Golden Soccer 360

Newcastle boss Rafael Benitez is backing his former club Chelsea to be part of a three-way battle for this season's Premier League crown. The Spaniard, who spent six months in interim charge at Stamford Bridge, delivering Europa League success and a third-placed finish, is confident the Blues will be title contenders once again under new head coach Maurizio Sarri. Benitez's Newcastle will welcome Chelsea to St James' Park on Sunday, and when asked if they can win the league this year, he said: "I think so. "Maybe at the moment, there are three teams that you could say that they are a little bit ahead of the others, for me - Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City - because of the level, the performances last year and the money they spent. "Then Manchester United, Tottenham and Arsenal, they have to go back to things they were doing well. They have quality in the squad and they can compete, for sure. "But if you have to pick three, I will pi...

Tottenham captain Hugo Lloris has apologised for his drink-driving offence and insisted it is "not the example I wish to set". The 31-year-old goalkeeper will appear in court in September having been charged following a routine patrol stop in the early hours of Friday morning. Lloris did not train with the squad on Friday ahead of their trip to Manchester United, live on Sky Sports Monday Night Football, after returning home after 11am. The France World Cup-winning captain said: "I wish to apologise wholeheartedly to my family, the club, my team-mates, the manager and all of the supporters. "Drink driving is completely unacceptable. I take full responsibility for my actions and it is not the example I wish to set." Tottenham said on Friday "the club takes matters such as this extremely seriously and it will be dealt with internally". A Metropolitan Police statement said the former Lyon keeper, of East Finchley, London, was stopped in Gl...

Unai Emery has told Aaron Ramsey to focus on his football and not on his future as his contract impasse at Arsenal continues. The Gunners have seen on-pitch matters overshadowed by drawn-out contract negotiations in recent seasons with Mesut Ozil, Alexis Sanchez and Jack Wilshere. Ozil agreed fresh terms in January to become the best-paid player in the club's history, and reports suggest Ramsey, whose own deal expires at the end of the current season, wants to move closer to the wage of his German team-mate. Emery picked Ramsey in the opening weekend defeat to Manchester City but the Wales midfielder came off early in the second half before being dropped to the bench for last weekend's trip to Chelsea. Now the new Arsenal head coach has called on Ramsey to keep his mind on playing well for the club and not be distracted by things away from the pitch. "I spoke with him last week," Emery said when asked about Ramsey's situation. "I said: I want y...

Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson has warned Watford's mascot Harry the Hornet against repeating his "disgraceful" taunts of Wilfried Zaha. The mascot mocked Zaha by diving in front of him at the end of a Premier League fixture on Boxing Day in 2016 after the forward was earlier booked for simulation in the penalty box. Zaha was also booked for going down too easily in a league meeting between the two clubs in April, leading to the 25-year-old Ivory Coast international to bemoan how he was being portrayed as a diver. "If you're asking me whether Harry the Hornet, who I presume is the mascot, should dive in that way, I think it's disgraceful, because that's not what football matches are about," Hodgson said. "That's not what football matches are about. If it's provoking the crowd into looking for something that is not there then it should be stopped." The then Palace boss Sam Allardyce criticised the comedy dive of Harry t...

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has called criticism of Mesut Ozil's retirement from the Germany national team "complete nonsense". Arsenal's Ozil came under fire for his performances at the World Cup in Russia, where Germany were knocked out in the group stage. Critics questioned his public appearance with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan ahead of the tournament. It led to the 29-year-old quitting international football last month over "racism and disrespect" due to his Turkish roots. Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness told  Sky Germany  that Ozil should not have been selected for the World Cup due to his performances for Arsenal, saying "we would have been spared the whole theatre" of the fallout from his retirement. Klopp suggested Ozil has been the victim of politically-motivated acts and that the furore over the playmaker is "a classic example of absolute misinformation and, of course, complete nonsense". "In po...

