Chelsea capped a perfect week which included the club-record capture of Romelu Lukaku by beginning the new Premier League season with a thumping 3-0 win over Patrick Vieira’s Crystal Palace.Three days after lifting the European Super Cup and less than 48 hours since announcing the £97.5million return of striker Lukaku, the dominant hosts cruised to victory courtesy of goals from Marc...Full Story »

Striker Luke Jephcott scored an 88th-minute winner as Plymouth beat Gillingham 1-0 to register their first Sky Bet League One points of the new season.Chances were few and far between until Jephcott cut in from the right to send a rising drive past a diving Jamie Cumming.The Gills’ best chance came in the fourth minute and required a reflex save by Argyle’s young keeper Michael Coope...Full Story »

Brentford announced their arrival in the Premier League in style as goals from Sergi Canos and Christian Norgaard secured a memorable 2-0 win over Arsenal.A below-par Gunners side missing captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and fellow striker Alexandre Lacazette were deservedly beaten in the season’s opener.The Bees, promoted via the play-offs last season, have finally come full circle as th...Full Story »

James Rodriguez is among five Everton players who are unavailable for Saturday’s Premier League opener against Southampton as they are isolating. While Rafael Benitez, for whom the Goodison Park clash will be his first competitive match as Toffees boss, has not named all the players in the quintet, he did confirm Rodriguez was one of them. Benitez will be able to call upon Dominic Calv...Full Story »

Pep Guardiola insists he will proudly remember last season as one of the best of his career despite the agony of Champions League final defeat.Guardiola’s Manchester City enjoyed another outstanding campaign on the domestic front as they powered to the Premier League title, won the Carabao Cup and reached the FA Cup semi-finals.Yet the club’s long-held European ambitions remained unf...Full Story »

There have been a few constants in the football world over the last decade; the endless influx of cash into the sport, Arsenal leaving its fans bewildered at every turn, and Borussia Dortmund losing its best players to bigger fish. In this instance, Erling Haaland is set to be the latest in an impressive line of players that have left Signal Iduna Park for greener pastures. That is hardly a s...Full Story »

Ryan Hedges scored twice but it was half-time substitute Funso Ojo who was the star of the show as Aberdeen eased past Icelanders Breidablik 2-1 to set up a tie with Azerbaijani side Qarabag in the Europa Conference League play-off round.Hedges found the net twice with two completely different types of goal, and Ojo was heavily involved in both, with Gisli Eyjolfsson having equalised in between ...Full Story »

David Turnbull hit a double as Celtic swept to a 3-0 Europa League victory over Jablonec in front of a raucous Parkhead crowd.Turnbull slotted his first goal of the season midway through the first half before producing one of his trademark long-range efforts after the break.James Forrest wrapped up a 7-2 aggregate victory which sent Celtic through to a play-off against AZ Alkmaar.Three stands at...Full Story »

Manager Callum Davidson has told his St Johnstone players to hold their heads high despite their 5-3 Europa League exit to Galatasaray at McDiarmid Park.Scotland’s domestic double cup winners had drawn 1-1 with the visitors in the first leg of their Europa League third qualifying round in Istanbul last week but the second leg proved just too much.Striker Mbaye Diagne put the visitors ahead...Full Story »

St Johnstone’s Europa League hopes ended with a 4-2 defeat by Galatasaray at McDiarmid Park for a 5-3 aggregate win for the visitors.Scotland’s domestic double cup winners had drawn 1-1 with the visitors in the first leg of their Europa League third qualifying round in Istanbul last week.Striker Mbaye Diagne dampened the enthusiasm of the home fans when he put the visitors ahead on t...Full Story »

Shaun Williams could retain his place in the Portsmouth starting line-up for their League One clash with Crewe at Fratton Park.Midfielder Williams made his competitive debut for the club in the Carabao Cup defeat at Millwall in midweek and will be looking to line up against Alex.Defender Paul Downing is on the verge of returning to Danny Cowley’s matchday squad after declaring himself full...Full Story »

Dapo Mebude is in line to make his league debut for AFC Wimbledon against Bolton.The forward joined the Dons on loan from Watford last week but was not match fit to face Doncaster.Mebude instead made his first appearance in the Carabao Cup win over Charlton and should be in the squad at the weekend.Boss Mark Robinson made seven changes against the Addicks so the likes of  Ollie Palmer and L...Full Story »

Brentford expect to have striker Ivan Toney fit for the Premier League opener against Arsenal on Friday night.Toney, who was the top scorer in the Sky Bet Championship last season with 31 goals, missed the final pre-season friendly against Valencia as a precaution over a neck problem.DR Congo forward Yoane Wissa could be involved after completing his recent move from French side Lorient, but Den...Full Story »

Lionel Messi spoke at his first news conference as a Paris Saint-Germain player on Wednesday and said after a "very tough" end to his Barcelona career, his target is to win the Champions League again. PSG announced Messi's arrival on Tuesday with the former Barcelona player signing a two-year contract, with the option of a further year. Sources told ESPN's Julien Laurens that Messi is expecte...Full Story »

Northampton manager Jon Brady praised his team’s bravery as they came from a goal behind to shock Championship side Coventry 2-1 in the Carabao Cup.Debutant Kion Etete’s brace bagged the Cobblers a place in the second round of the competition and they will host AFC Wimbledon thanks to their second-half turnaround following Tyler Walker’s opener.“It was a great performance...Full Story »

The Reds defender will miss the opening weeks of the campaign after suffering a knock in a pre-season friendly Liverpool defender Andy Robertson is expected to miss weeks rather than months as the full-back says he'll work hard to come back from his recent injury. Robertson has been diagnosed with some ligament damage that will take time to heal, keeping him out of the first few games of Liv...Full Story »

Lys Mousset is an injury concern for Sheffield United as they prepare to host Carlisle in the EFL Cup.The Frenchman was forced off early in the second half as the Blades began their Championship campaign with a home defeat to Birmingham.Fellow strikers Billy Sharp and Oli McBurnie both featured in Saturday’s 1-0 loss at Bramall Lane, having been doubts beforehand. Both were introduced from...Full Story »

Danilo Orsi will hope to make his debut for Harrogate against Rochdale in the EFL Cup.The forward, a summer signing from Maidenhead, was the only new arrival to miss out on Saturday as the Sulphurites began their League Two campaign with victory against Dale.Boss Simon Weaver once more has a fully-fit squad as Harrogate prepare to host a Carabao Cup tie for the first time, having been drawn away...Full Story »

Stevenage got their Sky Bet League Two campaign off to the perfect start with a dogged 1-0 win over Barrow at a raucous Lamex Stadium.Jake Reeves got the only goal of the game just moments into the second half, crashing home Jamie Reid’s excellent cross to send the Stevenage faithful into raptures.Barrow could count themselves slightly unlucky not to get a point from the entertaining encou...Full Story »

Hearts moved to the top of the cinch Premiership with a hard-fought 2-1 win away at St Mirren.Goals in either half from Andy Halliday and Liam Boyce saw Robbie Neilson’s men extend their perfect start to the season.Jim Goodwin’s side got a goal back late on through Joe Shaughnessy then finished the game with 10 men when Kristian Dennis was shown a straight red card moments later.Good...Full Story »