How things can change in football.

At the start of 2022, Liverpool’s title hopes looked dashed, consigned to history as a 2-2 draw with Chelsea left them 14 points behind Man City.

Moreover, most felt that City’s lead was not only unassailable, but that the nature of how they won games, beating teams with such ease, was unlikely to slow down. They just had too much class, too much quality, and in Pep Guardiola, too good and too experienced a manager.

And yet, ten weeks later, things seem very different indeed.

READ MORE: Jürgen Klopp has just confirmed Liverpool’s advantage with a warning shot fired at Pep Guardiola and Man City

READ MORE: Liverpool bid for ‘high salary’ as Mohamed Salah shows ‘total willingness’ for £58m transfer

Liverpool’s decisive win over Arsenal at the Emirates now reduces that 14-point gap to just one. Yes, a single point separates the two sides.

Moreover, fate is now in the hands of Liverpool. If they win each of their remaining matches, including the massive match (and it cannot be overstated how much) against City on April 10, then Liverpool will have regained their Premier League.

And if they did, it would become one of the greatest comebacks in Premier League history, but would it be as the greatest?

When one tends to think of Premier League title comebacks, the mind instantly springs back to 1996, when Manchester United reversed a whopping 12-point swing over Newcastle to claim their third league title in four seasons.

Man United looked almost dead on Christmas, with Kevin Keegan’s side rolling down the flanks via the ‘you score three, we’ll score four’ method. But strangely the goals dried up in the second half of the season and Eric Cantona’s form gave United the confidence to eventually turn the tide. In the end, they had the title comfortably sewn up, and Newcastle never came close again.

Manchester United were the recipient two years later when, in 1997/98, Arsenal became United’s biggest rivals for a period of seven years. Arsene Wenger’s side were 11 points behind United at the start of March but cut it (it must be said they had three games in hand) and then overtook United, beating them at Old Trafford along the way.

United’s collapse allowed Arsenal to win the league despite losing their last two league games, and it marked the start of the rivalry between Sir Alex Ferguson and Wenger.

United rebounded five years later when the two teams faced off for the title once again. In 2002/03 Arsenal were flying and Thierry Henry was at the absolute peak of his powers, scoring 24 goals and registering 20 assists (as every Arsenal fan likes to recall at least once a week).

In March, they were eight points clear of United. But their collapse, while not spectacular, was strange. They won just four of their remaining nine league games, and United’s form after Christmas was relentless. They didn’t lose a single game after Boxing Day and won the title after Leeds beat Arsenal at Highbury in a thrilling match.

They won the title by five points, a swing of 13 points in total.

So where would Liverpool’s comeback fit among these?

If they did, it could be argued that it would become the greatest comeback of the Premier League era. Not just in terms of the math, but in terms of what Man City stands for, the massive difference between the resources of both sides and the amount of money spent building their team.

In the above cases, financial inequality was not as pronounced as it is now. It would make Liverpool’s potential achievement all the more remarkable if they were successful.

The 2019/20 triumph was a historic achievement, ending the club’s three-decade wait for a title. But if Jürgen Klopp and Liverpool won the title, then that would be the real story of the Premier League.

Team news, stats, predictions and how to follow the Premier League on Saturday as Manchester United welcome Tottenham, live on Sky Sports.

Brentford v Burnley – Saturday; kick off 3 p.m.

Team News: Brentford will have Kristoffer Ajer and Christian Norgaard available for Saturday’s visit to Burnley.

The duo were sent off with blows in last weekend’s 3-1 win at Norwich but were overtaken by boss Thomas Frank.

The only absentee for the Bees will be midfielder Josh Dasilva, who will serve Game 2 of his three-game suspension for an expulsion against Newcastle last month.

Burnley captain Ben Mee is out with a shin injury which kept him out of action against Chelsea last weekend.

Midfielder Dale Stephens has returned to training but will also not be involved in London

Forward Matej Vydra (dislocated elbow), Erik Pieters (knee) and Johann Berg Gudmundsson (calf) are still absent.

Prediction Jones Knows

The list of matches is softening for Brentford. After a streak of nine games in a row against top 10 teams, matches with those around them in the table have revived them. I want to support them here.

Apart from against Manchester City, on every occasion this season when they have failed to win the home game, Thomas Frank’s side have won the battle of expected goals – even in the 3-3 draw with Liverpool and the 1-0 defeat against Chelsea.

It’s a process that’s actually the sixth-best Premier League home record for expected goals. The 11/10 for a home win looks juicy.

