Category: Football

Competition: Spanish Segunda

Market: Albacete win

Odds: 5/6 @ 888sport

Looking to claim back-to-back Segunda victories on Sunday lunchtime, Albacete will welcome Ibiza to the Estadio Carlos Belmonte.

Starting with the hosts, while Albacete might have only made their Segunda return this season, Ruben Albes’ men have continued on what has been a stellar run of form. Making a return to winning ways last weekend as they claimed a 2-1 victory away at Las Palmas, the Whites are dreaming of clinching a shock play-off spot in 2023. Opening Sunday’s showdown at the Estadio Carlos Belmonte sat just three points adrift of breaking into the top-six, the former Lugo boss has also seen his side gain a reputation for their rugged displays on home soil. In fact, including a 2-1 win against Racing Santander on November 26th, Albacete have lost just one of their previous seven matchups in Castile–La Mancha. With

Competition: League One

Market: Barnsley win

Odds: 10/11 @ 888sport

Two sides who find themselves battling it out at opposite ends of the League One table, Barnsley will welcome Burton to Oakwell on Saturday afternoon.

Starting with the hosts, while Barnsley might have lost their Championship status last season, Michael Duff’s men have their sights set on clinching an immediate second-tier return this time around. Last seen on December 2nd when laying down another marker as they picked up a 2-1 victory away at Peterborough, the Tykes should find the mood in their camp at a high. Tipped as a leading promotion contender, the former Cheltenham boss has seen his side gain plenty of plaudits. In fact, it should be noted that the Yorkshire-based outfit have now won six of their previous seven contests across all formats. Likewise, with that extended purple patch stemming all the way back to October

Competition: Chinese Super League

Market: Under 3.5 goals

Odds: 3/10 @ 888sport

Two sides who are battling it out at the top of the Super League table, Zhejiang Professional will welcome Chengdu Rongcheng to the Hangzhou Huanglong Stadium on Thursday morning.

Starting with the hosts, last seen putting in another dominant display as they picked up a 2-0 victory at home against Meizhou Hakka, Zhejiang Professional are in the midst of what has become a real purple patch. While Jordi Vinyals’ side might have only made their top-flight return this season, the Greens have their sights firmly set on clinching an AFC Champions League spot in 2023. Now winning each of their last six straight domestic showdowns, the one-time Barcelona coach will also be excited by his side’s recent displays at the back. Keeping a clean sheet in their previous three consecutive Super League victories, Zhejiang will be looking to

Erik ten Hag revealed Manchester United will target a striker to replace Cristiano Ronaldo in the January transfer window.

Ronaldo acrimoniously exited Old Trafford last month following an explosive interview, in which he criticised boss Ten Hag and the club’s owners.

United have been linked with moves for Cody Gakpo and Goncalo Ramos – both of whom scored three goals at the World Cup for the Netherlands and Portugal respectively.

Ten Hag says the Red Devils are on the hunt for a centre forward, but the Dutchman would not reveal the identity of their targets.

When asked whether United were on the lookout for a striker, the Dutchman replied: “Yes, but only when we find the right player. We do everything in our power.

“We are doing research on every opportunity, and we do everything we can if that opportunity is there to contract them.

“I cannot give comments on

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni praised his side for “facing every situation” after watching them come through a penalty shoot-out to see off the Netherlands and secure a place in the World Cup semi-finals.

Scaloni’s men squandered a 2-0 lead handed to them by a Nahuel Molina strike and a Lionel Messi penalty with two late efforts from Dutch substitute Wout Weghorst sending the match to extra-time and beyond.

Goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez saved the Netherlands’ first two spot-kicks, from Virgil van Dijk and Steven Berghuis, before Lautaro Martinez slotted home the winning kick to send Argentina through to a last four clash with Croatia.

Scaloni said: “Argentina have team spirit because we know how to face every situation in the game.

“It’s true we did not deserve to go to a penalty shoot-out but we fought to the end because the Dutch caused trouble for us.

