Just under a month ago, Manchester City excitedly announced Pep Guardiola had extended his contract with the club until 2023, but the news was curious in that the response from supporters and media alike was somewhat muted.

While the fact it was only a new two-year deal may have contributed to that, with respect to fans there seemed to be trepidation as to whether Guardiola was still getting the results – stylistically as well as wins – many expected.

Although some will have dismissed the signs of City turning stale as natural by-products of a turbulent year for the sport, others undoubtedly began to voice concern at City s performances and the lack of intensity Guardiola s team have shown.

And City have arguably got worse since the news of his extension brok…

Manchester City defender John Stones will miss the champions’ Premier League trip to Chelsea on Sunday, manager Pep Guardiola has confirmed.

The England international was forced off at half-time of Tuesday’s Champions League win over Young Boys with a muscular problem.

Guardiola has revealed the injury is not as bad as feared but there is no prospect of him travelling to Stamford Bridge. It is also not clear whether Stones will be available for England this month or the November 25 clash with Liverpool.

Guardiola said at a press conference: “He is injured. He is not ready (for Sunday) and we will see when we come back from the international break.

“The doctor said to me it’s not as bad (as first thought) but I still don’t know when he’s goin…

Thomas Tuchel explained his extra-time goalkeeper substitution was based on statistical data, not spontaneity, with Kepa Arrizabalaga making two shoot-out saves to win the Super Cup for Chelsea.

Gerard Moreno s second-half strike cancelled out Hakim Ziyech s opener at Windsor Park and, with penalties looming, Tuchel sent on Kepa for Edouard Mendy in the closing minutes.

The Spain goalkeeper denied both Aissa Mandi and Raul Albiol in the shoot-out, ensuring a 6-5 penalties win for Chelsea after a 1-1 draw to secure their second Super Cup.

Speaking to BT Sport after the game, Tuchel explained his decision to bring on Kepa was pre-discussed and based on data introduced to him by his analysts and goalkeeping coaches.

It was not spontaneous, Tuchel responded…

Portugal defender Pepe has confirmed he will retire from professional football after a glittering 23-year career.

The 41-year-old played 878 times for club and country, winning 34 trophies along the way, with much of his success coming during his time at Real Madrid.

Having made his name with Porto, Pepe completed a move to the Bernabeu in 2007 and would go on to form one of the best defensive partnerships alongside Sergio Ramos.

He would win 12 honours during his decade with Los Blancos, including three Champions League titles, before moving to Besiktas.

Pepe would spend a season in Turkey before returning to Porto, where he would make a further 132 appearances and add another nine honours to his trophy cabinet.

The defender would also enjoy…

Barcelona are willing to sell Ansu Fati for €100 million, with Manchester United interested in signing the forward in the summer transfer window, according to . The report has claimed that due to Fati’s poor form, Barcelona have decided to cash in on he 20-year-old and will look for at least €100 million in transfer fees for the Spain international forward.

Fati has been on the books of Barcelona since 2012 and has come through the youth system. The 20-year-old has made eight starts and 13 substitute appearances in La Liga for Barca so far this season, scoring three goals and providing three assists in the process. The forward has also made two starts and four substitute appearances in the UEFA Champions League and has made two substitute appearances in the UEFA Europa Le…

Zlatan Ibrahimovic wants to stay at Milan for life as the evergreen superstar eyes a Rossoneri contract extension.

Ibrahimovic celebrated his 40th birthday in October but the veteran forward has shown no signs of slowing down amid Milan s Serie A title bid.

Out of contract at the end of the season, Ibrahimovic has scored six goals in nine league appearances to help Scudetto-chasing Milan to the top of the table through 16 rounds.

Ibrahimovic has been a revelation since re-joining Milan for a second spell in January 2020 and as the Swede continues to defy Father Time , he has no plans to leave San Siro.

I want to play as long as possible, and as long as I have that adrenaline, I will continue, Ibrahimovic – who was part of the last Milan team to win Ser…

UEFA have revealed the seedings for next month s Euro 2016 qualifying draw, with 53 competing nations split into six pots.

The 2016 European Championship will be the first to feature 24 teams, with hosts France already assured of their place at the event.

Friday s draw saw holders Spain, Germany, Netherlands, Italy, England, Portugal, Greece, Russia and Bosnia-Herzegovina confirmed as the nine top seeds.

Switzerland, among the seeded teams for this year’s FIFA World Cup in Brazil, are in pot two on this occasion, together with Ukraine, Croatia, Sweden, Denmark, Belgium, Czech Republic, Hungary and the Republic of Ireland.

Pot five contains Gibraltar, who will take part in a major tournament qualifying campaign for the first time.

The seeds have been deter…

N Golo Kante has entered the final year of his contract with Chelsea, and at the moment, things aren t going particularly well when it comes to the club s efforts to tie the France international down to a new deal, according to David Ornstein of . The problem appears to be the duration of the proposed deal, with the club offering two years with an option on the third, while the player wants longer than that.

The 31-year-old is widely considered among the best defensive midfielders in the world, having played a major part in Leicester City s shocking run to the Premier League title in 2015/16. He moved to Stamford Bridge the following summer and repeated the feat with Chelsea, managed at the time by Antonio Conte. He s also won the FA Cup, the League Cup, the Europa League, the …

Competition: Euro 2016 qualifier
Market: Hungary to win against Finland
Odds:

Hungary travel to face Finland in a Euro 2016 qualifier this weekend, and the visitors could well come out on top given their form compared to that of the hosts . Finland have little to play for, as they are almost mathematically ruled out of automatic qualification, but the home side still have a glimmer of hope of a top-two finish.

Hungary have won three of their last five internationals, and boast a four-point lead over Finland in Group F ahead of the meeting. The home side, however, have lost their last five games, and have proven to be one of the group’s whipping boys.

Despite Romania and Northern Ireland leading the way comfortably ahead in the top-two places, Hung…

Manchester United captain Harry Maguire has apologised to the club s supporters after their humiliating 5-0 defeat to rivals Liverpool at Old Trafford on Sunday.

Mohamed Salah plundered a hat-trick after Naby Keita and Diogo Jota had put Liverpool into a 2-0 lead inside 15 minutes, while substitute Paul Pogba was dismissed on a dark day for United.

The result was United s heaviest ever defeat at home to Liverpool, and it is the first time they have lost to-nil by five or more goals at home since February 1955 (5-0 v Man City).

The defeat follows last weekend s 4-2 loss at Leicester City and leaves Ole Gunnar Solskjaer s side eight points adrift of Premier League leaders Chelsea.

Maguire, who was at the heart of a slapstick performance by United s defe…