With fussy Paul Tierney at the helm, a gamble on the card market appealed to me.

No referee has dealt more cards than Tierney this season (82) with an average of 4.2 per 90 minutes. Hopefully he’ll be busy booking Brentford players in this one.

Frank’s side played with much more intensity and aggression in their 3-1 win at Norwich, committing 18 fouls – a season high for them – and picking up five yellow cards.

This desire to press higher, rather than sit, has been a common theme in their matches against teams from the bottom eight. They have averaged 32.5 booking points in those 10 matches this season and nine of those matches have seen them pick up 20 or more booking points. You can get 6/5 with Sky Bet if it happens again in this match with a referee who likes a card. It’s a bet for me.

SCORE PREDICTION: 2-0 | FOCUS ANGLE: 20 or more Brentford booking points (6/5 with Sky Bet – Bet Here!)

Statistics Opta…

• Unbeaten in their first eight league meetings at home with Burnley (W4 D4) between 1933 and 1996, Brentford have lost three of their last four at home to the Clarets, most recently a 3-1 defeat in January 2016.
• Burnley are looking to complete the league double against Brentford for only the second time in their history, although the other occasion came in the last campaign they met (2015-16 in the Championship) .
• Brentford’s 3-1 win at Norwich last time out ended an eight-game league winless streak for the Bees, as they scored as many goals in that win as they had in their seven previous league matches combined. Brentford are looking to secure back-to-back Premier League wins for the first time.
• Since the start of 2018-19 (when he moved to Peterborough), Ivan Toney has scored 93 goals in all competitions, with only Mohamed Salah and Harry Kane scoring more for English league sides in this time. Toney also scored five hat-tricks in that span, with no player scoring more in all competitions.
• Burnley’s Dwight McNeil has taken more shots without scoring than any other Premier League player so far this season (32). Overall, McNeil has failed to score with his last 40 shots in the competition, since scoring against Everton almost a year ago to the day (March 13, 2021).

How to follow: Follow Brentford vs Burnley in our dedicated live match blog. Highlights will also be posted on the sky sports digital platforms and Sky Sports Football YouTube channel shortly after the final whistle.

Manchester United v Tottenham – Saturday; kick-off at 5:30 p.m., live sky sports starting at 17h

Team News: Cristiano Ronaldo, Edinson Cavani and Raphael Varane will be available for Manchester UnitedThe Premier League clash with Tottenham.

The Red Devils were without the experienced trio in last weekend’s 4-1 derby defeat to Manchester City, but should be boosted by their returns for the visit of Spurs’ top four rivals on Saturday night.

There is doubt over David de Gea’s involvement, with Sky Sports News being informed that there is a Covid test issue with the Spanish goalkeeper. Manchester United are trying to solve this problem, but Dean Henderson should fill in if De Gea is ruled out.

Luke Shaw remains out after testing positive for Covid-19 last week and Scott McTominay is set to miss with a calf injury. Mason Greenwood remains suspended by the club.

Tottenham Wing-back Ryan Sessegnon has picked up another hamstring injury which will keep him sidelined until the international break.

Sessegnon, who has a long history of similar issues, picked up the problem in Monday’s 5-0 win over Everton.

Oliver Skipp (groin) remains absent with Japhet Tanganga (knee).

Prediction Jones Knows

I have trust issues with both teams. Having confidence when making informed betting decisions is absolutely crucial to coming out on top, so it’s a tough question. I decided it was a question of which defense can I trust the most when it comes to making an outright call on the game. Based on that, Spurs come out just ahead.

The reason could be Eric Dier. Antonio Conte has announced that Dier is ‘world class’ and his importance to this Tottenham side seems obvious. In the 12 games Dier started in the Premier League as a centre-back in a back three, Spurs have lost only once (W8, D3) and conceded just seven goals, keeping seven clean sheets.

However, instead of backing Spurs, I would much rather invest in Harry Kane being a deciding factor in this game, such is his current ruthless touch in front of goal. In his last 12 Premier League appearances, the England striker has put aside his early season struggles and scored nine times, posting a very impressive conversion rate of 17%. He has also scored in four of Tottenham’s last five away wins in the Premier League. I’ll rinse and repeat our successful angle from last week in the win over Everton backing Kane to score once (17/10), twice (11/1) and hit a hat-trick (66/1)

SCORE PREDICTION: 1-2 | BETTING ANGLE: Harry Kane to score (7/4 with Sky Bet – Bet Here!)