“It was a strange second

Competition: Turkey 1 Lig

Market: Samsunspor win

Odds: 1/2 @ 888sport

Looking to extend on their promotion charge on Friday evening, Samsunspor will welcome Yeni Malatyaspor to the Samsun Stadium.

Starting with the hosts, last seen putting in another stellar display as they breezed their way to a 5-0 romp at home against Denizlispor, Samsunspor are enjoying what has been a real purple patch. Opening up this weekend’s fixtures battling it out at the top of the second-tier table, it is no secret that Bayram Bektas’ side have their sights firmly set on clinching a Super Lig return this season. Knowing that they have been handed another golden chance on Friday evening, the Samsun-based outfit are enjoying an eight-match unbeaten run across all formats. With their extended charge highlighted by a 4-0 victory against Adanaspor on November 9th, Samsunspor have gained a reputation for their free-scoring displays in the final

Competition: Spanish Segunda

Market: Levante win

Odds: 1/2 @ 888sport

Hoping to find a route into the top-two on Thursday evening, Levante will welcome a struggling Ponferradina to the Ciutat de Valencia.

Starting with the hosts, while Levante might have lost their La Liga status last season, it is no secret that the Frogs have their sights fixed on an immediate top-flight return. Putting in another rugged display last weekend as they picked up a 1-0 victory at home against Malaga, Javier Calleja’s men will know that another victory here could see them skyrocket into the top-two. With the mood in their camp at a real high, the one-time Villarreal boss finds his side enjoying a stellar 10-match unbeaten run across all formats. With their extended purple patch stemming all the way back to September 9th, Levante have also continued to gain a reputation for their eye-catching performances on home

Gareth Southgate has pushed the England squad ahead of their World Cup quarter-final against France, challenging his side to create history in Qatar.

The Three Lions progressed past Senegal in the first knockout round to clinch a tie against the defending champions, presenting England’s biggest test so far at the tournament.

Defeat against Didier Deschamps’ side would mark England’s earliest exit from a major tournament under Southgate, who led the side to the semi-finals of the World Cup in Russia and finished as runners-up to Italy at Euro 2020.

While those improvements are significant, England have fallen at a crucial hurdle against tough opponents in each of those tournaments – losing 2-1 to Croatia in 2018 before a heartbreaking penalty shoot-out defeat at Wembley last year.

Southgate has used that record to issue a challenge to his squad, identifying that winning fixtures away from home against top opposition is something

Jude Bellingham looks close to the complete player for former England defender Gary Neville, after the midfielder sparked a World Cup victory against Senegal.

The teenager nabbed an assist and helped fire Gareth Southgate’s side into the quarter-finals in Qatar with a 3-0 win on Sunday, in another superb individual showing.

Borussia Dortmund midfielder Bellingham has emerged as a key figure for the Three Lions this tournament, and looks to have staked his place firmly in the starting line-up.

Neville certainly feels it is a place well earned by the 19-year-old, and said he appears to already have a mastery and maturity in an England shirt that few others have.

“It’s very rare you see a midfield player as comfortable in his own half as in the attacking half,” he told ITV. “He looks like he can do absolutely everything.

“Is he a holding player, an attacking player? He’s everything

Verdict: Brazil half-time/full-time

Best Odds: 1/1

Bookmaker: Unibet

Looking to avoid a major World Cup upset on Monday night, Brazil will meet South Korea at Stadium 974 in Doha.

Brazil

Starting with Brazil, while the Selecao’s heavily-altered squad might have been hit with a shock 1-0 loss at the hands of Cameroon last week, the South American giants should find the mood in their camp at a real high. Cruising their way to the knockout stage of this year’s tournament after clinching back-to-back victories against Serbia and Switzerland, many have tipped Tite’s side as a leading contender this winter. Despite watching their remarkable 17-match unbeaten run come to an abrupt end a few days ago, Brazil should be confident of laying down a marker on Monday night. Continuing to gain a reputation for their rugged displays at the back and just shipping a pair of strikes in any of their