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London (AFP) – Ellen White broke England Women’s all-time scoring record as the Lionesses recorded their biggest ever victory by crushing Latvia 20-0 in World Cup qualifying on Tuesday. White scored twice early on to take her level with and then past Kelly Smith’s mark of 46 goals, before completing her hat-trick shortly after the break. The Manchester City striker was one of four hat-trick-scorers on the night. Lauren Hemp netted four times, while Beth Mead and substitute Alessia Russo also registered trebles. Beth England notched a brace, and there were also goals from Ella Toone, Georgia Stanway, Jess Carter, Jill Scott and Jordan Nobbs on a historic evening in Doncaster. The result smashed the Lionesses previous record win of 13-0 against Hungary in 2005. England also hit double figures last month when the sides met in Riga with a 10-0 win. It was a sixth win from six Group D games for England, their first six fixtures under Sarina Wiegman – a sequence in which they have reg

Milan (AFP) – Juventus escaped Salernitana with a hard-fought 2-0 win on Tuesday which brought some positivity after a difficult week, while Atalanta are on the heels of Serie A’s leaders following a Mario Pasalic-inspired 4-0 win over Venezia. Paulo Dybala and Alvaro Morata struck the goals which gave struggling Juve the points at the Stadio Arechi but they stay seventh, seven points behind Atalanta who sit fourth in the final Champions League spot. Dybala lashed home the opener in the 21st minute after a neat one-two with Dejan Kulusevski and 10 minutes later Juve thought they had doubled their lead through captain Giorgio Chiellini. However after the veteran defender had celebrated pushing home the rebound following Juan Cuadrado’s free-kick thwacking the post, the goal was ruled out by VAR officials who spotted Moise Kean straying fractionally offside as the Colombian struck his shot. From there Juventus dominated proceedings but could count themselves very lucky to enter the

Newcastle (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Teemu Pukki denied 10-man Newcastle a first win all season as Norwich earned a 1-1 draw at St James’ Park on Tuesday, but wasted a huge chance to deepen the Magpies’ relegation fears. Newcastle were a man short for more than 80 minutes after Ciaran Clark saw red for pulling down Pukki. However, Norwich were largely wasteful in trying to make that advantage count and fell behind to Callum Wilson’s penalty on the hour mark. Pukki smashed home on the volley to equalise 11 minutes from time and Norwich should have claimed a massive three points in stoppage time when Martin Dubravka saved from Pierre Lees-Melou. Eddie Howe’s men edge to within five points of safety in their bid to minimise the damage before they can turn to the Saudi sovereign wealth fund to strengthen in the January transfer window. Howe was on the sideline as Newcastle boss at St James’ Park for the first time, having missed the 3-3 draw with Brentford 10 days ago after testing pos

London (AFP) – Leeds chief executive Angus Kinnear said proposals for greater wealth distribution in English football would only reward “incompetence” as he compared a transfer levy on Premier League clubs to Maoism and the Great Chinese Famine. The transfer levy and an independent regulator were just two of 47 recommendations made by a fan-led review of football governance which was published last week. Kinnear said he supported many of the recommendations, but that those two “are as flawed as they are radical”. Writing in his programme notes ahead of Tuesday’s Premier League clash with Crystal Palace, Kinnear said: “Enforcing upon football a philosophy akin to Maoist collective agriculturalism (which students of ‘The Great Leap Forward’ will know culminated in the greatest famine in history) will not make the English game fairer, it will kill the competition which is its very lifeblood.” Misguided economic policies during the Great Leap Forward contributed to mass famine which c

Caracas (AFP) – Veteran Argentine coach Jose Pekerman was appointed Tuesday to take over the Venezuela national team, tasked with leading them to the 2026 World Cup. “I know I’m in the right place. We have one idea in common: leave a mark,” the 72-year-old Pekerman said during his presentation in Caracas. Venezuela are the only member of CONMEBOL never to have qualified for a World Cup. They are already out of the running for next year’s tournament in Qatar with four qualifiers still to play. Pekerman coached Argentina to the 2006 World Cup, losing on penalties to hosts Germany in the quarter-finals. He led Colombia to the same stage of the 2014 World Cup and then to the last 16 in Russia.   He replaces Leo Gonzalez, who was in charge on an interim basis after the resignation of Portuguese coach Jose Peseiro in August over unpaid wages. from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/3o8d5d1