Statistics Opta…

• Tottenham have won two of their last three Premier League away games against Manchester United (L1), as many as they have won in their first 26 visits to Old Trafford in the competition (W2 D3 L21).
• Manchester United are winless in their last three games in all competitions (D2 L1) – there hasn’t been a longer winless streak since a run of six games in September/October 2019.
• Man Utd’s Cristiano Ronaldo has been involved in seven goals in his last five Premier League games against Spurs (4 goals, 3 assists), scoring and assisting against them in three different appearances in this run.
• Tottenham boss Antonio Conte has won four of his six meetings with Manchester United in all competitions, most recently winning the FA Cup final 1-0 against them in May 2018. However, the Italian lost in his two visits to Old Trafford against the Red Devils.
• Tottenham’s Harry Kane has scored 93 goals in 137 Premier League away games – one more will see him tie Wayne Rooney for the most away goals in the competition’s history.

How to follow: Watch Manchester United vs. Tottenham live Sky Sports main event and Sky Sports Premier Leagueor follow us on our dedicated live match blog with game highlights. Full match summaries will also be posted on the sky sports digital platforms and Sky Sports Football YouTube channel at the final whistle.

Saturday March 12 5:00 p.m.

Kick off 5:30 p.m.

How the table stands

How to watch Premier League highlights on Sky Sports Digital

Everyone in the UK can watch the best moments on the sky sports app or the Score Center app on your iPhone or Android:

To watch the highlights on the sky sports App, download the app:

Sky Sports’ digital platforms host live blogs for every Premier League game, including commentary, analysis and squad line-ups. Users with a free Sky ID can watch in-game clips of Sky live games on our dedicated live blogs.

The weekend soccer slate shifts to the United States as parity in Major League Soccer continues to stick out like a sore thumb. Going into the third week of the season, only four teams have won their first two matches so far. Will they be able to continue the good races or will they join others who have lost points? Tottenham will also travel to Old Trafford and will be hoping to win their third game on the rebound instead of returning to their rollercoaster form this season as we finish with Serie A and their race wide open for the scudetto.

Here’s what we’re looking at this weekend:

5. New York Red Bulls vs Minnesota United

Dated: Sunday March 13 | Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
Direct: ESPN+
Caesars Sportsbook odds: New York -150; Draw +280; Minnesota United +440

Why watch: The Red Bulls are one of four remaining teams to have won their first two league games to start the season, but hosting the Loons will be a test to see what they are made of. Lewis Morgan is fresh off a hat trick against Toronto and summer signing Luquinhas has arrived. They’re a team that could improve between now and the season, but containing the attack led by Franco Fragapane and Emanuel Reynoso will be a tough test for the defense even with Aaron Long back in the fold. The Loons have drawn their first two games despite attacking too well to be limited to one goal per game.

4. Torino vs Inter Milan

Dated: Sunday March 13 | Time: 3:45 p.m. ET
Direct: Paramount+
Caesars Sportsbook odds: Torino +440; Draw +275; Inter-150

Why watch: Inter Milan will look to hold their heads high despite being eliminated in their Champions League win at Anfield over Liverpool as the focus shifts to winning a second scudetto in a row. The Serie A title race is tight with AC Milan, Inter and Napoli separated by just three points. If one of them slips, Juventus are waiting to pounce. The midfield duo of Hakan Calhanoglu and Nicolo Barella will be tough for Torino to deal with, but they have one of the best defensive records in the league when it comes to battling the Nerazzurri. Allowing just 28 goals, Torino has the fourth-best defensive record in Italy and is the only team with less than 30 goals allowed to not feature in the top five due to their lack of goalscoring. Can they get a signature win to end their bad form streak?

3. Chelsea v Newcastle United

Dated: Sunday March 13 | Time: 10:00 a.m. ET
Direct: peacock
Caesars Sportsbook odds: Chelsea -300; Draw +400; Newcastle +900

Why watch: While the potential sale of Chelsea and the looming problems with travel to away games grab the headlines, there are still football games to play. Meanwhile, Eddie Howe threatened relegation as Newcastle United climb the table with three rebound wins. Up to 14th in the league they are pretty much safe and that is with Allan Saint-Maximin who has missed the last few games with muscle injuries. This is a game where if Chelsea slip up, Newcastle can make them pay unlike the Norwich side who Chelsea knocked out in midweek.

Want to know more about this breakup story? Listen below and follow ¡Que Golazo! A daily football podcast from CBS where we take you beyond the pitch and around the world for commentary, previews, recaps and more.

