Analysis

Saturday’s Manchester Derby At Old Trafford Is Can’t-Lose For The Red Devils

LONDON - A comfortable win at troubled Tottenham Hotspur and then a Cristiano Ronaldo-inspired escape from defeat at the hands of Atalanta have taken some of the heat off under-pressure Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

But a more severe test of his side's health will come this Saturday when they host Premier League champions Manchester City in the derby — a game fraught with danger for a United side that has been wildly unpredictable this season.

Preposterous Portland Timbers Bicycle Kick Wasn’t Even The Best Goal From Wednesday’s MLS Action

An incredible Portland Timbers bicycle kick goal from Dairon Asprilla rocked Providence Park on Wednesday night as his side defeated San Jose 2-0.

Asprilla’s goal instantly went viral. A bicycle kick from outside of the penalty box is a rarity in soccer and quickly was featured on SportsCenter’s Top 10 plays.

Back In The First Division After 48 Years Away, Belgium’s Most Historic Club Is Now Top Of The Table

Take a look at a list of Belgian First Division title winners and you'll find some familiar names at the top. Anderlecht leads the way with 34 league crowns, followed by last year's winner Club Brugge with exactly half as many titles.

But in third place is a club that even ardent fans of European soccer will struggle to recognize: Royale Union Saint-Gilloise (Union SG for short).

Located on the outskirts of Brussels, Union SG won six straight Belgian First Division titles between 1903 and 1910, plus another five over the ensuing two decades or so.

El Clásico: The Best Game In Football Makes Its ESPN Debut On Sunday

It’s El Clasico 2021 time! After years spent in the clutches of beIN SPORTS, the world’s greatest rivalry finally gets the grand American audience it deserves over on ESPN. Unfortunately, El Clasico will be behind the paywall of ESPN+, but that was always going to be the case after the network dropped $1.4 billion on an eight-year deal for LaLiga broadcast rights.

They need to recoup that money, beginning Sunday with $6.99 from you (there’s no free trial but you can cancel at anytime). 

Tyler Adams Owes Jesse Marsch And All Of America An Apology

If European football wasn’t as familiar with American manager Jesse Marsch as it should’ve been, it sure as hell is now. On Tuesday, the RB Leipzig boss masterminded a stirring performance at the Parc des Princes that had the German side deservedly ahead 2-1 with just over 20 minutes to play. 

But a terrible mistake from American midfielder Tyler Adams allowed Lionel Messi to equalize before a rash challenge in the area gifted PSG another from the spot.   

More Than A Simulation: Four Tales Of Football Manager's Impact On The Real Soccer World

For many years now, FIFA and PES (now eFootball) have been the one-two punch at the top of the soccer video game world. But while those two franchises flex their big muscles as they quarrel over licensing rights, Football Manager (FM) has quietly stayed on the path and continues to be cherished among intellectually-minded football fans.

What History Says About The USMNT’s Current World Cup Qualifying Chances

Qualifying for the World Cup from Concacaf is hard, the narrative goes. Away trips are brutal experiences and every point is hard earned, we’re told. And yet, a quick glance at social media over the last month or two since the USMNT began World Cup qualifying paints a different picture, one that suggests U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter is a stinking pile of flaming diapers for failing to win every single game in qualifying. It had us thinking about USMNT World Cup qualifying history, and how past teams have fared compared to this one. 

CONMEBOL En Llamas: Siete Selecciones Luchan Por Dos Cupos Y Medio Al Mundial De Catar

¡Oh, boy! El cliché dice que las eliminatorias de la CONMEBOL son las más difíciles del mundo y el camino a Catar 2022 sirve como buen ejemplo. Fuera de Brasil y Argentina -en el avión a Medio Oriente- y una virtualmente eliminada Venezuela, hay otras siete selecciones luchando por dos cupos directos y uno al repechaje.

Terminada la triple fecha de octubre, la pelea es estrecha. Quedando seis jornadas son apenas seis puntos los que separan al tercer lugar (Ecuador) del noveno (Perú).

Rising Giant: Coventry City Looks To End A 20-Year Calamity With Premier League Promotion

For more than three decades, Coventry City was one of the cornerstones of the English top-flight. The Sky Blues were consistently a lower mid-table team (think Crystal Palace), but they were FA Cup winners in 1987 and an inaugural member of the Premier League in 1992.

There’s A Top-Of-The-Table Clash In The Bundesliga On Sunday

BERLIN - Bayer Leverkusen are enjoying a three-game winning run in the Bundesliga and could not have hoped for a better time to meet champions Bayern Munich in Sunday's top-of-the-table clash.

Leverkusen have been superb this season, showing consistency and playing an exciting, attacking brand of football under their new Swiss coach Gerardo Seoane as they prepare to host a Bayern side who lead the table only on goal difference.

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