For the first time this season, the Premier League plays a consistent schedule of midweek fixtures. This Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, there are ten games lined up in England’s top flight. Additionally, there are significant games in terms of the race for European qualification. Getting things started on Tuesday, a bottom-of-the-table clash as Newcastle hosts Norwich sets the table for the week. The two clubs sit six and three points, respectively, from safety. Then, on Wednesday, the bulk of the games take place. There are six games starting at either 2:30 p.m. or 3:15 p.m. ET. Among them, West Ham United looks to stop its two-game skid against Brighton. Also, a rejuvenated and revitalized Aston Villa under Steven Gerrard looks for its biggest result yet at home against Manchester City. Manchester City made up some ground this past weekend on league leaders Chelsea, but the Sky Blues do trail the London side by just one point. Also on Wednesday, this season’s first Merseyside

London (AFP) – Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard said on Tuesday Jack Grealish has earned the right to a warm reception when he returns to Villa Park for the first time as a Manchester City player this week. Grealish moved for a Premier League record £100 million ($133 million) in August after making over 200 appearances for his boyhood club since making his debut aged 18. The England international has been sidelined in recent weeks, but returned to training on Monday and could feature against his former club. “Jack very much deserves a warm welcome and I have no doubt he’ll get that,” said Gerrard, who has made a perfect start to his Premier League coaching career with two wins from two games. “This is his club and it will be when his career is over, because he was here as a little boy and he has come through the academy. “The club have benefited a lot from what Jack has given and we very much wish him well moving forward for the remainder of his career. Obviously not for 90 mi

Paris (AFP) – Lionel Messi was awarded a record-extending seventh Ballon d’Or on Monday, but for the first time in his illustrious career, there was a mixed reaction to his success. The Argentinian great has made a slow start to life in France after a turbulent year which saw him bid a tearful farewell to Barcelona and join Paris Saint-Germain. But there have been sparks of life in recent weeks, with his first Ligue 1 goal followed by three assists in PSG’s 3-1 win at Saint-Etienne on Sunday. Messi admitted his latest Ballon d’Or win was largely down to leading his country to a major international title for the first time in the Copa America, although he did also finish as La Liga top-scorer last season in a weak Barcelona team which has since stumbled from crisis to crisis. After scoring just four goals in 11 appearances this term for PSG, the 34-year-old will need an upturn in fortunes to be named the world’s best player again next year. Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp was among

London (AFP) – Thomas Tuchel said on Tuesday Chelsea midfielder Jorginho does not need Ballon d’Or recognition to prove he is among the world’s best after the Italian finished third in the prestigious player of the year award. Paris Saint-Germain forward Lionel Messi won the Ballon d’Or for a seventh time on Monday, with Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski second in the voting and Jorginho third. Jorginho helped Chelsea win the Champions League last season before emerging as a key figure in Italy’s Euro 2020 triumph. And, while the 29-year-old was unable to cap a memorable year with the Ballon d’Or, the Blues boss is more interested in helping his players achieve collective success rather than personal plaudits. “I have huge doubts about individual awards in this game because the game is very complex, it’s related to a lot of luck and it’s a team effort,” Tuchel told reporters. “Not one single player can win a match of football, it’s not possible. “If individual players shi

Liverpool (AFP) – Jurgen Klopp said Liverpool cannot lose their heads looking for revenge when they face Everton in the Merseyside derby on Wednesday. Virgil van Dijk suffered a season-ending cruciate knee ligament injury when the sides last met at Goodison Park 13 months ago due to a wild lunge by Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford. Thiago Alcantara was also sidelined for months by Richarlison’s late challenge in a bad-tempered contest despite the absence of fans. For the first time in nearly three years, a derby will take place in front of a full house at Goodison as Everton aim to halt their slide by damaging Liverpool’s title challenge. But Klopp said the Reds have to concentrate on letting their football do the talking. “We play football. We are still an emotional team but you have to use the emotion in the right way and that’s the plan,” Klopp said on Tuesday. “We know what our supporters want and we try to fulfil their dreams and wishes. “Derby games are more in focus bu

