Villa set to sign McCormack

Market: Over 1.5 goals

Odds: 2/5 @

Hoping to find a route into the top-half of the La Liga table this weekend, Osasuna will welcome Granada to El Sadar on Friday night.

Starting with the hosts, while Osasuna might have opened October with a much-needed 2-0 victory away at Alaves, Jagoba Arrasate s side have struggled to find any kind of stability since opening up the 2023/24 campaign. Last seen heading into the international break with a routine 4-0 drumming at the hands of title contenders Real Madrid, Los Rojillos have managed to muster just a single win from any of their previous seven La Liga appearances a run that stems back to a 2-1 victory against Valencia on August 27th. With their recent issues highlighted by an action-packed 3-2 defeat against Getafe l…

Prediction: Draw

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While the domestic season may be over across Europe, there s still a lot of football left to be played in the United States as this year s Major League Soccer campaign rolls on. A parade of clubs across both conferences are hoping that they can make it to the post-season and today, we re going to take a look at a clash between two clubs in different spots: New York City and Atlanta United.

New York City

After spending years trying to break through to the upper echelons of Major League Soccer, New York City Football Club finally managed to pull away from the chasing pack and win the MLS Cup in 2021. Now, they re positioned in fourth in the Eastern Conference, and we d say they re positioned really nicely in the …

Arsenal booked their place in the EFL Cup quarter-finals after a 2-0 win over Leeds United thanks to goals from Calum Chambers and Eddie Nketiah.

Chambers headed Arsenal in front 10 minutes into the second half just moments after he had come on to the pitch as a substitute.

Nketiah scored Arsenal s second 14 minutes later when he capitalised on a weak ball back to Leeds goalkeeper Illan Meslier.

Leeds, who had chances of their own in the first half, were unable to find a response as Mikel Arteta s side saw out the game without further alarm.

Arsenal showed the early intent with Nketiah s shot going just wide while Sead Kolasinac struck the side netting with a low angled attempt.

Leeds weathered the spell of pressure and then had two chances of th…

Jonas Gutierrez says Saturday s encounter against West Ham is the most important match of his Newcastle United career in what could be his farewell appearance for the club.

Newcastle are not yet safe from relegation ahead of the Premier League contest at St James Park and defeat to Sam Allardyce s men coupled with a Hull City victory against Manchester United would consign John Carver s side to the drop.

Gutierrez was a part of the last Newcastle team to drop into the Championship in 2009 and the Argentine winger is keen to avoid a repeat of those painful memories.

It s the most important game I have to play in seven years,  Gutierrez told the Shields Gazette.

The good thing is that we play at home and it s in our hands. A few players here know what …

Roberto De Zerbi stressed the importance of changing the mood at Brighton after they beat Ajax 2-0 at the Amex Stadium to claim a first European victory.

It ended a run of five games without a win as the club have struggled with injuries during their debut Europa League campaign, though their European hopes were firmly revived here with a comprehensive triumph over the four-time European champions.

From the first minute Brighton outclassed a poor Ajax side, who just three days after sacking manager Maurice Steijn amidst the club’s worst-ever start to an Eredivisie season, barely mustered an attack.

Tonight’s match winners in Europe!

— Brighton Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC)

Joao Pedro tapped in on the rebound after Karou Mitoma’s shot had …

Erling Haaland’s double helped Manchester City secure derby day delight as lifeless rivals Manchester United were outclassed in an embarrassing home defeat.

The eyes of the footballing world were on Old Trafford as the neighbours met in the 191st Manchester derby and first since Pep Guardiola’s men matched their 1999 treble triumph.

Haaland scored a spot-kick and unmarked header before playing in Phil Foden to wrap up 3-0 victory, yet City’s dominance was far greater than the scoreline suggests.

The derby belongs to

— Premier League (@premierleague)

It was an abrupt end to an unconvincing three-match winning run in all competitions for Erik ten Hag’s United, who have now lost five of their 10 opening Premier League games.

Haal…

Croatia forward Ivica Olic has moved to confirm reports linking him with a January move to Major League Soccer.

The 35-year-old has lost his place in the starting line-up at Hamburg and he is being heavily linked with a move away from the club.

Recent reports have suggested that Seattle Sounders and Orlando City are showing interest in his services, and Olic confirms that a winter switch to the MLS is a realistic possibility.

“With Seattle I have had contact for a while. Even now again in August,” Olic . “Also, there is contact with Orlando.

”In the winter, we make a decision (on the transfer). Anything could happen.”

Ivica Olic has spent last eight and a half years in German Bundesliga, having joined Hamburg from CSKA Moscow.

…

Chelsea slipped to a first loss in five games as goals for Ollie Watkins and John McGinn helped Aston Villa seal a 2-0 win in the Premier League on Saturday.

Watkins stunned the hosts early on with a lobbed first-half finish before his captain fired home a magnificent long-range effort close to the hour mark.

Defeat saw Graham Potter s previously resurgent hosts stutter at Stamford Bridge, leaving them five points off the top seven and potential European qualification.

For Unai Emery s visitors though, the result lifts them above their opponents and keeps them in with an outside shout of a surprise continental berth.

Chelsea rode their luck when McGinn rattled the crossbar with a fine volley, but they were less fortunate in the 18th minute.

A mix-…

Sadio Mane is convinced Liverpool will end their long wait for the title this season and is adamant they are not a team of chokers .

Liverpool have not won England s top-flight crown for 29 years, seeing bitter rivals Manchester United overtake them as the division s most successful club in the process.

The Reds went close to Premier League success for the first time since its 1992 inception in 2013-14, but a 2-0 home defeat to Chelsea ultimately proved crucial, as Manchester City capitalised on that result to go on and lift the trophy.

With 22 matches played this term, Liverpool are top of the table and have a four-point cushion ahead of defending champions City.

Jurgen Klopp s men have lost just once – at the Etihad Stadium on January 3 – and …

Brighton and Hove Albion have completed the signing of defender Pervis Estupinan from LaLiga side Villarreal.

The Ecuador international arrives for an undisclosed fee reported to be worth £14million (€16.7m) and has put pen to paper on a five-year deal at the Amex Stadium.

The 24-year-old will add plenty of experience to the Seagulls back line, having won the Europa League with Villarreal in 2021, while also featuring for Granada, Almeria, Real Mallorca and Osasuna in Spain.

Signing a new left-back had been a priority following the sale of Marc Cucurella to Chelsea, and head coach Graham Potter is thrilled by the arrival of Estupinan, who racked up 74 appearances during his two-year spell at El Madrigal.

He s here and he s Pervis.

— Brighto…