2. Seattle Sounders vs. LA Galaxy

Dated: Saturday March 12 | Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
TV: Fox | Direct: fuboTV (Try for free)
Caesars Sportsbook odds: Seattle Pollsters +118; Draw +230; Los Angeles Galaxy +245

Why watch: Two teams that should be near the top of the Western Conference face off. While the Sounders struggle with injuries to Nicolas Lodeiro, Will Bruin and Raul Ruidiaz, they managed to dismantle Leon at home in the Concacaf Champions League. Meanwhile, the Galaxy left him late in their opening two matches as their defense gave them a win at every opportunity. Raheem Edwards is proving to be a fine addition to Greg Vanney’s squad, but can they use form to their advantage to open up an early points gap on the Sounders?

1. Manchester United v Tottenham

Dated: Saturday March 12 | Time: 12:30 p.m. ET
Direct: peacock
Caesars Sportsbook odds: Manchester United +115; Draw +245; Tottenham+235

Why watch: Two teams that have not fared well against top opponents meet in a critical clash to determine the race to the Premier League‘s top four. Antonio Conte is blackmailing Tottenham with nine goals scored in his last two matches, but things are set to be a little tougher against Manchester United even after the side fell flat in a 4-1 derby against Manchester City. Cristiano Ronaldo will be fit and available this weekend, but that could prove a distraction for United given he has just one goal in eight Premier League appearances this calendar year.

Honorable Mentions

(all US/Eastern times)

Friday March 11: A game to follow in…

• Spain: Atletico Madrid vs Cadiz, 3 p.m. (ESPN+)
• France: Lille vs Saint-Etienne 3 p.m. (beIN Sports and fuboTV — Free trial)
• Argentina: Arsenal v Velez Sarsfield, 5:15 p.m. (Paramount+)

Saturday March 12: A game to follow in…

• MLS: DC United vs. Chicago Fire, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN+)
• England: Brighton v Liverpool, 7:30 a.m. (Peacock)
• Spain: Villarreal v Celta de Vigo, 12:30 p.m. (ESPN+)
• Italy: Sampdoria v Juventus, 12 p.m. (Paramount+)
• Germany: Hoffenheim vs. Bayern Munich, 9:30 a.m. (ESPN+)
• France: Troyes vs Nantes, 3 p.m. (beIN Sports and fuboTV — Free trial)
• Argentina: Sarmiento vs. Newell’s Old Boys, 5:15 p.m. (Paramount+)

Sunday March 13: A game to follow in…

• MLS: Atlanta United vs. Charlotte, 4:30 p.m. (FS1 and fuboTV — Try it for free)
• England: West Ham United vs. Aston Villa, 10 a.m. (US and fuboTV – Try Free)
• Spain: Barcelona vs. Osasuna, 4 p.m. (ESPN+)
• Italy: Udinese v Roma, 1 p.m. (Paramount+)
• Germany: Bayer Leverkusen vs. Cologne, 10:30 a.m. (ESPN+)
• France: PSG vs Bordeaux, 8 a.m. (beIN Sports and fuboTV — Try for free)
• Argentina: Estudiantes vs. Boca Juniors, 8:30 p.m. (Paramount+)

Bayern Munich are set to take on Bayer Leverkusen at the Allianz Arena on Saturday in the Bundesliga.

Bayern Munich come into this fixture fresh off a 1-0 win over Oliver Glasner’s Eintracht Frankfurt in the league. A second-half goal from former Schalke and Manchester City winger and Germany international Leroy Sane secured victory for Julian Nagelsmann’s Bayern Munich.

Bayer Leverkusen, meanwhile, beat Frank Kramer’s Arminia Bielefeld 3-0 in the Bundesliga. A first-half goal from Argentina striker Lucas Alario and a second-half brace from France international Moussa Diaby sealed the deal for Gerardo Seoane’s Bayer Leverkusen.

Bayern Munich vs Bayer Leverkusen head to head

In 32 direct confrontations between the two teams, Bayern Munich have a clear advantage. They have won 20 games, lost six and drawn six.

The two clubs last met last year in the Bundesliga, with Bayern Munich beating Bayer Leverkusen 5-1. First-half braces from Polish superstar Robert Lewandowski and winger Serge Gnabry and a goal from experienced striker Thomas Muller secured victory for Bayern Munich.