London (AFP) – Pep Guardiola said on Tuesday that Manchester City are dealing with an injury “emergency” as the wounded Premier League champions limp into the hectic December schedule. Kevin de Bruyne is yet to return to training as City’s star midfielder recovers from the coronavirus, while Ferran Torres is a long-term absentee with a foot injury Phil Foden and Jack Grealish have also struggled with injuries, although both could play some part in City’s trip to Aston Villa on Wednesday. Guardiola will also be without the suspended Aymeric Laporte at Villa Park and he believes City face a difficult spell heading towards Christmas. “We have an emergency in the squad. We have few, few, few people,” Guardiola told reporters. “We never complain when it is not possible for players to play for injuries or red cards. “I trust a lot in the squad and other players who come in but we are in real trouble for December, the toughest month of the year.” Guardiola is holding out hope that Eng

Madrid (AFP) – Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said on Tuesday Karim Benzema is “not crying” about missing out on winning his first Ballon d’Or. Lionel Messi, who left Barcelona for Paris Saint-Germain last summer, won the Ballon d’Or for a record seventh time on Monday. The 34-year-old Messi led Argentina to the Copa America title in July and has scored 40 goals in 2021, including 28 for Barca. Benzema, 33, finished fourth behind Messi, Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski, and Chelsea midfielder Jorginho. In his Madrid press conference on Tuesday, Ancelotti was asked if the Ballon d’Or “still has credibility” following Messi’s latest victory. “We have to respect the decision. Messi won and he’s still a great player,” Ancelotti said. “For the players, individual awards are important and they give motivation – but if they don’t win them, it doesn’t matter. “Benzema has had a great season and finished fourth and now he will have extra motivation to finish first next year.”

London (AFP) – Michael Carrick will stay in charge of Manchester United for their clash against Arsenal this week as interim manager Ralf Rangnick awaits his work visa, the Old Trafford club said on Tuesday. Rangnick on Monday agreed to join United from Lokomotiv Moscow, where he was the head of sports and development. But he will not be on the bench when Arsenal visit on Thursday due to legal red tape. “Ralf Rangnick was announced as interim manager on Monday but, while the club follows the regulatory process around a work visa, Carrick will continue at the helm,” a United statement said. “Michael has communicated this to players and staff at Carrington in a busy week for the club.” The 63-year-old German will eventually take charge at United until the end of this season before moving into a two-year consultancy role at the troubled Premier League outfit. Carrick has been working as United’s caretaker boss since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s sacking. The former United midfielder, who

London (AFP) – Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo has hit back at a “disrespectful” claim that his only remaining ambition is to win the Ballon d’Or more times than Lionel Messi. Paris Saint-Germain forward Messi won the prestigious award for a seventh time on Monday. Ronaldo, who finished sixth in this year’s voting, has earned the Ballon d’Or five times. The Ballon d’Or, given to the best male and female footballers of the year, is voted on by 180 journalists and presented by France Football. Pascal Ferre, the editor in chief of France Football, was quoted in the New York Times recently saying Ronaldo told him his primary motivation was to retire having won the accolade more often than his old rival Messi. Ronaldo, 36, took to Instagram to deny that suggestion. “Today’s outcome explains Pascal Ferre’s statements last week, when he said that I confided in him that my only ambition was to finish my career with more Ballon d’Ors than Lionel Messi,” Ronaldo wrote. “Pascal F

In 2021, we are witnessing a change in U.S. women’s soccer. As the national team prepares for the 2023 World Cup, a number of players head to camp to form the next generation of American stars. The task in front of these young women is tall. They must replace the on-field production of Carli Lloyd or other players nearing the end of their careers. But, it is not just their on-the-pitch production needed. Equally if not more so, their off-the-field leadership to push for equality and respect in the boardroom of U.S. Soccer and even sports as a whole is key. The outgoing generation worked tirelessly outside of the game for changes in favor of equality. In fact, only the 99ers rival the current core’s progressive actions. Rob Goldman’s well-timed new book The Sisterhood: The 99ers and the Rise of U.S. Women’s Soccer to coincides with this current generational change. The Sisterhood Goldman’s book is an oral history of the rise of women’s soccer in the U.S. The book starts in 1

Paris (AFP) – Lionel Messi admitted winning the Copa America with Argentina might have been the determining factor in him claiming the men’s Ballon d’Or prize for the seventh time after a turbulent year, as Spain’s Alexia Putellas took the women’s award. Now 34, Messi pipped much-fancied rivals like Robert Lewandowski and Karim Benzema to take the award in a glittering ceremony on Monday in Paris, the city he now calls home after leaving boyhood club Barcelona for Paris Saint-Germain in August. Despite his tearful goodbye from Barcelona and his relatively underwhelming start to life in France, the jury of journalists from around the world rewarded him in particular for captaining Argentina to their first major international title since 1993.  “Two years ago I thought I was coming into my final years but here I am again back here,” said Messi, who won the last edition of the Ballon d’Or in 2019 before last year’s awards were cancelled due to the pandemic. Messi also won in 2009, 20

