Alvaro Morata ensured Atletico Madrid got back to winning ways in LaLiga as Diego Simeone s side battled to a 2-0 victory over Osasuna.
A month had passed since Atleti s previous top-flight triumph over Espanyol on November 10 and the brilliance of Osasuna goalkeeper Sergio Herrera looked like spelling another frustrating outing at the Wanda Metropolitano.
But Morata dispatched an emphatic header midway through the second half to break the deadlock and Saul Niguez doubled the advantage 15 minutes from time.
Los Rojiblancos move up to fourth in the table, six shy of Barcelona after the leaders were held to a 2-2 draw at Real Sociedad earlier on Saturday.
Herrera began a busy first half by thwarting Morata at close quarters before the former Juventus strike…
Much-maligned Manchester City winger Scott Sinclair said he can see the light at the end of the tunnel, after a lean period.
Sinclair, 25, has featured in City s pre-season tour of the United States, as he looks to state his case to manager Manuel Pellegrini after an injury plagued and loan-stint filled career.
Since guiding Swansea City into the Premier League in 2012, Sinclair has played just 17 league games in total: 11 for City, and six for West Brom the most recent of his seven career loan spells.
However, the England Under-21 international said he feels great, as he looks to build on his impressive pre-season so far.
This is probably one of the best pre-seasons I ve had because I haven t had the minutes I m getting now, he said.
I feel gr…
One of the biggest headlines of this weekend’s opening Premier League games was Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart being dropped from the starting lineup against Sunderland.
Manager Pep Guardiola was critical of the Englishman’s skill-set when explaining his decision to choose Willy Caballero over Hart, but is the new City manager within his right to make the call?
Joe Hart has struggled for form
After a promising first-half to the season, Joe Hart’s form dipped in the final months of the 2015/16 campaign, and he carried on such poor showings into the 2016 European Championships with the England national team. For Manchester City, Hart kept just four clean sheets in his last 13 league appearances, conceding eight goals in his final five games.
Kevin Keegan was Thursday banned from driving for six months after telling a court he had been in turmoil over his future as Newcastle manager when he was caught speeding last August.
The former England manager reached the legal maximum of 12 penalty points on his licence when he was clocked travelling at 36mph (57.6kph) in a 30mph (48kph) zone on August 27, 2008.
That was the week before the 57-year-old left Newcastle in acrimonious circumstances and the court heard that his head was in turmoil after a stressful meeting with club owner Mike Ashley.
Magistrates have the power to waive a ban for motorists who reach 12 points if it would cause exceptional hardship but Keegan, in a written submission, accepted he could not make such a case. As well as his ban, Keeg…
Newcastle manager Alan Pardew has revealed his relationship with striker Demba Ba is fine following an apology from the player s camp.
There had been suggestions from his agent that Ba was at odds with Pardew and might seek a move away from the club after being left out of the Magpies starting XI.
The Senegal international was named among the substitutes when Newcastle played Everton last Monday, but was called into action and scored both his team s goals in a 2-2 draw.
Subsequently Ba s agent said the forward could not understand the management and might have to consider other options if he was not reinstated in the team. But Pardew has told reporters that he and Ba have cleared the air and that there is no problem between them.
We are intelligent abou…
Market: Guarani win
Odds: 10/11 @
Two sides who have their sights set on clinching a promotion spot this season, Guarani will welcome Sampaio Corrêa to the Estádio Brinco de Ouro late on Tuesday night.
Starting with the hosts, while Guarani might have endured a sluggish campaign last season, they have really impressed many across Serie B since opening the new campaign. Now tipped by many across Brazil to secure themselves a top-four finish this year, Bugre were last seen over the weekend putting in another thumping display. Eventually hitting Confiança for four on the road and landing a 4-1 romp, Head Coach Daniel Paulista finds his side enjoying a stellar purple patch. Knowing that victory in midweek would see them only extend their buffer in the promotion …
Nani came up with a crucial assist as Orlando City leapfrogged Philadelphia Union into second spot in the Eastern Conference with a 2-1 win in MLS on Thursday.
Orlando had taken the lead in the 10th minute from Benji Michel s cool finish and Andrea Perea doubled their advantage in the 58th minute when he met ex-Manchester United winger Nani s right-flank cross.
Philadelphia found a route back into the game when Kacper Przybylko netted with a first-time 68th-minute strike but they could not find an equaliser.
Union came close when City keeper Pedro Gallese made a fine stop to deny Jack Elliott with Jack McGlynn s effort from the rebound hitting the post.
Orlando, who were winless in their past three games, move up to second in the east on 25 points from 1…
Pep Guardiola says allowing Joe Hart to leave Manchester City was the most difficult decision of his career, as the goalkeeper faces an uncertain future.
Recent reports claim West Ham will not take up their option to permanently sign the on-loan 31-year-old, meaning he could return to the Premier League champions at the conclusion of the campaign.
Hart has lost his place as England s number one during an error-riddled stint with the Hammers and was not entirely convincing at Torino, where he spent last season following Guardiola s arrival in Manchester.
The City boss, who is considering at most one or two signings in the next transfer window, revealed his internal conflict over previously sanctioning the departure of a player with more than 250 appearances for th…
Guinea coach Paul Put will run a late fitness test on midfielder Naby Keita before deciding whether the Liverpool star should face Burundi in the Africa Cup of Nations on Sunday.
The National Elephants are third in Group B and victory over Burundi would give them a chance of progressing to the knock-out stage.
Keita has played in both of Guinea s games so far, coming on as a second-half substitute in a 2-2 draw with Madagascar and then playing from the start before being withdrawn after 71 minutes of a 1-0 defeat to group leaders Nigeria.
The 24-year-old arrived at the tournament short of fitness after sustaining an adductor muscle injury in the Champions League semi-final against Barcelona in early May.
But ahead of his country s final group game on S…
The Daily Mail is reporting that Manchester United are showing interest in Genk winger Leon Bailey.
The 19-year-old had been linked with the likes of Ajax and Chelsea before signing for the Belgian giants in 2015, and he is back on the radar of top clubs.
After enjoying a bright start to the new season, Bailey is now being linked with a move to Manchester United.
Namely, the Red Devils chief scout Jim Lawlor and his associate watched the youngster in action as Genk enjoyed a 3-1 triumph over Sassuolo in Europa League, with the Jamaican getting on the scoresheet.
Bailey has already scored eight goals this season despite playing on the wing and it is just a matter of time before he makes a big club move.
The talented footballer had also impressed i…