Premier League Fantasy Picks: Count on Silva service, Mitrovic to fire once more

Newcastle United might be one of the few clubs capable of signing Cristiano Ronaldo, but Eddie Howe has suggested the Magpies interest lies elsewhere.

Ronaldo wanted to leave Manchester United in the last transfer window, but the 37-year-old ultimately stayed at Old Trafford.

He has only had a bit-part role under Erik ten Hag, though came on from the bench to score United s winner against Everton last week, bringing up his 700th club goal in the process.

There remains question marks over his future, but ahead of United s meeting with Newcastle on Sunday, Howe – while revealing his huge appreciation of Ronaldo – indicated his side are looking towards signings more suited to a long-term approach.

When asked in a press conference if Newcastle, backed by …

The Buffalo Bills claimed a statement win as John Allen threw three touchdown passes as they improved to 5-1 with a 24-20 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.

Allen, who completed 27 of 40 attempts for 329 yards with no interceptions, found Dawson Knox for the game-winning touchdown with 1:04 left in the fourth quarter at Arrowhead Stadium.

The Bills sealed the win when Von Miller broke a double team to apply pressure on Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes whose pass for Skyy Moore was picked by cornerback Taron Johnson with 0:41 remaining.

It ended a seesawing contest that had four lead changes, was tied at every change and was within one score throughout, with the AFC East-leading Bills moving ahead of the AFC West-leading Chiefs who fall to 4-2.

Taron…

Benfica striker Rodrigo rubbished suggestions the Portuguese club is cursed on Tuesday, ahead of the UEFA Europa League final.

Last season, Benfica were in the hunt for a treble, as they led the Portuguese Primeira Liga with two rounds to go and were set to play Chelsea in the Europa League final and Vitoria Guimaraes in the Taca de Portugal.

But in just over a fortnight, all three of those trophies slipped through the fingers of Jorge Jesus men, as Porto defeated Benfica 2-1 in their penultimate league game to leapfrog the Lisbon club in the standings, before they lost by the same scoreline to Chelsea and Vitoria.

Fast forward 12 months and Benfica have claimed their first league title in four seasons, they lifted the Taca da Liga late last month with a penalty-shooto…

Arturo Vidal believes Chile will stake a claim of being the best international side around if they lift the Confederations Cup on Sunday.

Vidal and his team-mates are aiming to continue a golden era for La Roja, who had never won a major honour until they beat Argentina on penalties in the final of the 2015 Copa America.

With current boss Juan Antonio Pizzi at the helm, having succeeded Jorge Sampaoli, they repeated the feat at the Copa America Centenario last year.

Another shootout victory this week over Portugal set up a meeting with world champions Germany in St Petersburg and Vidal said claims by Alexis Sanchez and Mauricio Isla that Chile were aiming for a position at the top of the elite was not idle talk.

I do agree with Mauricio and Alexis becau…

Liverpool are set to join the race to sign Real Madrid midfielder James Rodriguez, according to the Express.

The Colombia international has been strongly linked with a move away from the European Champions in recent months, with Manchester United also interested though the Merseyside outfit are keen to beat their rivals to his signature.

Rodriguez moved to the Bernabeu from Monaco having starred for his country at the 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil, where we won the Golden Boot having netted six times, with one of those strikes named the goal of the tournament.

Since arriving in the Spanish capital the twenty-five year old has racked up one hundred and ten appearances in all competitions, scoring thirty-six goals.

However, he started just thirtee…

Tottenham Hotspur have reached an agreement with Real Madrid over a proposed transfer of Sergio Reguilon, according to Italian journalist .

The 23-year-old left-back had a great 2019/20 season on loan at Sevilla and helped them to a top-four finish as well as the Europa League trophy, but with Marcelo and Ferland Mendy still ahead of him in the pecking order under Zinedine Zidane, it has become clear that his future lies away from the Santiago Bernabeu.

Nonetheless, Real apparently insisted on a buy-back clause in the deal. Manchester United have also been in talks and the player was keen, but they wouldn t agree to that particular demand from the Spanish giants. Spurs took advantage of the situation, agreed a fee of up to €30 million (£27.6m) with Real and accepted …

Liverpool midfielder Fabinho learned from his Ligue 1 triumph with Monaco that enjoying your football is absolutely vital when succeeding in a title race.

Fabinho was a part of the Monaco team which attracted wide acclaim when winning Ligue 1 and reaching the Champions League semi-finals in the 2016-17 campaign.

Leonardo Jardim s side was lauded for its high-intensity attacking football, as well as being full of young talent, with Bernardo Silva, Tiemoue Bakayoko, Benjamin Mendy, Kylian Mbappe, Thomas Lemar and Fabinho himself all going on to secure big-money moves.

That season, Monaco scored a remarkable 107 goals – 24 more than second-placed Paris Saint-Germain – in Ligue 1, giving every suggestion they enjoyed the style of football they were playing.

…

Sergio Busquets had to wipe away the tears after reflecting on his experience of missing Spain s opening two Euro 2020 matches after testing positive for coronavirus.

The Barcelona midfielder was not part of Spain s squad for their Group E draws with Sweden or Poland after being made to self-isolate.

However, Busquets returned to the starting line-up for Wednesday s 5-0 win against Slovakia as Spain equalled the largest margin of victory in a European Championship game.

Own goals from Martin Dubravka and Juraj Kucka bookended strikes from Aymeric Laporte, Pablo Sarabia and Ferran Torres in La Roja s emphatic victory in Seville.

Spain are the fifth different side to win by five goals in the competition after France (1984), Denmark (1984), the Netherlands (…

Cologne centre-back Tomoaki Makino voiced his concerns at a lack of Bundesliga action to national manager, Japan coach Alberto Zaccheroni.

Makino earned his first start under the Italian coach in Friday night s friendly against Vietnam, but was substituted in the 78th minute after suffering from cramp.

You know why your legs cramped? Because you haven t played for your club, Zaccheroni told Makino at the team s post-match dinner.

However, Makino did not take the comment light heartedly, putting the blame on club coach Stale Solbakken for his lack of game time in Germany.

Well if that s the case, why don t you ask (Solbakken) to play me? he replied.

After making five appearances during Frank Schaefer s reign last season, the 24-year-old has made…

Barcelona s Pep Guardiola says that his Real Madrid counterpart Jose Mourinho could well be the best coach in world football.

Guardiola, 40, took charge of Barca s senior squad in 2008 and has already guided the team to 12 titles in all competitions, making him the most successful coach in the history of the club.

Guardiola lifted the European Cup and six La Liga titles during a glittering playing career with Barca between 1990 and 2001.

But contrary to his own professional development, he believes a top-class career as a player is not a prerequisite to success as a coach.

Guardiola cited the example of influential AC Milan tactician Arrigo Sacchi as well as his own rival Mourinho, neither of whom played at an elite level.

It is not necessary to…