Paris (AFP) – Some might question whether Lionel Messi really deserved to win his latest Ballon d’Or prize ahead of other worthy candidates, but the Argentinian has been rewarded for continuing to be so good for so long. The most turbulent year of Messi’s glittering career, in which he was forced to tearfully bid farewell to Barcelona, ends with him –- at the age of 34 — claiming a record-extending seventh Ballon d’Or for the best player in the world. In Germany they thought it had to be Robert Lewandowski’s year after he missed out 12 months ago when the 2020 edition was scrapped due to the pandemic. Karim Benzema might have had plenty of support in Spain for his remarkable performances with Real Madrid, and Jorginho could stake a claim following a year in which he won the Champions League with Chelsea as well as Euro 2020 with Italy. Yet it is the enduring brilliance of Messi -– who won the last award in 2019 — which stays in the minds of the jurors when it comes to voting. Hav

Paris (AFP) – Lionel Messi won the men’s Ballon d’Or award for a record-extending seventh time at a ceremony in Paris on Monday. Messi won the last edition of the Ballon d’Or in 2019 before last year’s awards were cancelled due to the pandemic. He also won in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and in 2015.  The 34-year-old scored 38 goals in 48 games last season for Barcelona and won the Copa del Rey before captaining Argentina to Copa America glory in July. That was the first major international title of his glittering career, which had been spent entirely with Barcelona before his tearful departure from the Camp Nou in August and subsequent move to Paris Saint-Germain. Messi has played just 11 games for PSG so far, scoring four goals, but he was rewarded as much as anything for his continued brilliance down the years. He has now won the Ballon d’Or twice more than his old rival Cristiano Ronaldo — between them they have won 12 of the last 13 editions with the exception coming in 2018 when

Madrid (AFP) – Alexia Putellas grew up dreaming of playing for Barcelona and after clinching the treble of league, cup and Champions League last season, her status as a women’s footballing icon was underlined as she claimed the Ballon d’Or on Monday. Unlike the men’s side, Barca’s women swept the board last term with the 27-year-old, who wears “Alexia” on the back of her shirt, at the forefront, months before Lionel Messi’s emotional departure. Attacker Putellas, who turns 28 in February, spent her childhood less than an hour’s car journey from the Camp Nou and she made her first trip to the ground from her hometown of Mollet del Valles, for the Barcelona derby on January 6, 2000. Exactly 21 years later she became the first woman in the modern era to score in the stadium, against Espanyol. Her name was engraved in the club’s history from that day forward, but her story started much earlier. She started playing the sport in school, against boys. “My mum had enough of me coming hom

Paris (AFP) – Spain starlet Pedri won the Kopa Trophy for the best player aged under 21 at the Ballon d’Or awards ceremony in Paris on Monday, while Italy’s Gianluigi Donnarumma was named the best goalkeeper. Barcelona midfielder Pedri, who only turned 19 last Thursday, was a key player for Spain as they reached the semi-finals of the European Championship and featured in their side that lost in the men’s Olympic football final against Brazil in Tokyo. In addition he played 52 games for Barcelona, helping them win the Copa del Rey. Pedri, who joined Barca from Las Palmas last year, recently extended his contract at the Camp Nou to 2026. The Kopa Trophy is named after Raymond Kopa, the Real Madrid and France star of the post-war era who won the Ballon d’Or in 1958. France forward Kylian Mbappe was the inaugural winner of the prize in 2018, and Matthijs de Ligt of Juventus and the Netherlands won it in 2019. There was no Ballon d’Or awards ceremony last year because of the pandemi

Paris (AFP) – Alexia Putellas of Barcelona and Spain won the women’s Ballon d’Or prize at a ceremony in Paris on Monday, completing a remarkable year for the 27-year-old. Putellas is the third winner of the prize, following in the footsteps of Ada Hegerberg, who won the inaugural women’s Ballon d’Or in 2018, and United States World Cup star Megan Rapinoe, winner in 2019. The 2020 Ballon d’Or awards were cancelled because of the pandemic. Putellas captained Barcelona to victory in this year’s Champions League, scoring a penalty in the final as her side hammered Chelsea 4-0 in Gothenburg. She also won a Spanish league and cup double with Barca, the club she joined as a teenager in 2012, and helped her country qualify for the upcoming Women’s Euro in England. Her Barcelona and Spain teammate Jennifer Hermoso finished second in the voting, with Sam Kerr of Chelsea and Australia coming in third. It completes an awards double for Putellas, who in August was named player of the year by