Guide to Bayern Munich Bundesliga forms: WWWW

Guide to Bayer Leverkusen’s Bundesliga forms: WLWWW

Bayern Munich vs Bayer Leverkusen Team News

Bayern Munich

Bayern Munich manager Julian Nagelsmann will not be able to call on the services of Canadian left-back Alphonso Davies and French midfielder Corentin Tolisso. There are doubts over the availability of former Schalke midfielder Leon Goretzka, striker Thomas Muller and experienced goalkeeper Manuel Neuer. French central defender Lucas Hernandez is suspended.

Hurt: Alphonso Davies, Corentin Tolisso

Doubtful: Thomas Muller, Manuel Neuer, Leon Goretzka

Suspended: Lucas Hernández

Bayer Leverkusen

Meanwhile, Bayer Leverkusen will be without experienced winger Karim Bellarabi and Russian goalkeeper Andrey Lunyov. There are doubts over the availability of veteran Austrian midfielder Julian Baumgartlinger and Czech striker Patrik Schick. Other than that, there are no known issues and manager Gerardo Seoane should have a fully fit squad at his disposal.

Hurt: Andrey Lunyov, Karim Bellarabi

Doubtful: Julian Baumgartlinger, Patrik Schick

Suspended: Any

Bayern Munich vs Bayer Leverkusen Predicted XI

Bayern Munich Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Sven Ulreich, Benjamin Pavard, Dayot Upamecano, Niklas Sule, Omar Richards, Joshua Kimmich, Marcel Sabitzer, Serge Gnabry, Jamal Musiala, Leroy Sane, Robert Lewandowski

Bayer Leverkusen Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Lukas Hradecky, Jérémie Frimpong, Jonathan Tah, Edmond Tapsoba, Mitchel Bakker, Charles Aranguiz, Exequiel Palacios, Moussa Diaby, Florian Wirtz, Kerem Demirbay, Lucas Alario

Bayern Munich vs Bayer Leverkusen Prediction

Bayern Munich, as expected, top the table and are set to win the Bundesliga again. Their domestic dominance has become the norm now, and it’s hard to see what will stop them.

Bayer Leverkusen, meanwhile, are 3rd in the league and have won four of their last five league games. They have done well this season, with young midfielder Florian Wirtz in particular impressive.

Bayern Munich will be the favourites.

Read also
The article continues below

Prediction: Bayern Munich 3-1 Bayer Leverkusenr Leverkusenr Leverkusenr Leverkusen

Despite Stuttgart’s struggles in the Bundesliga, US coach Pellegrino Matarazzo is confident the club are on the right track.

Matarazzo’s side have failed to win any of their last nine league games and are second from bottom in a direct relegation spot with 10 rounds remaining. But the New Jersey native firmly believes it’s only a matter of time before the turnaround.

“When we win, we will start rolling. The guys are on board, we are working hard. We have enough quality in the squad. So it’s just about getting that first hit to get the next one,” Matarazzo said Monday night in a video call with reporters.

Late goals have cost his side important points in recent games.

Stuttgart won with five minutes remaining, then conceded two goals to spare against Hoffenheim on Saturday, while the side conceded an injury-time equalizer against Bochum the previous week.

“My approach is never to call it luck. It’s always about investing more. Just a few percent more,” said Matarazzo, whose side will face Borussia Mönchengladbach on Saturday.

Matarazzo was a former defender who played for lower league sides in Germany before becoming a coach with the reserves and youth teams at Nuremberg. He was assistant to current Bayern Munich manager Julian Nagelsmann when they were both at Hoffenheim in 2018 and landed the Stuttgart job in December 2019. He brought the club back to the Bundesliga on the first attempt and guided him to a commendable ninth place in his first top. -flight season.

The club extended his contract last February.

This season has had a bumpy start with coronavirus infections and lengthy injury layoffs for key players such as Austrian striker Saša Kalajdžić, who scored 16 goals last season.

“It was just a continuous destabilization of the team with a lot of players fighting over each other,” Matarazzo said.

Stuttgart has one of the youngest teams in the division, the result of the club’s decision to invest in youth and their development in order to safeguard their future. Matarazzo is fully committed to the strategy, saying it “makes sense” at a time when transfer fees for developed players put them out of reach for smaller clubs whose finances have been further constrained by the impact of the coronavirus crisis. pandemic.

“We’ve seen big jumps in the market value of the players we have in the squad, that’s what we do. That’s our job,” Matarazzo said. on player development by staying in the league. So if we play in the second division next year, each player will have less market value.

ITALIAN FOOTBALL FANS

Growing up in New Jersey, Matarazzo and his family were Napoli fans, watching Serie A on a small television in his father’s bedroom.

