Morata a ´different player´ since Juventus move, declares Luis Enrique

Spain coach Luis Enrique had no hesitations in handing Alvaro Morata an international recall after claiming the forward has turned himself into a different player at Juventus.

Morata last played for Spain in a Euro 2020 qualifier against Romania last November, seemingly falling out of favour since.

But the 28-year-old re-joined Juventus on loan from Atletico Madrid in September, and an upturn in form has brought him six goals in seven games for the Bianconeri.

Morata has scored 17 times in 33 appearances for Spain since making his debut in November 2014, but his consistency at club level has been questioned in the past.

However, Luis Enrique has closely monitored Morata s performances at Juve and seen enough to warrant his return to the squad.<…

Prediction: Leicester City vs Southampton

Best odds: 8/5

Bookmaker:

Leicester City are set to welcome Southampton to the King Power Stadium on Saturday afternoon for what should be an interesting game of football in the 22nd round of the 2019/20 season in the Premier League.

Leicester City

Without a doubt the most pleasant surprise of the season in England s top flight, the Foxes have done better up to this point than many would have believed possible. A departure of one of the best players is very often a sign of troubles to come for most clubs, but having sold Harry Maguire to Manchester United for £80 million last summer and replaced him with Caglar Soyuncu, this team actually looks better as the Turk hit the ground running.

It has been argued that manager Brendan Rodgers wasn t ready to co…

Tottenham 1-1 Sporting CP: Spurs made to wait on qualification after VAR denies Kane

Tottenham were made to wait in their bid to reach the Champions League s last 16 after Harry Kane was denied a 95th-minute winner in a contentious and chaotic finish to their 1-1 draw with Sporting CP.

Kane looked to have sealed Spurs progression from Group B when he fired past Antonio Adan from close range at the last, but a VAR review controversially ruled the striker to have been offside.

Marcus Edwards – who came through Spurs youth system before moving to Portugal – had earlier handed Sporting a deserved lead, which was cancelled out by Rodrigo Bentancur s header.

Antonio Conte was dismissed for his furious reaction to Kane s disallowed goal, and his side will now require a result at Marseille next Tuesday in order to reach the knockout stage.

I…

France injury crisis deepens with Hernandez blow in World Cup opener

France saw their injury crisis deepen as Bayern Munich defender Lucas Hernandez was forced off early on in Tuesday s World Cup meeting with Australia.

Didier Deschamps side arrived in Qatar looking to become the first team to retain the World Cup since Brazil in 1962, but their preparations for the tournament were hampered by fitness issues.

Having already lost 2018 s World Cup-winning midfield duo Paul Pogba and N Golo Kante before naming their 26-man squad for the competition, France have seen their rotten luck continue.

Paris Saint-Germain defender Presnel Kimpembe was forced to withdraw from their squad after failing to recover from a hamstring injury, while RB Leipzig s in-form attacker Christopher Nkunku was ruled out of the tournament after he tore the lat…

Former Newcastle winger Atsu pulled from rubble ´with injuries´ after earthquake in Turkey

Christian Atsu has been pulled from the rubble of a building with injuries after the devastating earthquakes in Turkey and Syria.

There was concern for the Hatayspor winger when reports emerged search and rescue teams were still looking for him, as well as the club s sporting director Taner Savut, after the tremors.

The earthquakes are estimated to have killed more than 5,000 people, with Hatay one of the most affected areas due to its close proximity to the epicentre.

But Hatayspor s vice-president Mustafa Ozat released positive news that Atsu, who made 107 league appearances for Newcastle United between 2016 and 2020, was alive when pulled from a collapsed building, though Savut remains in the rubble.

Christian Atsu was removed from the wreckage with i…

England 0-0 United States: Three Lions miss chance to qualify after frustrating draw with USA

England s winless record against the United States at the World Cup stretched to three matches following a goalless draw at Al Bayt Stadium.

Gareth Southgate s side knew they would become the first side to book their spot in the knockout stages with a victory but were unimpressive, with the USA being the better side throughout.

Christian Pulisic came the closest to deciding the match by striking the crossbar in the first half, while England only tested Matt Turner on a single occasion.

Neither side managed to muster much of a threat in the second period, with both sides forced to settle for a point and having work to do in their final matches on Tuesday.

0 England name an unchanged starting XI for the first time since doing so in the 2018 World Cup semi-f…

Bayern not interested in Haaland and ´will think twice´ about signing Dembele – Rummenigge

Bayern Munich are not interested in Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland and will think twice about signing Barcelona s Ousmane Dembele, according to Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.

German champions Bayern were this week named as one of four clubs realistically capable of signing Haaland by the player s agent Mino Raiola, along with Real Madrid, Barcelona and Manchester City.

Raiola clarified those comments by insisting Haaland is not yet thinking about leaving Dortmund, but the Norway international – reported to have a €75million buy-out clause that will kick in at the end of the season – continues to be linked with a move away.

However, with Robert Lewandowski in fantastic form and under contract until the end of the 2022-23 season, Rummenigge does not believe…

Tottenham Hotspur to announce new Son Heung-min contract in summer

Tottenham Hotspur will announce a new contract for Son Heung-min in the summer of 2021, according to . It has been reported that talks between Tottenham and Son over a new deal are at a very advanced stage, and that Spurs will hold off on making an announcement until the end of the season.

The report has added that Spurs know the importance of Son to the team and will not consider selling the 28-year-old South Korea international in the summer of 2021. Son has been at Tottenham since 2015 when he joined from German club Bayer Leverkusen, and his current contract at the North London club runs until the summer of 2023.

Son has been playing well for Spurs so far this season and will be a big player for Jose Mourinho’s side in their quest to finish in the top four of the …

Arsenal ready to sell Jakub Kiwior

Arsenal are ready to sell Jakub Kiwior in the January transfer window, according to . The report has claimed that Arsenal want to bring in a new centre-back in the middle of the season and are prepared to get rid of Kiwior.

Kiwior has been on the books of Arsenal since January 2023 when he joined from Italian club Spezia. The 23-year-old Portugal international centre-back has struggled to make an impact at the Emirates Stadium. Arsenal have made him available for transfer.

Arsenal are second in the Premier League table at the moment with 40 points from 19 matches, two points behind leaders Liverpool. Kiwior has made 14 appearances in the Premier League so far in his career. The defender has scored one goal and given two clean sheets in those games.

Arsenal want to sign Bayern Munich defender Matthijs de Ligt

Arsenal are interested in signing Matthijs de Ligt from Bayern Munich in the January transfer window, according to . The report has claimed that Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta wants to sign a new central defender next month, and that De Ligt is a long-term target for the Gunners.

De Ligt is one of the best defenders in the world and has been on the books of Bayern since 2022 when he joined from Juventus. The 24-year-old Netherlands international has made three starts and five substitute appearances in the Bundesliga so far this season, scoring one goal in the process. De Ligt has also played once in the UEFA Champions League this campaign.

Arsenal are second in the Premier League table at the moment with 40 points from 18 matches, two points behind leaders Liverpool, who …