Paris (AFP) – Barcelona and Spain starlet Pedri won the Kopa Trophy for the best player aged under 21 at the Ballon d’Or awards ceremony in Paris on Monday. The midfielder, who only turned 19 last Thursday, was a key player for Spain as they reached the semi-finals of the European Championship and featured in their side that lost in the men’s Olympic football final against Brazil in Tokyo. In addition he played 52 games for Barcelona, helping them win the Copa del Rey. Pedri, who joined Barca from Las Palmas last year, recently extended his contract at the Camp Nou to 2026. The Kopa Trophy is named after Raymond Kopa, the Real Madrid and France star of the post-war era who won the Ballon d’Or in 1958. France forward Kylian Mbappe was the inaugural winner of the prize in 2018, and Matthijs de Ligt of Juventus and the Netherlands won it in 2019. There was no Ballon d’Or awards ceremony last year because of the coronavirus pandemic. from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/3lmodBf

Paris (AFP) – Neymar is expected to be sidelined for between six and eight weeks after sustaining ligament damage to his left ankle, Paris Saint-Germain said on Monday. The Brazil star was stretchered from the pitch in tears after suffering the injury in the final minutes of Sunday’s 3-1 victory at Saint-Etienne. “The examinations carried out last night confirm that Neymar Jr is suffering from a sprained left ankle with ligament damage,” PSG said in a statement, adding that a further update would be made in 72 hours. Neymar had started 13 of the past 15 games for PSG this season after an injury-plagued four years in France, but he faces another lengthy absence after landing awkwardly following a challenge by Saint-Etienne’s Yvann Macon.  The 29-year-old posted a video Monday of himself wearing a pressotherapy boot on his left leg. “These runs of bad luck are part of an athlete’s life,” he said Sunday on Instagram. “That’s the way it is now, you have to pick yourself back up and m

London (AFP) – Brendan Rodgers says Leicester star Jamie Vardy shows no sign of slowing down, outlining the personal investment the veteran striker has made to prolong his career. Vardy, 34, took his Premier League tally for the season to nine with two goals in the Foxes’ 4-2 home win against Watford on Sunday. The former England international, who did not play in the top flight until he was 27, has scored 93 of his 127 Premier League goals since his 30th birthday — drawing him level with former Arsenal forward Ian Wright. “To enter into football when he has and to see the numbers that he has is absolutely remarkable,” Leicester manager Rodgers said ahead of Wednesday’s trip to Southampton. “There’s no sign that it’s stopping soon either because he is looking after himself. “It’s all him. He clearly has the talent, he has the will. All we’ve tried to do is just manage him to maximise what we can get out of him.” Vardy has a cryotherapy chamber (in which players are exposed to ex

London (AFP) – Manchester United announced on Monday they had appointed Ralf Rangnick as interim manager until the end of the season following the sacking of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after a disastrous run of results. The 63-year-old will arrive at Old Trafford from Russian side Lokomotiv Moscow, where he was manager of sports and development, becoming just the sixth German manager to coach in the Premier League. At the end of the season Rangnick, whose appointment is subject to work visa requirements, will take on a consultancy role at the 20-times English champions for a further two years. He will take over from first-team coach Michael Carrick, who has been in caretaker charge for two games since Solskjaer was dismissed just over a week ago following a humiliating 4-1 defeat at lowly Watford. “He was our number one candidate for interim manager, reflecting the invaluable leadership and technical skills he will bring from almost four decades of experience in management and coaching,