... Nabil Fekir has found it tough to adjust after missing out on a move to Liverpool in the summer, according to Lyon head coach Bruno Genesio. The 25-year-old looked set to join Liverpool from Lyon before negotiations between the clubs ended. It was reported that he underwent a medical and agreed personal terms, only for the deal not to be completed. Fekir is yet to return to Ligue 1 action for Lyon after winning the World Cup with France, but Genesio says he has been affected by not joining Liverpool. "It is never easy accepting this kind of situation, when you are very near to signing for a club where you want to go," he said. "Where you want to reach another level and to give a boost to your career. "But as I said, it could have been worse for him. He is at Lyon, at a strong club, he is captain of a team who plays in the Champions League. "This could be a very important season for Nabil. I haven't seen any attitudes or signs that ma...

West Ham vice-chairman Karren Brady insists the club will do "everything" they can to ensure the honours board is once again displayed inside the London Stadium. The Hammers' honours board - displaying their three FA Cup wins and European Cup Winners' Cup triumph - was removed for athletic and music events during the summer. It was expected to be reinstalled ahead of the new season, but in its place for the home match against Bournemouth was a London Stadium branded board stating "This is for Everyone". West Ham vice-chairman Karren Brady insists the club will do "everything" they can to ensure the honours board is once again displayed inside the London Stadium. The Hammers' honours board - displaying their three FA Cup wins and European Cup Winners' Cup triumph - was removed for athletic and music events during the summer. It was expected to be reinstalled ahead of the new season, but in its place for the home match against Bo...

Footballers in Spain have not ruled out strike action over a plan to stage a top-flight league match in the United States, says the players' union. Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos and Barcelona vice-captain Sergio Busquets were among the high-profile players to attend a meeting on Wednesday to discuss their "concern" over the issue. La Liga agreed a 15-year deal with US media company Relevent on Friday. The players' union - the AFE - says its members were not consulted by La Liga. Players from all of the La Liga sides met in Madrid on Wednesday to discuss the issue with AFE president David Aganzo. Among those in attendance were Ramos and Real Madrid team-mate Nacho, Barcelona duo Busquets and Sergi Roberto, Leo Baptistao from Espanyol, Bruno from Villarreal, and Atletico Madrid players Koke and Juanfran. Aganzo said: "The problem is the lack of common sense, a schedule where only the export of soccer benefits - nobody counts on the fans. "W...

A number of Celtic season ticket holders in the main stand at Celtic Park have been sent a letter from the club regarding personal hygiene. The letter from supporters liaison officer John Paul Taylor says that poor hygiene is "impacting on the experience" of attending games. It is remains unclear how many fans received the letter from the club.  Celtic officials are yet to comment on the matter or confirm what role they may play.  Taylor's role as supporter liaison officer is backed by European football's governing body UEFA and is intended to ensure fans have a point of contact to represent their needs as supporters.  Celtic have had six home matches so far this season, including three Champions League qualifiers, but have yet to sell-out Celtic Park's 60,000 capacity in any of those games. via Sky Sports

N’Golo Kante is playing a new role for Chelsea under new coach Maurizio Sarri and the midfielder's shift of position will have positive and negative consequences for the team, writes Adam Bate. There had been some shock when N'Golo Kante popped up in the opposition box to force home the opening goal in Chelsea's 3-0 win at Huddersfield. But if anyone had suspected that this was merely a one-off, his performance in his team's 3-2 win over Arsenal on Saturday confirmed it was not. Kante has a very different role under Maurizio Sarri. In the first half alone, there was a run down the right channel that set up a chance for Alvaro Morata and even a striker-like angled run in behind that broke the Arsenal offside trap. Soon after the interval, Kante had a goal-bound shot of his own blocked at point-blank range and later headed the ball over the bar from Pedro's left-wing cross. The energy was familiar - Kante covered 12.47 kilometres. What was different was where...

