Bardsley to sign on at Stoke

Newcastle midfielder Sandro Tonali deserves “empathy and support” for his gambling issues rather than a 10-month ban, campaigners have said.

The 23-year-old has been suspended for 18 months – eight months of which has been commuted – fined 20,000 euros and been ordered to partake in an eight-month course of therapy after an investigation into illegal betting conducted by the Italian Prosecutor’s Officer and the Italian football federation (FIGC).

The player’s agent, Giuseppe Riso, has said his client is living with a gambling addiction while the PFA is understood to be working with and continuing to support Tonali.

And the Big Step campaign, part of the Gambling With Lives charity, claims asking a footballer who is addicted to gambling to play in stad…

Prediction: Draw

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Merry Christmas, football fans! This may not be the festive season that any of us would ve anticipated this time last year, but such is the nature of the global pandemic that we re currently in the midst of. While the news can be a depressing place right now it s important to focus on the positives in life and even though it may seem like a small thing, the escapism of sport can t be undervalued. Today, we re going to be previewing what should be a thoroughly entertaining Boxing Day showdown between two of the Premier League s high-flyers: Leicester City and Manchester United.

Leicester

Brendan Rodgers side have already proven themselves capable of winning games but at the same time, they also have a tendency t…

Jose Mourinho says he loves Frank Lampard but wants him to lose on Sunday when Chelsea visit Tottenham in a key battle for a top-four place in the Premier League.

Mourinho s Spurs have cut the gap to Lampard s fourth-placed Chelsea down to three points since the Portuguese replaced Mauricio Pochettino last month.

Last season saw Derby County, who were then led by Lampard, dump Manchester United out of the EFL Cup before Mourinho was sacked at Old Trafford.

Sunday s match will be the first Premier League game with Mourinho and Lampard in opposing dugouts, the pair having had great success together at Chelsea.

Asked if he will invite the Blues boss for a post-match drink, Mourinho told reporters:  I don t think so because our stadium is built in the way …

Former Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness feels Pep Guardiola is being unfairly criticised following his spell at Allianz Arena.

Guardiola opted to leave Bayern for Manchester City after the 2015-16 campaign, with Carlo Ancelotti appointed as his successor.

The City boss has since received some criticism in Germany, with many questioning his dogmatic football philosophy and failure to guide Bayern to Champions League glory.

Nevertheless, Hoeness feels Guardiola deserves more credit and is in no way inferior to his successor Ancelotti.

Carlo Ancelotti is a wonderful person and a very successful coach, who is a great fit for Bayern, Hoeness told Sky Sport News.

But I do not like it how there is a lot of negative talk about Pep Guardiola. He said …

Market: Manchester United to beat Brighton

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Manchester United will all-but seal second place if they beat Brighton in Friday s Premier League encounter.

For Chris Hughton s Brighton side, although the Seagulls embarked on an eight-match unbeaten run at the end of January, the Premier League debutants have struggled at the back end of the season. Coming off the back of their 0-0 draw away at Europa League hopefuls Burnley last weekend, the Seagulls have now failed to win any of their last seven matches in all competitions and their defensive issues have begun to show. Although they may have kept a clean sheet last time out, Hughton s side have not kept another since December 2017.

While Jose Mourinho will have now had to accept that the Premier Lea…

Sam Allardyce believes making international football fun again for England s under-performing players could be key to unlocking their full potential.

The Three Lions manager took to his new job for the first time on Monday, speaking to the assembled media at England s St George s Park base.

Tasked with rebuilding fragile confidence after a defeat to Iceland knocked England out of Euro 2016 in the last 16 and resulted in Roy Hodgson s resignation, Allardyce also pinpointed his thorough approach to preparation as a key factor in his attempts to make the team competitive again.

Such preparation appeared abandoned at the Euros as England made costly errors in defence, with a muddled attack underlined by Harry Kane s continuously woeful contributions at set-pieces an …

Defending CAF Champions League winners ES Setif were beaten by fellow Algerian outfit USM Alger 2-1 in Setif on Saturday.

USM Alger who won the 2013-14 domestic title began Group B in fine style, with second-half goals to Mohamed Seguer and Nacereddine Khoualed giving them all three points at the Stade du 8 Mai 1945.

Substitute Ilyes Korbiaa pulled a goal back with six minutes to play for ES Setif, but Kheireddine Madoui s men could not produce an equaliser as their title defence started with a loss.

The fixture represented the first competitive contest for both sides since their respective domestic campaigns finished in late May, when ES Setif were crowned champions of Algeria and USM Alger s league defence ended with a mid-table finish.

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Manchester United target Cesc Fabregas has returned to training with Barcelona as speculation regarding his future rumbles on.

The midfielder has been the subject of a public pursuit from United during the close-season, with the Premier League club looking to fill the gap left by Paul Scholes retirement.

However, new manager Gerardo Martino and Barca vice-president Josep Maria Bartomeu have insisted the former Arsenal playmaker is not for sale.

And he is now set to take part in his first training session since returning from FIFA Confederations Cup duty with Spain.

He wrote on Twitter: After successful medical tests this morning, I m ready and looking forward to the 7pm training with all the guys!

Fabregas came through Barcelona s youth academy, but was pi…

that Liverpool have been given a boost in their hopes of signing Marco Reus, after the Germany internationals contract talks with Borussia Dortmund collapsed.

The 25 year old turned down Dortmund’s offer of a new deal two months ago, and now looks almost certain to finalise a move away from the club with Liverpool among a number of clubs keen to secure his services.

Arsenal are another side monitoring his situation, with £32m the transfer fee touted, along with wages of around £180,000 per week.

Since signing for Jugen Klopp’s side in 2012, Reus has racked up ninety-six appearances in all competitions, scoring forty-five goals while he was part of the squads that won the German Super Cup in 2013 and 2014, and that lost the 2013 Champions League final …

Chelsea are ready to launch a £26m for Everton defender John Stones, .

The Premier League champions had a £20m bid for the centre-back rejected by the Merseyside outfit, but will now return with an improved offer as they look to bring in a long term replacement for John Terry, who turns thirty-five in December.

Stones moved to Goodison Park from Barnsley in the summer of 2013 and has since racked up fifty-four appearances for the Toffees in all competitions, scoring his only goal so far in a 3-0 win over Manchester United back in April.

His form for Roberto Martinez’s side has seen him gain senior international recognition, and the twenty-one year old was on stand-by for last summer’s World Cup finals in Brazil.

Despite in two games prior to th…