For Newcastle United and Chelsea, their respective outlooks heading into the final fixture before the World Cup couldn t be much more different.

While Eddie Howe s side are enjoying a brilliant season that at this point looks set to end with a European spot at the very least, Chelsea have endured a difficult few weeks and are on the slide.

Essentially, the World Cup break comes at the worst possible moment for Newcastle, but for Chelsea it s perfectly timed as it can potentially act as a circuit-breaker.

Nevertheless, there s still time for Chelsea to improve their collective mood heading into the break – though Saturday s trip to St James Park is going to be a real test.

Newcastle a different beast

In the world of football, people love to look …

Republic of Ireland defender Niamh Fahey suspects no dress rehearsal, no matter how big the audience, could truly prepare her side for their World Cup debut.

That milestone moment is inching ever closer for the Girls in Green, whose first tilt at a global title begins Thursday against tournament co-hosts Australia on a double-billed opening day of the tournament kicking off with New Zealand taking on Norway in Auckland.

The Republic’s meeting with the Matildas proved so popular that as early as January it was moved to the competition’s largest venue, the 80,000-plus capacity Stadium Australia in Sydney.

“I don’t think you can realistically replicate that scenario, even if you wanted to try,” said Fahey, speaking at an open training session at Brisbane�…

Scotland’s Euro 2024 qualifier against Georgia was interrupted for work to the pitch ahead of an inspection after the hosts took the lead amid farcical conditions at Hampden.

A torrential downpour in the hour before kick-off led to the match kicking off in unplayable-looking conditions.

Simple passes were getting stuck, water was splashing up with every step and a well-struck shot from the visitors almost stopped in the goalmouth, although it was going wide anyway.

10 | The match official has suspended the match for twenty minutes to give time to clear the pitch following substantial rainfall.

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With Merseyside bragging rights up for grabs on Monday night, Liverpool will welcome Everton to Anfield for what should be a fiery affair.

Liverpool

Starting with the hosts, last seen putting in another woeful display, Liverpool find themselves in the midst of a real Premier League nightmare. Eventually getting hit with a stunning 3-0 defeat away at relegation scrappers Wolves, Jurgen Klopp finds a huge amount of pressure on his shoulders at Anfield. Knowing that they are in need of a minor miracle if they re to claim a much-needed top-four finish this year, the ex-Borussia Dortmund boss is seeking an essential boost on Monday night. However, despite being tipped as a standout pick here, Liverpool have remarkably won just a trio of th…

Spain national coach Vicente del Bosque said he was relatively happy with the draw for the 2012 European championships but added the holders would not be taking anything for granted in Group I.

Euro 2008 victors Spain were grouped with the Czech Republic, Scotland, Lithuania and minnows Liechtenstein following Saturday s draw and will start as strong favourites to win the group.

Liechtenstein look the easiest opponent but we have to be wary of the other three, said del Bosque. It is true that there are some teams that haven t qualified for the World Cup but we can t get complacent as nowadays there is not as much difference between the teams.

For now, our first thought is the World Cup and as soon as we know the match-ups we will have to prepare ourselves to s…

Erik ten Hag thinks Alejandro Garnacho has the X factor to become a world-class player at Manchester United, but claims the winger has a long way to go.

The 20-year-old has quickly become a favourite of Manchester United fans, having enjoyed an impressive 2023-24 campaign.

Garnacho scored 10 goals in all competitions, including seven in the Premier League and also supplied four assists in 30 starts.

He has continued that form into this season, scoring against Manchester City in the Community Shield and coming off the bench to assist Joshua Zirkzee’s winner against Fulham in United s Premier League opener.

Despite this, Garnacho was again named on the bench for Manchester United’s trip to Brighton on Saturday and his manager insists there is plenty to…

Jordan Nobbs admits it is an “unbelievable feeling” to be part of England’s World Cup squad this summer after the setbacks she has suffered in the past.

Nobbs, 30, went to the 2015 tournament in Canada but was restricted to just one appearance by a hamstring issue, then missed out on selection for the 2019 edition in France and the Euros that the Lionesses won on home soil last summer following knee injuries.

A year on from that latest disappointment, there was joy for Nobbs as she was included in England boss Sarina Wiegman’s 23 for the forthcoming World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, at the end of a season that saw her make a January move from Arsenal to Aston Villa.

— Lionesses (@Lionesses)

And the 71-cap midfielder said: “I t…

According to Sky Germany journalist Florian Plettenberg, Bayern Munich are open to the possibility of selling Joshua Kimmich for a suitable fee this summer, a year before his current contract expires.

The midfielder is apparently open to the idea as well, though he has a list of clubs which he would be willing to join, containing Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City, Barcelona and Real Madrid. Some of those clubs are believed to have already made contact with his representatives. At the moment, there are no talks about a new contract with Bayern.

The Bundesliga champions will part ways with head coach Thomas Tuchel at the end of the season, and with uncertainty shrouding any potential future at the Allianz Arena, Kimmich seems ready for a new challenge.

The 29-ye…

According to SportBild journalist Christian Falk, Liverpool are keen to sign Leroy Sane from Bayern Munich, but they re likely to face competition from Manchester City, who are believed to be interested in re-signing their former winger.

Sane spent four years at the Etihad, scoring 47 goals and contributing 44 assists in 151 matches for City, and helping them to two Premier League titles, one FA Cup and two League Cups. He left to join Bayern Munich in 2020, and has enjoyed tremendous success there as well. But with his contract set to enter its final 12 months in the summer, his future is understandably a subject of much guesswork.

As relayed by Fabrizio Romano, the 27-year-old Germany international indicated that no decision would be made before the end of the season,…

After 13 intense days of games, Euro 2016 celebrated the first of two rest days ahead of the upcoming round of 16 clashes.

But despite the lack of games, there was still plenty of action to be seen in France. As ever, we present the pick of the more seldom-seen moments, featuring one hell of a muscular man having a go at one of the greatest players around in the game.

FORMER WORLD’S STRONGEST MAN 1-0 CRISTIANO RONALDO

Icelandic former world s strongest man Magnus Ver Magnusson does not like Cristiano Ronaldo.

The Portugal star hit out at Iceland in the wake of their 1-1 Group F draw on matchday one, stressing they would not achieve anything.

Magnusson, however, happily pointed out the Real Madrid man did not get his prediction entirely right.<…