Paul Pogba's agent has hit back at Paul Scholes over his criticism of the Manchester United midfielder. Mino Raiola took to social media after Scholes questioned whether Pogba is the right choice as United captain following Sunday's 3-2 defeat at Brighton. Sky Sports News understands Jose Mourinho - who has made Pogba captain in the absence of Antonio Valencia - retains the full backing of the board despite their defeat at Brighton. But Scholes, who won 11 Premier League titles during a 20-year playing career at Old Trafford, was scathing about Pogba's performance. "There's a lack of leaders in the team, that's why we thought Pogba might be the ideal candidate to be that leader but he wasn't there [on Sunday]. He had another really poor game. He's so inconsistent," Scholes told  Optus Sport . Raiola, who helped Pogba secure a return to Old Trafford from Juventus in 2016, responded by tweeting: "Some people need to talk for fear of...

Arsenal head coach Unai Emery should be encouraged to follow Pep Guardiola's blueprint at Manchester City, says Ray Parlour. Arsenal have lost their first two Premier League matches this season - a 2-0 loss at home to City and a 3-2 defeat at Chelsea. Emery likes to start his play from the back - something Guardiola introduced to City when he came to the club in 2016 - and Parlour feels the Arsenal boss could use his compatriot's success as an example to his players. He said: "I know he [Emery] is trying to play out from the back. There were occasions during the Manchester City game especially when it wasn't working. "And they are trying to play out like the manager said but as a football player you have to make the right decision and if it isn't on - you go a bit longer. "It's the right way to play, [Pep] Guardiola has cracked it. He knew he had a problem with the goalkeeper and he addressed it with Ederson. "He had a problem w...

Virgil van Dijk has the attributes to achieve legend status at Liverpool, according to Jamie Carragher. The 27-year-old's man-of-the-match performance helped Liverpool maintain their 100 per cent start to the season with a 2-0 victory at Crystal Palace on  Monday Night Football . Van Dijk was a colossus at the back, completing 73 of his 79 passes and producing a game-high eight clearances and 16 aerial duels. Liverpool have kept nine clean sheets in Van Dijk's 16 Premier League appearances for the club, and Carragher believes he can write his name alongside the likes of Alan Hansen if he continues on the same trajectory. "I knew Van Dijk was a good player, but he is better than what I thought," Carragher told  Sky Sports. "We've always said Liverpool can't win the Premier League because of their defence, but now they have Van Dijk, who I think is the best centre back in the Premier League. "I can't think of a defender off the top...

Manchester City goalkeeper Claudio Bravo has sustained an Achilles tendon injury in training, the Premier League club have confirmed. Bravo suffered the injury during a training session on Monday and scans have revealed the Chilean has ruptured the tendon in his left foot. The 35-year-old, who will now travel to Barcelona for further tests on Thursday, tweeted: "No matter what happens, or how bad it looks today, life will go on, and tomorrow will certainly be better." Bravo has not featured in the Premier League this season but was part of the side that beat Chelsea 2-0 in the Community Shield. The former Barcelona goalkeeper was expected to provide back-up for first-choice goalkeeper Ederson when Manchester City travel to face Wolves on Saturday, live on  Sky Sports Premier League . However, Pep Guardiola may have to name academy prospect Daniel Grimshaw among his substitutes at Molineux. The news is a second injury blow for City in the space of a week after...

Jose Mourinho admitted that Manchester United deserved to lose at Brighton on Sunday - but he could not resist a parting shot at referee Kevin Friend. United were blown away by Brighton in the first half of the 3-2 defeat, as they slipped to a second successive loss at the Amex Stadium. However, Paul Pogba's stoppage-time penalty gave the visitors the faintest of hopes of staging a comeback, until, midway through their next attack, referee Friend blew the final whistle. Mourinho took offence with Friend's timing and highlighted the thrilling finale that referee Andre Marriner allowed to ensue at the end of United's opening-day victory over Leicester. "In the second half, our goal was too late and gave us not even the chance of a next ball," Mourinho told his post-match press conference. "It's quite strange because against Leicester the match ended with a corner against us and [Kasper] Schmeichel had 15 seconds to arrive from his box to our ...