EXPERTMATTER

The Women’s Super League match between Liverpool and Aston Villa on Sunday has been postponed following the death of former manager Matt Beard. Confirming this in a statement released on Saturday, WSL said the match would be rescheduled. “A further announcement regarding the rearrangement of the fixture will be made in due course,” it said. Beard, 47, enjoyed a distinguished spell with Liverpool, guiding the club to back-to-back WSL titles in 2013 and 2014 and overseeing their first-ever Champions League campaign. He was reappointed as Liverpool manager in 2021, when he led the Reds back to the WSL and secured a seventh-place finish the following season, remaining in charge until February. Liverpool paid tribute to “an extremely committed and successful manager.” They added, “He was also a person of real integrity and warmth, who will always be remembered with genuine fondness by everyone he worked with at the club. Rest in peace, Matt.”

Over the weekend, it became increasingly clear that Alexander Isak has his sights firmly set on Liverpool. A move away from  Newcastle United  has been quietly brewing for months and, as we reported last week on  Flashscore , there has been friction beneath the surface. Newcastle’s refusal to meet new contract demands for the striker has left the door open - and now  Liverpool  are preparing to walk through it. Luis Diaz’s agreement to join Bayern Munich has shifted the conversation. It is no longer a question of whether Liverpool need a forward. Now it is about who they will get - and  Isak  is the name gaining momentum fast. Sources suggest this transfer story traces back further than many realise.  At the start of last season, Isak believed his contract talks would progress. Instead, Newcastle handed Anthony Gordon a new deal that catapulted him ahead financially. Inside the dressing room, it did not go unnoticed.  Isak...

Alejandro Garnacho is determined to prove himself in the Premier League as he refuses to accept being labelled a Manchester United flop. His time at Old Trafford is up, and boss Ruben Amorim has told him in no uncertain terms that there is no way back. Garnacho , 21, has been waiting patiently for the right offer to emerge, and now  Chelsea ,  Aston Villa  and  Tottenham Hotspur  have emerged among possible destinations where he could relaunch his career in England. There have been chances for him to move to clubs in Europe this summer, but sources suggest he would prefer not to make such a move. He feels hurt by the way he is perceived and has unfinished business. It is felt that his best qualities have yet to be fully showcased. He remains confident that he can still succeed at the top level but now he has to find the right landing spot to do so. This week, Chelsea has again been discussed as a new home for the Argentine. Chelsea considered signing him last se...

Gabon striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has left Saudi Pro League side Al Qadsiah after one season, the club said on Thursday. "Thank you, Auba. All the best,"  the club posted on X without providing more details. The former  Arsenal  player joined  Al Qadsiah  last year, after they were promoted to the top-tier league. During his one-season spell, the 36-year-old scored 21 goals and made three assists in 36 matches in all competitions, helping the team finish fourth in the league and reach the King's Cup final, where they lost to Al Ittihad.

After weeks of speculation, the New York Knicks finally have their man. According to ESPN's NBA insider Shams Charania, they are set to hire Mike Brown as their new head coach. The  Knicks  have decided to appoint Brown a month after firing Tom Thibodeau following their defeat in the Eastern Conference Finals to the  Indiana Pacers . Brown is a four-time NBA champion as an assistant coach in Golden State and San Antonio, and also impressed as head coach of the Sacramento Kings. In the 2022/23 season, they had the best offence in the league. During the process of selecting their new coach, the Knicks also interviewed former Memphis Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins, New Orleans Pelicans associate coach James Borrego, and Minnesota Timberwolves assistant coach Micah Nori. Brown will now be tasked with guiding a Knicks team with offensive talent like Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns to their first title since 1973.

Ghana winger Kamaldeen Sulemana has officially completed his transfer from Southampton to Italian Serie A side Atalanta. The 23-year-old joins the Bergamo-based side on a four-year deal, with an option for a fifth year. The deal is reportedly worth an initial €17.5 million, plus €4 million in add-ons, while  Southampton  placed a 15% sell-on clause for any future transfer. Sulemana  joined Southampton in February 2023 from French club Stade Rennais for a club-record fee of around £22 million.  During his two and a half years with the Saints, he made 74 appearances, scoring four goals and providing seven assists.  Despite flashes of his trademark pace and direct attacking style, Sulemana struggled to fully settle in the Premier League, with Southampton enduring a difficult 2024/25 season that ended with relegation after finishing bottom of the table. The move to  Atalanta  reunites Sulemana with former Southampton manager Ivan Juric, who playe...

Denis Bouanga grabbed a dramatic extra-time winner to send Los Angeles FC into the Club World Cup with a 2-1 (extra-time) win over Mexico's Club America on Saturday. The team from Mexico City looked to have booked their place - and the guaranteed $9.5 million (£8m) participation reward - after a penalty from former  LAFC  player Brian Rodriguez in the 64th minute. But Brazilian Igor Jesus's 89th minute header for LAFC took the game into extra-time and five minutes from the end of the second period Bouanga drilled home the dramatic winner. It was a game with high stakes played in front of a boisterous crowd divided between the two teams and the tension was palpable from the outset. But it was the Californian club, who only began life in MLS seven years ago, who triumphed and earned a spot in the first edition of the expanded 32-team FIFA tournament. LAFC will line up in Group D of the Club World Cup, where they will face Premier League side  Chelse...

