Football size in international matches

In a momentous year for the women’s game, we have a new winner of our best female footballer in the world award. Sam Kerr takes over from Pernille Harder at the top of our list after 12 months during which the popularity of the women’s game soared around the world. The World Cup in France was watched by a total TV audience of 1.12bn people and the fact that Kerr came out on top against all the USA World Cup winners is testament to her enduring brilliance. Kerr finished second last year, the first time the Guardian and The Offside Rule presented the list together and she is the fourth winner of the award, following Harder, Lieke Martens (2017) and Ada Hegerberg (2016). Kerr’s main challengers this year were England’s Lucy Bronze, who finished second, and Megan Rapinoe, in third. Kerr won with 3,145 votes, 18 points clear of Bronze, who finished four points ahead of the women’s Ballon d’Or winner Rapinoe. Kerr told the Guardian: “It’s quite … [Read more...] about Sam Kerr sees off competition to be voted best female footballer in the world

Manchester City need a victory to ensure Liverpool’s lead is kept to a minimum of 11 points. For Manchester United it is about winning a consecutive league game for the first time since March. Both, of course, want the three points because this is the 179th Manchester derby. Jamie Jackson Saturday 5.30pm Sky Sports Premier League Venue Etihad Stadium Last season Manchester City 3 Manchester United 1 Referee Anthony Taylor This season G13 Y63 R2 5 cards/game Odds H 1-3 A 10-1 D 5-1 MANCHESTER CITY Subs from Bravo, Carson, Foden, Doyle, Angeliño, García, Harwood-Bellis, Cancelo, D Silva, B Silva, Zinchenko Doubtful Zinchenko (match fitness) Injured Agüero (thigh, 15 Dec), Laporte (knee), Sané (knee, both Feb) Suspended None Discipline Y28 R1 Form WLWDDW Leading scorer Agüero 9 MANCHESTER UNITED Subs from Romero, Grant, Chong, Garner, Young, Gomes, Mata, Greenwood, Jones, Tuanzebe, Matic, Williams, Pereira, Fosu-Mensah, Bailly, Dalot, Rojo Doubtful … [Read more...] about Manchester City v Manchester United: match preview

Tottenham were strangely passive in defeat at Manchester United on Wednesday – the first bump in the road for José Mourinho. It felt as though the players were preoccupied by what United might do, rather than how they might impose themselves. Had Mourinho’s pre-match instructions been too reactive? Spurs will need greater positivity against a Burnley team who have lost five out of seven but always make life difficult. David Hytner Saturday 3pm Venue Tottenham Hotspur Stadium Last season Tottenham 1 Burnley 0 Referee Kevin Friend This season G10 Y34 R3 3.7 cards/game Odds H 4-9 A 8-1 D 4-1 TOTTENHAM Subs from Austin, Walker-Peters, Rose, Sessegnon, Foyth, Ndombele, Sissoko, Wanyama, Skipp, Lo Celso, Eriksen, Parrott Doubtful None Injured Lamela (hamstring, 14 Dec), Vorm (calf, 14 Dec), Davies (ankle, Feb), Lloris (elbow, Feb) Suspended None Discipline Y29 R2 Form LDDWWL Leading scorer Kane 7 BURNLEY Subs from Hart, Peacock-Farrell, Lowton, Brady, Rodriguez, Long, Vydra, … [Read more...] about Tottenham v Burnley: match preview

There will be a rare bond of unity between the Everton crowd and technical area on Saturday when Duncan Ferguson takes temporary charge against Chelsea following the dismissal of Marco Silva. For all the goodwill that will come Ferguson’s way, his promotion is not a cause for celebration but a symbol of Everton’s malfunction under the erratic ownership of Farhad Moshiri. A club that has spent over £450m on players since Moshiri’s arrival finds itself in the bottom three and led by a sixth different coach in under four years. Chelsea will relish the opportunity. Andy Hunter Saturday 12.30pm BT Sport 1 Venue Goodison Park Last season Everton 2 Chelsea 0 Referee Craig Pawson This season G7 Y29 R1 4.29 cards/game Odds H 5-2 A Evens D 13-5 EVERTON Subs from Stekelenburg, Lössl, Sidibe, Bernard, Iwobi, Walcott, Tosun, Baines, Gordon, Beningime, Delph Doubtful Mina (knock) Injured Coleman (thigh, 14 Dec), Delph (thigh, 14 Dec), Gbamin (thigh, Jan), Gomes (ankle), … [Read more...] about Everton v Chelsea: match preview

Crystal Palace have banked six points without conceding after a brutal run of defeats against Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester City. Roy Hodgson will be confident his side can maintain their run against managerless Watford who are back in a rut. Seven points from safety could quickly snowball into being completely cut adrift if they do not hire the right man soon. Wilfried Zaha finding form escalates the danger of a fourth consecutive defeat. Graham Searles Saturday 3pm Venue Vicarage Road Last season Watford 2 Crystal Palace 1 Referee Martin Atkinson This season G13 Y35 R2 2.85 cards/game Odds H 7-5 A 21-10 D 11-5 WATFORD Subs from Gomes, Bachmann, Quina, Chalobah, Zeegelaar, Foulquier, Dahlberg, Kabasele, Success, Hughes, Janmaat Doubtful Janmaat (knee), Kabasele (hamstring) Injured Dawson (head, 14 Dec), Cleverley (heel), Holebas (ankle), Janmaat (knee), Welbeck (hamstring), Prödl (knee, all unknown) Suspended None Discipline Y30 R1 Form DLWLLL Leading scorers Deulofeu, Gray 2 … [Read more...] about Watford v Crystal Palace: match preview