“At some point it became bigger television,” he said, still remembering the goals scored by Maradona. “We watched all the goals and watched the free kicks he scored and we just celebrated every goal he scored. A few days after big family meals we were going to the park and I would be Maradona or my dad would be (Brazilian striker) Careca. We used to pick different players and live out that fantasy and that passion. That was definitely a big part of us.

Matarazzo also recalled idolizing Italian striker Roberto Baggio and American players Tab Ramos, Marcelo Balboa and Tony Meola, “also a guy from New Jersey…when my brother was playing goalie, he was also Tony Meola.”

Although Germany is his home after more than 20 years in the country, Matarazzo regularly keeps in touch with his family in the United States, even if they sometimes tease him.

“The worst for me was when I came home one last time. And my aunt said, ‘Hey Rino, you have an accent when you speak English.’ I said what? No I do not know. It’s true, I think that in German, I have an accent when I speak English, and it’s a bit embarrassing.

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More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

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Ciarán Fahey on Twitter: https://twitter.com/cfaheyAP

Week 1 of the 2022 MLS season continues on Sunday when New York FC and the AL Galaxy face off in a showdown at the start of the season. New York City FC claimed their first-ever MLS title last season with victory over the Portland Woods in a shootout. The Galaxy, meanwhile, missed the playoffs in 2021, but LA will be eager to start the 2022 season with a win at home.

Kick-off from Dignity Health Sports Park is at 5 p.m. ET. Caesars Sportsbook lists the Galaxy as the slight +160 favorite (risk $100 to win $160) on the 90-minute money line in its latest LA Galaxy odds against New York City FC, with NYCFC the +165 underdog. A draw is priced at +245 and the plus-minus for total goals scored is 2.5. Before you lock in the NYCFC vs. LA Galaxy picks, be sure to see football insider Brandt Sutton’s MLS predictions.

Sutton, a former college football player, has been SportsLine’s top editor for nearly five years. He has been following football closely for much longer and takes into account managerial tactics, projected line-ups and past performances to make the most informed decisions possible, keeping his finger on the pulse of the game all over the world.

Now Sutton has broken down LA Galaxy against New York City FC from all sides and has just locked in his MLS picks and predictions. You can head over to SportsLine now to see its picks. Here are the betting lines and trends for New York City FC vs. LA Galaxy:

• Difference between LA Galaxy and NYCFC: Galaxy -0.5 (+155)
• LA Galaxy vs NYCFC over-under: 2.5 goals
• LA Galaxy money line vs. NYCFC: Galaxy +160, NYCFC +165, Draw +245
• LA: The Galaxy had 13 wins, 12 losses and nine draws last season
• NYC: New York City FC had a differential of +20 goals in 2021

Why you should support New York City FC

NYCFC had one of the best goal differentials in the league last season, finishing at +20. New York City has scored 56 goals in 2021, the second highest mark in the Eastern Conference. The NYCFC was led by Valentine Castellanos, who led the entire league with 22 goals scored. Castellanos found the back of the net twice in NYCFC’s 2-0 victory over Santos de Guapiles in the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions League.

New York’s defense was also hard to penetrate last season, allowing just 36 goals in 34 league games. In their run to the MLS Cup, Ronny Deila’s side have stifled their opponents and limited the Timbers and Union to just eight shots on target combined in their last two games.

Why you should support the LA Galaxy

The Galaxy caused a stir in the off-season by signing the Brazilian Douglas Costa on loan from the Italian Serie A side Juventus. Costa will bring pace and creativity to a Galaxy attack that scored 50 goals a season ago. Javier Hernandezuniversally known as Chicharito, is the main playmaker of the galaxy.

Chicharito registered 17 goals and two assists for the Galaxy last season. Additionally, LA has scored two or more goals in five of its six preseason games, so the Galaxy will expect to find the back of the net against a New York defense that has given up 36 goals in 2021.

How to make choices between NYCFC and LA Galaxy

Sutton took an in-depth look at LA Galaxy vs. NYCFC and locked in his best bets. He leans on 2.5 goals, and he also has two additional best bets and offers a full breakdown of this MLS matchup. He’s just sharing his MLS expert picks on SportsLine.

Who wins LA Galaxy against New York City FC? And where is all the value of the bets? Visit SportsLine now to see the best bets for the NYCFC vs. LA Galaxy game, all from the soccer expert who has his finger on the pulse of the game all over the world, and find out.

