Highest win rate since 2013-14 – The Premier League´s flying Champions League start in Opta numbers

Lionel Messi believes he was fortunate to score two tremendous free-kicks during Barcelona s win over Espanyol in LaLiga on Saturday.

Just days after being criticised by Brazil great Pele, Messi produced a fine display, scoring twice and setting up another in Barca s 4-0 win.

His two goals were wonderful free-kicks, but the 31-year-old said he needed some luck.

I try to follow a routine a bit, trying to do it the same way so that it goes well again, Messi told Vamos.

Other times I have a lot of free-kicks and I do not put them in. I was lucky enough to get two in a row.

 And it s all over. A perfect performance
 RCD Espanyol 0-4 FC Barcelona
 Leo Messi (x2), Dembélé Suárez  

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona)

Ousmane De…

Market: Both teams to score

Odds: 4/6 @

In an all-Championship FA Cup showdown on Sunday Watford will welcome Southampton to Vicarage Road for what could be a lively affair.

Starting with the hosts, while some in Watford’s camp might still have their sights set on pinching a Championship play-off ticket this season, the Hornets are seeking some recent stability. Although Valerien Ismael’s side might have extended on their FA Cup adventure earlier in the month as they secured a comeback 2-1 victory against National League outfit Chesterfield, the one-time West Brom boss has seen his squad win just a pair of their previous six appearances across all competitions. Last seen having to settle for a 1-1 stalemate away at Bristol City, Watford will also be concerne…

After making a sterling impact as caretaker manager, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will take the wheel at Manchester United on a permanent basis.

He made his name as a super-sub at Old Trafford and Solskjaer lived up to that tag during his spell as interim boss, replacing Jose Mourinho with aplomb, getting them into the Champions League quarter-finals and back into the battle for a top-four spot.

The baby-faced Norwegian and United favourite was only supposed to be in charge until the end of the season, with Ed Woodward and the club s hierarchy reportedly keen on appointing Tottenham s Mauricio Pochettino as Mourinho s long-term successor.

But Solskjaer s impact has forced them to think again, with the former Molde boss another of Alex Ferguson s former pupils to have gon…

West Brom went top of the early-season Championship table with a comfortable 3-0 win at Portsmouth on Sunday, with Alex Mowatt scoring twice.

Mowatt struck twice in the second half after Josh Maja had given Carlos Corberan s men an early lead at Fratton Park, as Portsmouth s wait for a first win of the season continued.

Maja needed just 54 seconds to put Albion ahead, slamming home for his fifth goal of the season after Tom Fellows got to the byline to cut it back.

The visitors started the second half almost as quickly as they began the first, doubling their lead on 51 minutes as Mowatt curled home left-footed following fine combination play from John Swift and Karlan Grant.

Another one to add to the magic Mowatt collection! |

— Sky Bet Champ…

Liverpool have agreed a British record transfer fee of £110million for Brighton midfielder Moises Caicedo, according to reports.

The 21-year-old Ecuador international has been a target for Chelsea all summer but Brighton have held firm in their valuation.

Now the Reds appear to have stepped in and hijacked the deal to complete their midfield rebuild following the departures of Jordan Henderson and Fabinho.

Happy Independence Day, Ecuador!

— Brighton Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC)

Should he complete the move, Caicedo will be reunited with Alexis Mac Allister, the Argentinian World Cup winner who left the Seagulls for Anfield in June.

The reported fee would eclipse the previous British record fee of £107m that Chelsea paid for Enzo Ferna…

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has declared he is Santa Claus as he brings gifts to 27 children: his two in Sweden, and his 25 team-mates in Milan.

The veteran striker has helped to steer the Rossoneri back towards a Serie A title challenge since returning for a second spell at the club in January.

The only unbeaten team in Europe s top-five leagues in games played since the 2019-20 shutdown in March caused by the coronavirus pandemic, Milan sit top with 34 points from 14 matches, exactly double the tally they had at the same stage last season.

Ibrahimovic has scored 10 goals in just six league games in 2020-21 but, interestingly, Milan have had a better win rate without him in the team (72.7 per cent) than with him (62.5 per cent) since his first game back at the club on Ja…

Alexis Sanchez will attempt to put a forgettable start to his Manchester United spell behind him after joining Inter on loan.

The Chile forward just never managed to find form and fitness after leaving Arsenal and has gone to Italy in a bid to revitalise his career.

It s safe to say United have not had a particularly good record when it comes to getting the best out of South American stars although there have been a few exceptions.

Below, we rank the players from that continent to turn out for the Red Devils in competitive matches

18. Rodrigo Possebon (2008-10)

Possebon squeaks onto this list as a Brazil-born player, even though he represented Italy at youth level.

Signed by United from Internacional in 2008, he mustered three …

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Knowing that they can officially secure their Serie A return on Wednesday evening, Parma will travel to the Stadio San Nicola when they meet Bari.

Starting with the hosts, while Bari might have opened up the 2023/24 campaign with their sights firmly set on securing another stellar play-off ticket, Pasquale Marino’s men are at the heart of a major Serie B crisis this time around. Last seen over the weekend putting in another nightmare performance as they slumped to a routine 4-1 drumming at the hands of Cosenza, the Cockerels face a real uphill battle in the bid to avoid the drop this season. Opening up the midweek fixtures scrapping it out in the relegation zone and sat one-point adrift of safety, the Apulia-based outfit have collecte…

Dominik Szoboszlai and Andre Silva struck in either half as Manchester City fell to a 2-1 defeat at RB Leipzig in the Champions League.

Premier League leaders City headed to the Red Bull Arena on a 14-game unbeaten run against German opposition in the competition, including a 6-3 home win in the reverse fixture, but Szoboszlai broke the deadlock after 24 minutes this time.

Phil Foden responded by rattling the woodwork before the break, yet Leipzig scored the second goal when Silva converted on the counter, before Riyad Mahrez pulled one back for the visitors.

Pep Guardiola s hopes of a recovery were hit by Kyle Walker s red card, although his side had already secured top spot in Group A, with this result – combined with Club Brugge s defeat at Paris Saint-G…

Arsenal returned to winning ways as goals from Mohamed Elneny and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang sealed a comfortable 2-0 win over Newcastle United on Sunday. 

The Gunners had picked up just one point from their previous two Premier League games against Everton and Fulham before they suffered a 2-1 defeat to Villarreal in the first leg of their Europa League semi-final on Thursday. 

However, they sealed all three points at St James Park thanks to Elneny s early goal and Aubameyang s second-half finish, the fifth consecutive game in which the Gabon international has scored against the Magpies. 

The result lifted Arsenal up to ninth, while Newcastle finished with 10 men after substitute Fabian Schar s rash lunge on fellow Gabriel Martinelli.

Steve Bruce s s…