Humbling Southampton and an Arsenal FA Cup epic: five classic Leeds clashes

7 November 1964, First Division: Everton 0 Leeds 1

Don Revie’s Leeds were new to the first division in 1964 and, though it had been noted that promotion had been gained despite a poor disciplinary record, the way they introduced themselves at the self-styled school of science produced shock and revulsion.

Billy Bremner opened proceedings with a blatant foul on Fred Pickering and afterjfour minutes Johnny Giles’s chest-high challenge on Sandy Brown led to the incensed defender dismissed for retaliation. That provoked a crowd reaction, with cushions and missiles raining on to the pitch, and with both sides still kicking lumps out of each other the referee, Ro…

Euro 2012 Group C preview: Italy v Croatia

Croatia manager Slaven Bilic knows his side are in for a tough test when they take on Italy in Poznan at Euro 2012 on Thursday.

Bilic s side will enter the Group C encounter full of confidence after a comfortable 3-1 win over the Republic of Ireland in their tournament opener.

Mario Mandzukic netted a double in the victory while wide men Ivan Rakitic and Ivan Perisic impressed in a triumph that sent the Croatians to the top of a difficult group that contains Italy and Spain.

But Bilic is fully aware that his side s two remaining matches will be a tougher proposition and he expects the Italians to be just as strong as Spain, the current world and European champions.

Italy are strong, they think about us and about our play, Bilic said.

(Cesare) P…

Tuchel extends PSG contract to 2021

Paris Saint-Germain coach Thomas Tuchel has extended his contract until June 2021 despite an underwhelming end to his first season with the Ligue 1 champions.

Tuchel arrived at Parc des Princes last year and guided PSG to a comfortable league title defence, but results were less impressive in the cup competitions.

PSG were knocked out of the Champions League by Manchester United in the last 16, while Guingamp inflicted an early Coupe de la Ligue exit and they were then beaten in the Coupe de France final by Rennes on penalties.

The shoot-out defeat to Rennes came in a run of just three wins in 10 matches in all competitions at the end of the season, concluding with Friday s 3-1 league defeat at Reims.

However, Tuchel insisted after the match that he was c…

Italy 2-2 Belgium: Trossard completes comeback to deny 10-man hosts

Italy dropped their first points of this Nations League campaign, as they were held to a 2-2 draw by Belgium in Rome.

The 10-man Azzurri, who had Lorenzo Pellegrini sent off, were pegged back from 2-0 up at Stadio Olimpico, where Maxim De Cuyper and Leandro Trossard cancelled out earlier efforts from Andrea Cambiaso and Mateo Retegui.

Just 59 seconds had elapsed when Italy broke the deadlock as Federico Dimarco played a one-two with Pellegrini, before his low cross was turned in at the far post by Cambiaso.

It was 2-0 in the 24th minute when Koen Casteeles parried Cambiaso s low drive straight to Retegui, who tapped into an open goal.

However, the Azzurri s momentum was halted after 40 minutes when Pellegrini was shown a straight red card following a VAR …

Spain have been lucky at Euro 2012, says Schuster

Former Real Madrid coach Bernd Schuster thinks that Spain s achievements at Euro 2012 have been largely based on luck.

Spain are on course for a third consecutive major title after beating Portugal 4-2 on penalties, to book a date against Italy in the final on Sunday.

Schuster, who played for both Barcelona and Real Madrid in the 1980s, believes that while Vicente del Bosque s side have been rather fortuitous of late, it is a necessary ingredient for victory.

Spain have been very lucky. If you are not, you do not win ever. It is essential to get lucky and in previous competitions, Spain did not have any luck. the former Germany international told Onda Cero.

(Italy) defend very well, (Andrea) Pirlo organises everything and directs the ball where he want…

Pele: 1940-2022

Pele remains the marker to whom modern greats such as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are compared.

The Brazilian legend is one of football’s most iconic figures and his death at the age of 82 brings the curtain down on a life and career that entertained and inspired in equal measure.

The forward, born Edson Arantes do Nascimento in Tres Coracoes in 1940, was just 15 years old when he made his Santos debut in 1956, winning his first Brazil cap the following year.

It was at the 1958 World Cup in Sweden that Pele first commanded international attention, though.

Brazil were yet to lift the Jules Rimet trophy when Pele first burst onto the scene, but the teenager helped kick-start a period of success for the South American nation with a series of scintil…

On this day in 2016: Aston Villa relegated from Premier League

Aston Villa were relegated from the Premier League following a 1-0 defeat away to Manchester United on this day in 2016.

Marcus Rashford’s 32nd-minute goal condemned Villa to the second tier of English football for the first time in 28 years.

Rudy Gestede hit the post with a volley late on but there was no delaying what was by then the inevitable.

It was a ninth straight defeat and 24th of the campaign for Villa in a dire season.

They would finish with only three wins and 17 points, half the tally of 19th-placed Norwich, and 22 points adrift of safety.

Villa, the 1982 European Cup winners, had been part of the Premier League since its inception and in the top flight since 1988.

But the 2015-16 season quickly turned into a horror show and…

Bills vs Titans Monday Night Football Picks and Predictions: Can Buffalo Continue To Dominate?

Monday Night Football in Week 6 of the NFL season features a terrific matchup between the Super Bowl favorite Buffalo Bills and the AFC South-leading Tenessee Titans.

Buffalo is off to a fantastic start this year and NFL betting lines have the Bills as 6-point road favorites for Monday’s showdown at Nissan Stadium.

Here are our best free Bills vs. Titans picks and predictions for Monday Night Football on October 18, with kickoff at 8:15 p.m. ET.

Falcons vs Jets Preseason Picks and Predictions: Flacco and Co. Hold the Edge

The NFL’s Week 2 preseason finale features a Monday night football matchup between the Atlanta Falcons and New York Jets, two franchises desperate to turn around their fortunes in the 2022 season.

While both teams secured narrow road victories in the opening week of preseason play, the Jets experienced a major setback when second-year quarterback Zach Wilson went down with a knee injury in the first quarter of their 24-21 win over Philadelphia. The 2021 No. 2 overall draft pick underwent surgery on a meniscus tear Tuesday, and it’s questionable whether he’ll be ready to go in Week 1 of the regular season.

For now, the Jets are left to move on to preseason game No. 2, in which they opened as a one-point home underdog. Read below for our best f…

Texans vs Patriots Preseason Picks and Predictions: Quarterback Play Dominates on Thursday

The second game of the 2023 NFL preseason kicks off Thursday at Gillette Stadium as the New England Patriots host the Houston Texans as a 3.5-point home dog, with a total of 36.5.

NFL odds moved after bettors steamed the Texans once news that rookie quarterback CJ Stroud will start, as will plenty of the other Houston starters. However, Thursday should see plenty of competent QB play on both sides while the Pats could be showing off duel-threat signal-caller Malik Cunningham as well — making that Over look very good at its current low number

Here are my free NFL picks and predictions for the Texans vs. Patriots.

Texans vs Patriots odds

Texans vs Patriots predictions

Bettors have seen this total drop…