• Jadon Sancho puts Manchester United ahead, his first league goal at Old Trafford
• Che Adams equalizes for Southampton just after half-time
• Fourth time in six games that United have lost a lead

AToday, he leads the club that once dominated the English game and Ralf Rangnick doesn’t seem close to freeing Manchester United from the overwhelming sense of mediocrity that pervades his side and once again threatens the momentum of the season.

Eight days, three games across the FA Cup and Premier League and not a single win in any of them for the interim king as all the old ghosts return. Cristiano Ronaldo beating and scowling, Harry Maguire losing in combat and Paul Scholes ominously delivering some home truths in the TV studio.

This is the United of the current era and arch-traditionalists might not appreciate the current manager citing the expected goals (xG) stats as an explanation.

For the first time since December 1998, United have failed to win back-to-back league games after leading at half-time, this time against a highly sophisticated Southampton side coached by former Rangnick protege Ralph Hasenhuttl . United had an xG of 2.57 in those 90 minutes, their caretaker manager said more than once in his post-match debriefing as he lamented his side’s inability to score and defend .

“Our team, with a lot of technical players, it’s hard for them to stay compact for long periods of time,” Rangnick said. “It’s one of our problems. We just don’t take enough advantage of the opportunities we create. We had a 2.57 xG against 0.7 for Southampton. It’s not a question of being able to create chances, it’s not efficient enough.

Another day passed without a goal for Ronaldo and there were a few times when the defense looked vulnerable. Meanwhile, the bigger picture was summed up by Scholes on BT Sport. He wondered if it was simply the difference between the coaches of the two teams, one of whom, he pointed out, was more sporting director than coach.

“Don’t get me wrong, I like this man, he’s looking good, but he looks like he’s been uncoached for the last five or six years,” Scholes said. “It’s a team of individuals. You look at the difference today between United and Southampton. Rangnick continues to claim that he inherited a team “that didn’t rush” and making changes is that much harder.

It was certainly another good day for Hasenhuttl, who changed formation several times, including dropping Oriol Romeu in the center of a back three, before choosing the one he liked.

His side’s goal was worked in from their own area before Mohamed Elyounoussi finally chose a delightful short pass through United’s back line for Che Adams to finish with a perfectly stroked shot that went inside the far post by David de Gea. “We were at their box and 10 seconds later we had conceded,” Rangnick said.

Paul Merson says Arsenal need to show they have learned from past mistakes in terms of transfers and playing contracts, but the club’s rebuilding is in full swing.

It’s been a busy January transfer window as Mikel Arteta continues to shape his Arsenal squad. Six first-team members, including former captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, have left Emirates Stadium.

The Gunners return to the Premier League on Thursday as they take on in-form Wolves, but sky sports Specialist Merson believes they are in a good place with their exciting young squad and better times are ahead.

Read on for the full Magic Man column…

Arsenal’s reconstruction is in full swing…

Arsenal have been cleared. They haven’t had European football for the first time in I don’t know how many years, and they’ve settled down.

If you keep doing the same things, you get the same results. It’s the same with everything in life. It’s what Arsenal have been doing for too many years now, and finally they’ve drawn a line in the sand.

They changed everything by getting rid of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and other players, who won’t get you closer to the Premier League‘s top four or even win the league.

It may take time now, but they started now and that’s a huge bonus. They have properly started the reconstruction now.

‘Consistency is key for the Gunners’

Arsenal bought very well last summer. Not a single player they bought last summer flopped. They have all been successful and they will now be working behind the scenes for next summer where they will again seek and secure the players they need.

This season, let’s see. They only have 17 games left and that’s a total of one game a week. They just need to have some consistency.

We were only talking a few weeks ago about them playing Manchester City out of the park.

Three weeks later and all of a sudden they can’t score at home against Burnley and except at the last minute they never seemed to score.

So it’s the inconsistency and over time these young players will learn to be more consistent.

These players now know they are going to play. These young players will be better for another 17 league games and next season instead of being nine out of 10 one week and five out of 10 another, we will start to see seven out of 10 and eight out of 10 more regularly.

That’s all you need. You need consistency and then you have players who can win you games. At the flick of a switch.

“Arsenal must show they have learned from past mistakes”

I think things are really positive for Arsenal at the moment. What they did can only be considered good for the club.

Now, if Alexandre Lacazette scores 10 goals before the end of the season, they can’t get lazy and just give him a new contract worth £250,000 a week thinking it could be his season next season. However, for me, Lacazette has had its day at Arsenal. Whatever he does by the end of the season, he got his chance at the Emirates Stadium.