Paris (AFP) – Togo international Ihlas Bebou scored a hat-trick for fifth-placed Hoffenheim at the weekend in a 6-3 Bundesliga triumph at bottom club Greuther Fuerth.  It was the first German league treble for the 27-year-old winger, who had spells with Fortuna Dusseldorf and Hannover before joining his current club in 2019 on a three-year contract. Egyptian Mohamed Salah, often the African star of the weekend, had to settle for an assist as Premier League title contenders Liverpool whipped Southampton 4-0 at Anfield. Here, AFP Sport highlights Africans who starred in the major European leagues at the weekend. ENGLAND MOHAMED SALAH (Liverpool) Salah was not on the scoresheet for Liverpool in their 4-0 rout of Southampton but provided a brilliant cross for fellow forward Diogo Jota’s second goal. The Egyptian’s scoring rate has slowed in recent weeks after a sensational start to the season but the 29-year-old has still racked up 17 goals for the club since August. EMMANUEL DENNI

London (AFP) – Eddie Howe says it would be “foolish” for him to promise that bottom side Newcastle will buy their way out of Premier League relegation trouble in the January transfer window. The new boss celebrated his 44th birthday on Monday by preparing his team for Tuesday’s clash with Norwich, with the club still seeking their first win of the season after 13 matches. Newcastle, who lost 2-0 at Arsenal on Saturday, are six points adrift of safety at the foot of the table but they have vital home matches against the Canaries and Burnley — the two clubs directly above them — over the coming week. The Magpies’ new Saudi-backed owners have indicated they will invest significantly in the squad but Howe knows he cannot rely on spending power alone to preserve their top-flight status. Asked if he had been assured of backing in the transfer window, he replied: “I can’t make any promises on that, but I can promise that the people above me, the owners, will support the team and support

London (AFP) – Manchester United’s new interim manager Ralf Rangnick once mentored Jurgen Klopp and Thomas Tuchel and now “The Professor” will use his studious approach to revive his troubled Premier League club. United hired Rangnick on Monday after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was sacked last week following a humiliating 4-1 defeat at Watford that featured the kind of confusion and lethargy that are anathema to the German. Solskjaer’s failed reign was defined by an acute lack of coherent game-planning. But Rangnick’s role in championing the “gegenpressing” (counter-pressing) philosophy popularised by Liverpool boss Klopp suggests United are about to be dragged into the 21st century. United lured Rangnick from his role as Lokomotiv Moscow’s head of sports and development after learning Paris Saint-Germain were not willing to part with Mauricio Pochettino at present. That could turn out to be a blessing in disguise if the 63-year-old can emulate the success enjoyed by his devoted pupils

London (AFP) – Manchester United announced on Monday they had appointed Ralf Rangnick as interim manager until the end of the season following the sacking of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. The 63-year-old German joins from Lokomotiv Moscow, where he was manager of sports and development. At the end of the season Rangnick will take on a consultancy role at Old Trafford for a further two years. He takes over from first-team coach Michael Carrick, who has been in caretaker charge for two matches since Solskjaer was sacked just over a week ago following a poor run of results. “He was our number one candidate for interim manager, reflecting the invaluable leadership and technical skills he will bring from almost four decades of experience in management and coaching,” said United football director John Murtough. The former RB Leipzig boss said he was excited to be joining United and focused on making it a successful season for the struggling club. “The squad is full of talent and has a great b

Berlin (AFP) – Hertha Berlin, currently sitting 14th in the Bundesliga, sacked Pal Dardai as coach on Monday, replacing the Hungarian with former Turkey international Tayfun Korkut. Hertha’s 1-1 home draw against Augsburg on Saturday saw the team stretch to four their winless streak, which included a 2-0 capital derby defeat by Union. Dardai, 45, rejoined Hertha in January this year after having been sacked a first time in 2019. German-born ex-midfielder Korkut, 47, signed a contract until the end of the season, not having graced the dug-out in the three years since he was dismissed as coach of Stuttgart. from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/3d0lYyU

London (AFP) – Michael Carrick was adamant Ralf Rangnick had no role in Manchester United’s gameplan for their 1-1 draw at Chelsea, but the club’s impending interim manager would have taken heart from the way they frustrated the Premier League leaders. Rangnick, currently working as Lokomotiv Moscow’s director of sports and development, is expected to be installed this week as United boss until the end of the season. The German has been in talks with United since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was sacked, leaving Carrick to take the reins for the Champions League win against Villarreal and Sunday’s gritty performance at Stamford Bridge. Former United defender Gary Neville said Carrick’s decision to drop Cristiano Ronaldo and pick a defensive 4-3-3 formation with no recognised striker against Chelsea was a sign that Rangnick was already having an influenced. “I’ve a feeling the incoming manager has picked that team as it’s a huge departure from midweek,” Neville tweeted. There were also sug