Sporting Kansas City 0-3 Minnesota United: Sounders await in club´s first Western Conference final

Minnesota United will contest their first MLS Western Conference final after making light work of Sporting Kansas City 3-0.

A three-goal first half, inspired by Kevin Molino s brace, saw Minnesota past Sporting KC on Thursday and through to a showdown with defending champions Seattle Sounders.

Minnesota, who entered the league in 2017, have won their last three matches by 3-0 scorelines, equalling the longest streak of wins by three-plus goals in MLS history – regular season or play-offs.

Molino opened the scoring in the 27th minute after combining with Emanuel Reynoso before beating Sporting KC goalkeeper Tim Melia.

Ope!

Just gonna sneak right by ya!

— Minnesota United FC (@MNUFC)

It was the Molino and Reynoso combination ag…

Watford sack Gracia four games into Premier League season

Watford have sacked head coach Javi Gracia four games into the new Premier League season.

The Hornets are bottom of the table having taken a single point but last term Gracia led them to the FA Cup final, where they were thrashed 6-0 by Manchester City.

Watford s poor form dates back to the end of the 2018-19 season, which they finished with three straight defeats.

Javi has represented Watford with great dignity and will always be deserving of our fullest respect for his achievements, said chairman and chief executive Scott Duxbury.

Club Statement: Javi Gracia

— Watford Football Club (@WatfordFC)

Watford confirmed Gracia s staff will also be leaving the club, with the Hornets indicating a swift replacement will be appointed.

Cl…

Augsburg 2-2 Bayern Munich: Sule injured as champions are hit by last-gasp equaliser

Augsburg scored after 30 seconds and again in second-half stoppage time to claim a dramatic 2-2 draw at home to Bayern Munich, as Niklas Sule suffered an injury that will have the Bundesliga champions concerned.

Marco Richter scored in the opening minute for hosts Augsburg on Saturday as Bayern struggled to bounce back from the loss they suffered to Hoffenheim before the international break.

But after the visitors lost a distressed Sule to injury, Serge Gnabry set up Robert Lewandowski to net for a record-equalling eighth straight game at the start of a Bundesliga campaign.

Former Arsenal youngster Gnabry then scored himself in the second half.

That would not prove to be the winner, though, Alfred Finnbogason tapping in one minute into added time to stun …

Tuchel: Chelsea will never give up hope of chasing down ´winning machine´ Man City

Thomas Tuchel insists Chelsea will never give up hope of chasing down winning machine Manchester City but accepts his side have to be realistic about their title aspirations.

City opened up an 11-point lead on second-placed Chelsea at the Premier League summit with a dramatic 2-1 comeback win against Arsenal at Emirates Stadium on Saturday.

Only twice in the competition s history has a team had a bigger advantage at the end of New Year s Day – Manchester United in 1993-94 and City in 2017-18 (both 12 points).

Chelsea will attempt to close the gap when they take on Liverpool, who are one point further back in third with a game in hand, in Sunday s contest at Stamford Bridge.

The Blues enter the match on the back of a 1-1 home draw with Brighton and Hove …

Ziyech, Werner and Havertz torment Atletico to keep Tuchel´s Chelsea on track

Not for the first time during his run as a Sky Sports pundit, Roy Keane looked like he might combust. 

Manchester City had raced into a 3-0 lead against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, piling more pressure on under-fire boss Frank Lampard, but Keane had an expensively assembled attack in his crosshairs. 

The attacking players need to show up, he said of a line-up boasting big money close-season arrivals Hakim Ziyech and Timo Werner. Kai Havertz could only make the bench. 

We spoke before the game, we said they have a lot of quality, but to me they don t look like they re up to it. What do Chelsea need? 

They need a miracle to get back into this game. They ve been shocking, particularly the attacking players.  

Alongside him, former Liver…

Inter, El Clasico and more – the games Messi will miss with broken arm

Lionel Messi suffered a fractured arm after an awkward fall in Barcelona s 4-2 win over Sevilla on Saturday and he stands to miss some crucial matches as a result.

The Argentina superstar scored Barca s second with a gorgeous 20-yard finish after a swift breakaway in the 12th minute, but he fell awkwardly soon after in a coming together with Sevilla s Franco Vazquez.

He was given medical attention for several minutes on the touchline, with Barca s trainers putting a significant amount of strapping around his right elbow.

But he was unable to continue and Barca confirmed shortly after full-time that he had suffered a broken arm, ruling him out for three weeks.

 [INJURY NEWS] Tests carried out on the first team player Leo Messi have confirmed that he has a…

Salah contract situation ´completely fine´ says Liverpool boss Klopp

Mohamed Salah s contract situation at Liverpool is completely fine and the Reds just have to show patience with talks, says boss Jurgen Klopp.

Egypt superstar Salah s future has been the subject of debate with his deal due to enter the final 12 months in June, leading to rumours the likes of Real Madrid are monitoring his situation.

Salah has been a sensation since arriving from Roma ahead of the 2017-2018 season and has become a Premier League, Champions League and Club World Cup winner with the Reds as well as earning UEFA Super Cup and EFL Cup medals.

Speaking prior to the Merseyside club s Premier League clash with Brighton and Hove Albion this weekend, Klopp was asked if Liverpool showing continued ambition in the transfer market with the signing of Luis Di…

Prediction: Aston Villa vs Chelsea

Best Odds: 2/1

Bookmaker:

Knowing that they hold their fate firmly in their own hands, Chelsea will make the trip to Villa Park on Sunday afternoon when fans make their return in the Midlands.

Aston Villa

Starting with the hosts, while Aston Villa may have shown some issues during the second-half of the campaign, Dean Smith s side will be boosted by an eye-catching turnaround victory in midweek. Making the trip to North London on Wednesday evening, the former Brentford boss saw his side land a deserved 2-1 victory away at Tottenham and also caused a major dent in Spurs top-six ambitions. Putting on a real clinic in the final third and welcoming back skipper Jack Grealish to their starting XI earlier in the week, Villa could have easily left with more goals to s…

Prediction: Fulham vs Manchester United

Prediction: Manchester United to win both halves

Odds:

Bookmaker:

Manchester United have the opportunity to get into the Premier League top four on Saturday afternoon as they travel to Craven Cottage to take on Fulham.

The Red Devils have been in inspired form since the arrival of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, reigniting their pursuit of European football. Meanwhile, Claudio Ranieri has not quite had the desired impact since taking the reigns at Fulham as the Whites remain firmly rooted in the Premier League relegation zone.

Manchester United

New Red Devils boss Solskjaer has had a tremendous impact since he took control at Old Trafford. In his ten matches in charge, United have won nine and drawn only once. They managed to claim maximum points last ti…

Michael O’Neill hoping to take ‘good feeling’ into Slovenia game

Michael O’Neill knows Saturday’s 3-0 win over San Marino was only a small step forward for his Northern Ireland side but it is still one he said can be important for a young and developing side.

Paul Smyth got a goal and an assist on his first international start while there was also a first Northern Ireland goal for Conor McMenamin, with Josh Magennis getting another in a comfortable win at Windsor Park.

But while Northern Ireland were always in control, 2-0 up after 11 minutes, the limitations which have seen their qualifying campaign unravel with five straight defeats since an opening victory over the same opposition in March were again on show in an often unexciting display.

The boss delivers his verdict on today’s 3-0 win over San Marino

—…