Premier League

Fulham supporters will be forgiven for thinking their penalty takers are cursed after winger Ivan Cavaleiro became the third player to miss from the spot this season for the promoted Premier League side.

With his team awarded a spot kick while trailing 3-1 at home to Everton on Sunday, Portuguese Cavaleiro slipped in his run-up, kicked the ball onto his own foot and watched it balloon over the crossbar.

Cavaleiro Penalty Miss (@ 8:00) 

Despite missing a number of key first team players, Liverpool defeated Leicester City 3-0 on Sunday to move up to second in the Premier League — trailing Tottenham only on goal difference — while the Foxes slumped to fourth.

Nicolas Pépé’s sending off earned Arsenal a point on Sunday, strange as it sounds. With the Gunners attack posing zero threat and the defense unable to cope with Leeds United’s progressive approach, Pépé’s 51st-minute red card galvanized Arsenal from front to back in a 0-0 draw at Elland Road.

Leeds dominated the opening 45 minutes with 60% possession, 13 shots (two on target) and some incisive play from Jack Harrison. Arsenal failed to mount any challenge whatsoever with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang isolated, Willian bullied and Joe Willock somewhere out there. 

Everton's in-form striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin netted a brace and midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure scored his first goal for the club as they beat Fulham 3-2 to return to winning ways in the Premier League on Sunday.

Brazilian forward Richarlison, returning from a three-match ban, picked up a loose ball and ran wide to cross for Calvert-Lewin who tapped in his ninth league goal of the campaign 42 seconds into the contest.

LONDON — Tottenham Hotspur moved top of the Premier League after a classic Jose Mourinho inspired performance delivered a 2-0 victory over Pep Guardiola's Manchester City on Saturday.

Goals in each half from Son Heung-min and substitute Giovani lo Celso, secured the three points and a fourth straight league win for Spurs, who are two points ahead of second-placed Chelsea.

LONDON — Tottenham Hotspur manager Jose Mourinho on Friday asked England manager Gareth Southgate to name the club managers who pressure players not to represent the national team and also explain why Raheem Sterling was withdrawn from the national squad this week.

Player fatigue has become a major issue due to the tight fixture schedule amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and Southgate had said some players were keen to play for their country but found themselves in a "difficult situation" with their clubs.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said he is unsure what the future holds for Lionel Messi but hopes as a Barcelona fan that the Argentine forward will remain at the LaLiga club until the end of his career.

Guardiola, who has guided City to two Premier League titles, three League Cups and the FA Cup following his arrival in 2016, signed a new two-year deal on Thursday that will keep him in charge until the end of the 2022-23 season.

English soccer authorities (EFL) have shown a lack of leadership in failing to reach a deal to safeguard clubs facing financial problems amid the COVID-19 crisis, a cross-party British parliamentary committee said on Friday.

In a letter addressed to Premier League chief executive Richard Masters and English Football League (EFL) chief Rick Parry, the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) committee urged the two bodies "to stop squabbling and come to an agreement".

LONDON — Rebekah Vardy, the wife of an England soccer striker, won the first exchange in her libel case against the wife of his former international teammate Wayne Rooney over accusations she passed on stories to a newspaper about her former friend.

Vardy is suing Coleen Rooney at London's High Court for accusing her on Twitter and Instagram of leaking stories from her private life to the Sun tabloid. Vardy denies the leaks.

There was a perception of Tottenham Hotspur under Mauricio Pochettino that they lacked the self-belief to win silverware and there was plenty of evidence to support that view.

Two near misses in the Premier League title race, FA Cup semifinal losses and then, when glory beckoned, a rather timid Champions League final defeat by Liverpool.