The Big Friday Premier League Quiz

Manchester City and Liverpool do battle in a potentially decisive showdown in the Premier League title race on Sunday and Everton are in desperate need of points in the fight to stay up.

Leaders City are a point ahead of Liverpool heading into the crunch clash at the Etihad Stadium, where the Reds have only one once in their past 12 top-flight encounters.

Everton are in big trouble at the other end of the table after losing to third-bottom Burnley in midweek and need a response when they face Manchester United at Goodison Park on Saturday.

Arsenal have also been licking their wounds after a loss to Crystal Palace as they prepare to entertain Brighton and Hove Albion, with fourth-placed Tottenham travelling to Aston Villa as the tussle for a Champions League spo…

Inter 2-0 Lecce: Darmian and Calhanoglu get Nerazzurri back on track

Matteo Darmian and Hakan Calhanoglu scored either side of half-time to ensure Inter s Serie A title defence got back on track with a 2-0 victory over Lecce.

Inter, who started their campaign with a draw against Genoa on the opening day, marked their final season at the San Siro in style to move top of the early-season standings.

Darmian opened the scoring for Simone Inzaghi s side in the fifth minute, being the first to react to Mehdi Taremi s effort to head beyond Wladimiro Falcone.

Despite dominating proceedings, the hosts had to wait until the 69th minute to double their advantage on home soil.

Inter were awarded a penalty after Kialonda Gaspar fouled Marcus Thuram in the area, with Calhanoglu making no mistake to maintain his perfect record from 12 …

Prediction: Venezuela vs Uruguay

Prediction: Uruguay to win 2-0

Best Odds:

Bookmaker:

Venezuela and Uruguay will lock horns with each other in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONMEBOL) this week. The match between Fernando Batista’s side and Marcelo Bielsa’s team will be held at Estadio Monumental de Maturín in Maturín, Venezuela. It is scheduled to kick off at 11 pm UK time on Tuesday.

Venezuela

Venezuela are a modest footballing nation in South America who do not tend to qualify for major international competitions. As of 2022, they are the only CONMEBOL side to have never qualified for the World Cup finals and tend to do poorly in qualification campaigns.

Things do look decent for Venezuela at the moment. Fernando Batista’s side are fifth in the 2026 FIFA Wo…

Manchester City treble-winners can be judged among the greats – Pep Guardiola

Pep Guardiola believes Manchester City have earned a place among the greats after finally winning the Champions League.

City completed the treble on a glorious night in Istanbul on Saturday as they beat Inter Milan 1-0 in a hard-fought final with a 68th-minute Rodri strike.

City have dominated the domestic scene under Guardiola, winning five Premier League titles in six years as well as two FA Cups and four Carabao Cups, but European success had eluded them.

Genius

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague)

“You have to win in Europe to be considered a great team and we did it,” said Guardiola in his post-match press conference at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium.

The challenge now for City will be to build on their triumph and establi…

Tuchel backs ´unlucky´ Mendy as Chelsea keeper´s erratic form continues in West ham win

Thomas Tuchel professed his support for out-of-form goalkeeper Edouard Mendy after he produced an erratic display in Chelsea s 2-1 win over West Ham, insisting the Senegal international has been unlucky recently.

Mendy was rooted to his goalline from a West Ham corner when Chelsea fell behind on Saturday, Michail Antonio capitalising on a goalmouth scramble to put the Hammers ahead.

Although substitutes Ben Chilwell and Kai Havertz scored a goal apiece to turn the game around, Mendy was again involved late on as Maxwel Cornet had a fierce right-footed finish chalked off.

Referee Andy Madley was advised by VAR to check the goal, and eventually ruled that Jarrod Bowen had fouled Mendy in the build-up.

Visiting manager David Moyes labelled that decision sc…

Euro 2020 draw: Deschamps ready for test, Low feels joy about ´group of death´

Didier Deschamps accepted France faced a huge test at Euro 2020 as Germany coach Joachim Low had no doubt Group F was the group of death .

World champions France were drawn alongside Euro 2016 winners Portugal and Germany, plus a play-off winner, in the group on Saturday.

Deschamps acknowledged his team would be challenged in Group F, which will be played in Budapest and Munich.

It s a difficult group, but I think that Joachim Low and Portugal head coach [Fernando Santos] think the same thing. It s the hardest group, but we have to accept it, he said.

We will need to be ready at the beginning of the competition because our first game will be against Germany in Munich. They will play at home.

On paper, it s a tough group. These two teams have ma…

Ange Postecoglou desperate to update Tottenham’s trophy pictures

Ange Postecoglou has talked up Tottenham’s chances of FA Cup success and insisted he is driven by adding another trophy picture to his collection.

Spurs exited the Carabao Cup at the first hurdle in August after a penalty shoot-out loss at Fulham and face more Premier League opposition in a domestic cup on Friday night.

Burnley are the visitors in the FA Cup third round and Postecoglou, who has won silverware with South Melbourne, Brisbane Roar, Australia, Yokohama and Celtic, is eager to create new memories in England’s historic cup competition.

“From my perspective it’s an opportunity for us to try to win a competition and for a club of our stature that has to be the ambition every year, that you go into every competition with the aim and the hope of wi…

Prediction: Atletico Madrid vs Real Sociedad

Best Odds: 10/11

Bookmaker:

In what could be an action-packed affair from the Metropolitano on Sunday afternoon, Atletico Madrid will welcome Real Sociedad to the Spanish capital.

Atletico Madrid

Starting with the hosts, mounting yet another dramatic comeback earlier in the week as they claimed a 3-2 victory against Feyenoord while on Champions League duties, Atletico Madrid find themselves in the midst of a real purple patch. With their sights set on mounting a genuine title charge this time around, Diego Simeone’s men have won each of their previous four appearances across all competitions. Laying down a famous marker on September 24th as they landed a 3-1 romp at home against bitter local rivals Real Madrid, the former Spanish champions have also gained pl…

Navas bids farewell to Costa Rica national team before Copa America

Costa Rica goalkeeper Keylor Navas has announced he is retiring from international football at the age of 37.

Navas, who announced earlier this month that he would be leaving Paris Saint-Germain when his contract expires in June, has now ended speculation about his participation in the Copa America.

The goalkeeper has made 114 appearances for his national side since his debut in 2008, playing in three World Cups, including Costa Rica’s run to the quarter-final in Brazil in 2014.

Navas’ last appearance for Costa Rica came against Argentina in a friendly in March.

Keylor.

— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup)

In a video posted to social media, Navas said: This chapter of my life is coming to an end. I leave with my heart full of gratitude…

Jude Bellingham on target again but Real Madrid held by Real Betis

Real Madrid were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw at Real Betis despite another goal from Jude Bellingham.

The England midfielder netted in the 52nd minute of a thrilling LaLiga contest at the Benito Villamarin Stadium but it was not enough for victory as Aitor Ruibal hit back.

The result took Madrid a point clear at the top of the table but Girona and Barcelona – second and third respectively – will have a chance to take advantage when they face each other on Sunday.

1-1 53 66 Aitor Ruibal |

— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadrid)

Bellingham’s goal was his 16th for the club and continued his extraordinary start to life in Madrid since his summer move from Borussia Dortmund.

Yet he did not have things all his own way in what was an …