22/12/2023 Football
22/12/2023 Football – Plenty of football is being played today. In the Premier League, Aston Villa takes on Sheffield United on Sky Sports.
22/12/2023 Football – Club World Cup – Fluminese v Manchester City
- Manchester City’s Preparation: Pep Guardiola, the manager of Manchester City, draws parallels between Fluminense’s football style and the iconic Brazilian teams of the 20th century.
- Club World Cup Final: Manchester City is gearing up to face Fluminense, the South American champions, in the Club World Cup final.
- Guardiola’s Admiration: Guardiola expresses admiration for Fluminense’s playing style, noting its uniqueness and the team’s strong association play.
- English Clubs’ Legacy: Manchester City aims to join Manchester United, Liverpool, and Chelsea as the fourth English club to win the trophy.
- Fluminense’s Journey: Fluminense, managed by Brazil’s interim head coach Fernando Diniz, reached the final after defeating Al Ahly. The team is expected to feature Marcelo, the former Real Madrid captain.
- Guardiola’s Strategy: Emphasizing the need for Manchester City to maintain their rhythm and positional game to succeed in the final.
- Potential Historic Win: Victory could grant Manchester City five major trophies simultaneously: Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, UEFA Super Cup, and the Club World Cup.
- Guardiola’s Record: Guardiola could become the first coach to win the competition with three different clubs.
- Team’s Mindset: Midfielder Rodri speaks about the importance of winning for historical significance and recovering from recent Premier League setbacks.
- Player Updates: Erling Haaland, Kevin de Bruyne, and Jeremy Doku are unavailable for the match due to injuries.
22/12/2023 Football – Premier League – Aston Villa v Sheffield United
- Team Updates – Aston Villa:
- Douglas Luiz and Lucas Digne are back after suspensions.
- Boubacar Kamara starts a three-match ban.
- Pau Torres is out with an ankle injury; Youri Tielemans also sidelined.
- John McGinn, Matty Cash, and Jhon Duran are one booking away from a suspension.
- Team Updates – Sheffield United:
- Jack Robinson returns from suspension.
- Six players remain injured.
- Anel Ahmedhodzic, Jayden Bogle, Gustavo Hamer, and Will Osula are close to suspension.
- Match Facts:
- Aston Villa has a 14-game unbeaten home streak against Sheffield United since 1966.
- Sheffield United’s two Premier League wins over Villa were under Chris Wilder.
- The Blades have struggled at Villa Park in the Premier League, with only one point and one goal in five visits.
- Aston Villa’s Record:
- A win would put Villa top of the Premier League for the first time in 25 years, 18 games into a season.
- They are on a record 15-game home league winning streak.
- Villa could win 13 of their first 18 league games for the first time.
- They haven’t dropped a point from a winning position this season.
- Ollie Watkins has scored 49 Premier League goals, all for Aston Villa.
- Sheffield United’s Challenges:
- Only eight points after 17 games; historically, teams with less than 10 points at this stage rarely avoid relegation.
- No away league victories this season.
- Lost 27 of their last 32 Premier League away games.
- Lowest number of attempts on goal in the Premier League this season.
- Conceded 43 goals in 17 games, the second-highest in Premier League history at this stage.
- Chris Wilder’s Record: Winless in four away league matches against Aston Villa during his first spell as Sheffield United manager.
22/12/2023 Football – Other Football
OTHER FOOTBALL – FRIDAY 22 DECEMBER
6:00am UK / 1:00am ET
A-LEAGUE WOMEN – Western United v Perth
UK – TNT Sports 2
Australia – 10play / Paramount+
Hong Kong – SPO TV
Malaysia – SPO TV
New Zealand – Sky Sport 4
8:00am UK / 3:00am ET
A-LEAGUE WOMEN – Sydney v Brisbane
UK – TNT Sports 3
Australia – 10play / Paramount+
New Zealand – Sky Sport 7
2:30pm UK / 9:30am ET
INDIAN SUPER LEAGUE – East Bengal v Odisha
UK – OneFootball
India – Sports18
5:30pm UK / 12:30pm ET
SOUTH AFRICAN PREMIERSHIP – AmaZulu v CT Spurs
South Africa – Supersport PSL
1:45am UK SAT / 8:45pm ET FRI
A-LEAGUE WOMEN – Wellington v Newcastle
UK – TNT Sports 2
Australia – 10play / Paramount+
New Zealand – Sky Sport 1
22/12/2023 Football Gossip & News
- Juventus and Manchester City Talks: Juventus is negotiating a loan deal for England midfielder Kalvin Phillips from Manchester City. (ESPN)
- Phillips’ Future: Phillips, 28, has expressed a desire to leave Manchester City, with Newcastle United also showing interest in a loan move. (Guardian)
- Arsenal’s Transfer Target: Arsenal is considering a £52m move for Sporting Lisbon and Portugal defender Goncalo Inacio, aged 22. (Sun)
- Chelsea’s Stance on Gallagher: Chelsea plans to block any Tottenham Hotspur advances for their 23-year-old England midfielder Conor Gallagher during the January transfer window. (Football Insider)
- Tosin Adarabioyo’s Decision: Fulham’s 26-year-old defender Tosin Adarabioyo has expressed his intention to leave the club next summer on a free transfer. Tottenham and Monaco have shown previous interest. (Sun)
- Tottenham’s Alternative Plans: Tottenham will look for other targets if they don’t receive encouragement from France and Nice defender Jean-Clair Todibo, 23, in the coming weeks. Manchester United is also linked with Todibo. (Teamtalk)
- Rennes and Nemanja Matic: Rennes is open to parting with Nemanja Matic, 35, in January, despite him joining from Roma last summer. (L’Equipe)
- Barcelona and Real Madrid’s Interest: Both clubs are leading the chase to sign Mason Greenwood, 22, as Manchester United has no plans for his return after his loan at Getafe ends. (Talksport)
- Steve Cooper and Crystal Palace: Former Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper is a top candidate for Crystal Palace’s managerial role, with Roy Hodgson considering retirement. (Football Insider)
- Interest in Samuel Iling-Junior: Juventus and England Under-21 winger Samuel Iling-Junior, 20, is attracting interest from Tottenham, Aston Villa, and Brighton. (Fichajes)
- Juventus’ Potential Signing: Juventus hasn’t ruled out signing Tiago Djalo, 23, from Lille in January, though a summer deal is more likely. (Gazzetta dello Sport)
- West Ham and Fulham’s Target: Both clubs are interested in Nigerian forward Akor Adams, 23, from Montpellier, potentially available for £15-£20m. (Football Insider)
- David Moyes’ Contract Situation: West Ham has not yet discussed a contract renewal with manager David Moyes, whose contract expires at the season’s end. (Football Insider)
- Nottingham Forest’s Sale: The club has accepted a bid of over 5m euros from Atletico Mineiro for Brazilian midfielder Gustavo Scarpa, 29. (Fabrizio Romano)
- Bournemouth’s Stance on Solanke: Bournemouth insists that English striker Dominic Solanke, 26, is not for sale in the January window. (talkSPORT)
- Interest in Borja Mayoral: Brentford, Crystal Palace, and Fulham are keen on Getafe’s Spanish striker Borja Mayoral, 26. (Fichajes)
- Chelsea’s New Signing: Chelsea has agreed to sign 17-year-old Senegalese midfielder Pape Daouda Diong from Darou Salam. (90min)
- West Ham and Everton’s Interest: Both clubs are eyeing a January deal for Peterborough and England Under-21 defender Ronnie Edwards, 20. (Sun)
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