albion at Vicarage Road.
Javi Gracia s hosts controlled the game throughout to pick up the three points against a travel-sick Brighton side who, despite a busy transfer window, carried little threat in attack to continue a worrying trend on the road.
Pereyra opened the scoring in the 35th minute with the one moment of genuine quality in a first half where Watford huffed and puffed in open play without enjoying too much success.
However, a clever set-piece move saw the hosts deservedly take the lead. Jose Holebas deep corner picked out his unmarked team-mate on the edge of the penalty area, allowing Pereyr…
Liverpool duo Alisson and Virgil van Dijk lined up alongside familiar faces Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in the FIFA FIFPro Men s World11 for 2019.
Messi and Ronaldo were voted in by their fellow professionals for a 13th straight year, maintaining their ever-present records since 2007.
Goalkeeper Alisson and centre-back Van Dijk have been rewarded after helping the Reds to Champions League glory earlier this year, although they missed out on the Premier League title to domestic treble-winners Manchester City who were not represented in the XI.
Real Madrid have the most players with four, albeit Eden Hazard only moved to the Spanish capital in the close season from Chelsea after winning the Europa League in his final game for the English club.
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(GSM) German side Werder Bremen have come to terms with striker Marko Arnautovic after they agreed a fee with Dutch champions FC Twente for his services.
Austrian striker Arnautovic, 21, did not get to take part in Twente s celebrations this past season as he spent the year on loan at European champions Inter Milan, playing in three Serie A games for the Nerazzurri.
While the terms of the transfer fee were not disclosed publicly, it has been reported in German media that Arnautovic and Bremen have agreed to personal terms as part of a four-year contract.
Arnautovic, who is of Serbian ancestry via his father, has appeared four times for Austria though sparingly since debuting in 2008.
Arnautovic had spent his entire professional career with Twente dating …
Arsenal tightened their grip on a return to the Champions League with a 3-1 victory over Manchester United in front of a Women’s Super League record sell-out at the Emirates.
The Gunners, who sold 60,160 tickets for the lunchtime contest, were gifted an early goal when Katie McCabe’s corner deflected in off Geyse.
Another error allowed Cloe Lacasse to nod in a second before Kim Little’s spot-kick made it three before the break.
60,160
Emirates Stadium sold out for the first time in history.
Another league record. Another historic moment.
Thank you, Gooners
— Arsenal Women (@ArsenalWFC)
Lucia Garcia clawed one back in stoppage time but it was little consolation for fourth-placed United, now seven points adrift of…
United States striker Aron Johannsson is growing in confidence as the defending champions edge closer to back-to-back CONCACAF Gold Cup titles.
USA set up a semi-final showdown with Jamaica in Atlanta on Wednesday after seeing off Cuba 6-0 last week.
Johannsson was handed a starting role alongside Gold Cup top goalscorer Clint Dempsey in the absence of Jozy Altidore, who was omitted from the squad due to a lack of fitness, and netted USA s third goal in the quarter-finals in Baltimore on Saturday.
For a striker to get his first goal of the tournament, it s huge, Johannsson told ussoccer.com.
Obviously I would have hoped it would come sooner, but to score in the knockout stage is always good.
USA captain Michael Bradley was the architect of Joha…
Chelsea full-back Wallace has joined Brazilian Serie A side Gremio on loan until June 2017.
The 21-year-old signed for the reigning Premier League champions from Fluminense in 2013 but is yet to make a first-team appearance at Stamford Bridge.
Following loan spells at Inter where he made three substitute appearances in 2013-14 and Eredivisie side Vitesse Arnhem, Wallace joined Italian top-flight newcomers Carpi for the current campaign.
He started one game apiece in Italy s Serie A and the Coppa Italia on his return to Italian football but he will now ply his trade in his homeland of Brazil once more.
Chelsea confirmed the move in a statement on their official website on Thursday.
Wallace is capped at Under-20 and Under-17 level for Brazil.
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Luke Shaw sent a message to say he was doing fine after being carried off in a neck brace during England s 2-1 Nations League defeat to Spain.
The Manchester United defender collided with Spain s Dani Carvajal early in the second half and was unable to continue after receiving treatment on the field for almost seven minutes.
Despite suffering what looked like a serious injury, he was treated by doctors at Wembley rather than being rushed to hospital and his message in the aftermath of the game helped to soothe supporters fears.
In a message on Twitter, he wrote: Thank you for all the love and support I am doing fine and am in the best hands.
Thank you for all the love and support I am doing fine and am in the best hands. I’m a fighter so I will be back …
Maurizio Sarri would be happy to see John Terry return to Chelsea as part of his backroom staff at Stamford Bridge.
Terry is currently without a club having left Aston Villa at the end of the 2017-18 Championship campaign after Steve Bruce s side were beaten in the play-off final by Fulham in May.
A surprise move to Spartak Moscow looked on the cards last week, but Terry opted against the switch to Russia for family reasons.
Terry has already spoken to Sarri about a future role at Chelsea, but he remains intent on having one more year as a player before moving into coaching.
And whenever Terry decides to hang up his boots, Sarri says there will always be a place for him at Chelsea.
The last time I spoke with him he told me that he wants to play…
Mikel Arteta insists there is no secret to Arsenal’s recent success as he praised his side following victory over Newcastle.
The Gunners eased to a 4-1 win at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday night to move two points off the top of the Premier League summit.
A Sven Botman own goal set them on their way before goals from Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka and Jakub Kiwior rounded off another fine display from Arteta’s men, although the returning Joe Willock’s late header ruined another clean sheet.
Two points
Some title race we have on our hands…
— Premier League (@premierleague)
Arsenal may have laboured to a narrow 1-0 defeat in the first leg of their Champions League last 16 tie in Porto on Wednesday – but their domestic form has be…
Diego Simeone knows Atletico Madrid must raise their game after he felt they panicked in a 2-1 victory over Girona.
Angel Correa scored an early goal in each half in only his second start of the season as Atleti put a Champions League defeat at Club Brugge behind them, securing back-to-back La Liga wins and moving into fourth place.
Rodrigo Riquelme pulled a goal back with a long-range drive midway through the second half and Girona were unfortunate not to leave the Cívitas Metropolitano with at least a point from Saturday s game.
Jan Oblak produced a great save to tip Aleix Garcia s drive against the post and the Atleti goalkeeper denied the same player with another stunning late stop.
Simeone felt his side made life difficult for themselves by dropping…