What Arsenal need to start doing now is work on not letting happen what has happened too many times in the past when, as an Arsenal fan, you watch these bright young stars in action. , and then suddenly you see in the press that they only have one year left on their contracts.

This can no longer happen. They must continue to complete player contracts. They have good young players and they have to respect their contracts. They can’t get lazy and make players solve their contracts and end up leaving for free.

They need to show that they have learned from the mistakes of the past and link these players to play their best years at Arsenal.

They have a good young squad and if you can add a few more quality signings for next season I think there are happier times ahead for Arsenal. Positive times are around the corner.

One of America’s best strikers in Europe could be on the road in the coming days.

A source with knowledge of the matter told The Inquirer on Saturday night that negotiations were underway for Jordan Pefok to move to Italian Serie A club Venezia. There is no certainty the deal will go through, but Venezia is trying to sign Pefok – a 25-year-old with eight caps for the US national team – from Swiss club Young Boys.

Pefok is on loan at Young Boys de Rennes in France for the second consecutive season. Young Boys, based in the Swiss capital Bern, are the defending four-time Swiss league champions, and Pefok helped claim last season’s title with 12 goals and four assists in 32 games. He also scored three goals in eight Europa League appearances after the club failed in Champions League qualifying play.

Along the way, the Washington, DC native made his U.S. national team debut after picking the country out of two others he was eligible for, France and Cameroon. Pefok played two games for the France Under-21 team while growing up at French club Reims as a child. His family moved to France when he was a baby.

Pefok’s American debut came last March in a friendly against Jamaica which was played in Austria so manager Gregg Berhalter could bring his Europe-based players together during the pandemic. In June, Pefok scored his first American goal in spectacular fashion: an 89th-minute winner in the Concacaf Nations League semi-final against Honduras.

He then started the final against Mexico and played an hour before being substituted, in a match that ended in an epic 3-2 victory for the United States in extra time.

Pefok was called up for September’s World Cup qualifiers and didn’t play as well. He came on as a substitute for 26 minutes in the opener in El Salvador on September 2, an 83-minute starter against Canada on September 5, and did not play at all in Honduras on September 8. He was not called. since then, which has raised some eyebrows among American fans given the team’s lack of depth.

Pefok has done its part to stay in the spotlight. He has scored 16 goals in 30 games in all competitions for Young Boys this season: 11 in 17 Swiss league games, three in six Champions League qualifiers and two in the Champions League group stage, including one winner in the 95th minute against the mighty Manchester. United at home on September 14, the opening day of the tournament.

READ MORE: USMNT roster for January World Cup qualifiers is about number of players, not just which ones

The second goal of the group stage was Young Boys’ first goal in a 3-3 draw with Italy’s Atalanta at home on November 23, after Atalanta scored the first. It was pretty much a must-watch game for Young Boys after three straight losses, and they didn’t win it.

A 1-1 draw at Manchester United in the group stage final on 8 December, with Pefok playing 62 minutes, was a good scoreline. But that wasn’t enough to take Young Boys to third place and the Europa League, so the club dropped out of continental competition for the season.

The Young Boys are currently in third place in the Swiss league, eight points behind leaders FC Zurich and two points behind fourth place Lugano. Only the first runner-up has a chance in the Champions League and must go through a qualifying playoff to get there. Second and third place qualify for the playoffs of the Europa Conference League, Europe’s third-tier continental tournament.

If Pefok moves to Venice, he will swap the fight to play in Europe next season for the fight to avoid relegation from Serie A this season. Venezia are currently in second-to-last place, two points from the relegation zone.

But it will be a higher level of competition, and if Pefok succeeds, it will attract Berhalter’s attention. Berhalter is already keeping a close eye on Venezia, as the club is home to US national team midfielder Gianluca Busio. Venezia have two other American players in their ranks: midfielder Tanner Tessmann and Union Jack academy striker de Vries.

De Vries, who turned professional with Union in 2019, is on loan at Venice until the summer. He spent most of his time with the club’s reserve youth team, but played one game for the senior team: an Italian Cup debut match on 14 December.

There are also several Americans in Venezia’s front office, including owner Duncan Niederauer and chief analyst Alex Menta. They focused on signing American players, and it paid off as Busio and Tessmann were successful for them. Now they hope Pefok will continue that streak.

READ MORE: How West Chester’s Alexander Menta helped bring Venezia back to Serie A