South Korea captain Son Heung-min will be used sparingly in their World Cup qualifiers against Iraq and Kuwait as he builds up his match fitness following his return from a foot injury, coach Hong Myung-bo said on Monday. South Korea , who lead Group B by three points, face Iraq in Basra on June 5th before returning home for their final qualifier of the third round against Kuwait five days later. The Koreans will qualify for their 11th successive World Cup if they avoid defeat by Iraq, who last month appointed former Australia boss Graham Arnold as their head coach. Son has been dealing with the injury for the past two months and was restricted to a substitute's appearance in Tottenham Hotspur's 1-0 win over Manchester United in the Europa League final. "He and I have not yet discussed exactly how much he will play. But my staff and I already know all about his drive and his desire to play," Hong told reporters. "Since we have two matches com...

  There's always plenty to talk about in the non-stop world of Formula 1, and Flashscore's Finley Crebolder gives his thoughts on the biggest stories going around the paddock in this regular column. The Emilia Romagna Grand Prix very much felt like the start of a new chapter in the 2025 Formula 1 season. The battle lines had been drawn in the opening rounds of the campaign and now the circus was heading to Europe, where those battles would truly begin. While it's exciting heading into the unknown at the start of a season, I always enjoy getting to this stage, where a pecking order has largely established itself, drivers are more comfortable with their machinery, and the narratives of the year begin to really emerge. That was indeed the case in Imola, and these are my main takeaways from it. New life, same Verstappen It's often said that Formula 1 drivers slow down when they become fathers, being ever-so-slightly less willing to take risks with a child to think about. ...

The Premier League race is over and relegation is decided — but the battle for Champions League qualification remains wide open with just two rounds to go. Only champions Liverpool are so far guaranteed one of the five places up for grabs in Europe’s top club competition next season and second-placed Arsenal look almost certain to join them. But just four points separate third-placed Newcastle from Nottingham Forest in seventh spot. AFP Sport picks out the main talking points ahead of the weekend’s action in the English top flight. Newcastle aim to leapfrog Arsenal Europa final focus a bonus for Villa, Chelsea Last chance for Forest Man City eye end-of-season flourish

An unnamed Qatari club is prepared to spend big on Real Sociedad forward Umar Sadiq this summer. The Nigeria international is currently on loan at LaLiga club, Valencia . Sadiq has scored five goals in 13 league appearances for Carlos Corberán’s side. According to Spanish outlet, Que, the Qatari outfit is ready to splash €30m on the tall forward. The 28-year-old will also be offered a mouth-watering contract by the club. Valencia have a purchase option which they are reportedly willing to activate. Los Ches could also sell Sadiq for a substantial profit after signing him on a permanent transfer.

  Ruben Amorim admitted  Manchester United  “need to change” after a dismal 4-3 defeat at Brentford on Sunday underlined the problems facing the Old Trafford boss. Kevin Schade scored twice at Gtech Community Stadium as United’s miserable Premier League campaign took another blow, with their winless league run stretching to six matches. Amorim made eight changes to his starting line-up as he rested key players after Thursday’s 3-0 win at Athletic Bilbao in the Europa League semi-final second leg. Fielding the third youngest starting line-up in Premier League history — with an average age of 22 years and 270 days — United’s raw rookies were unable to avoid a 12th defeat in Amorim’s 24 league games. Since replacing the sacked Erik ten Hag in November, Amorim has been unable to lift United out of the mire. United are languishing in 15th place as they try to avoid their worst finish since being relegated in 1973-74. Amorim has been critical of United’s players on several occa...

Nigerian football legend Mutiu Adepoju (54) says the Super Eagles must keep pushing forward despite their slim chances of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Still riding high from their 2-0 away win in Rwanda, the three-time African champions played a 1-1 home draw with Zimbabwe, putting their qualification hopes in jeopardy. Victor Osimhen  gave Eric Chelle's team a 74th-minute lead against the Warriors, but a 90th-minute goal from substitute Tawanda Chirewa ensured the points were shared at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium. With just seven points from six matches,  Nigeria  occupy the fourth position in Group C, six points behind leaders South Africa, who secured a 2-0 away win against Gernot Rohr’s Benin Republic. "Before the game against Zimbabwe, I said Nigeria might qualify for the World Cup, but it would be tough. Now, it is even tougher," Adepoju told Flashscore.com while explaining where the Eagles went...

The Chicago Bulls left Thursday night with a thrilling win after Josh Giddey (22) hit the game-winning half-court shot at the buzzer! The shot came after a flurry of heart-pumping moments with the Bulls first scoring six points in six seconds to take the lead.  But Lakers point guard  Austin Reaves  hit a clutch layup to put LA back on top. It wasn't until Giddey launched a prayer at the buzzer that sent the fans inside the United Center into a frenzy. The Bulls have now won four straight with two of those wins coming against the Lakers and the others against the  Denver Nuggets  and  Sacramento Kings .  Standing with a 33-40 record, Chicago is currently sitting in ninth place in the Eastern Conference. 

Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes said he has plenty of respect for the Premier League club's former skipper Roy Keane but he wants to do things in his own way after the Irishman criticised his work rate. Fernandes , who was named man of the match for his performance in  United 's 3-0 win at relegation-threatened Leicester City in the Premier League on Sunday, was criticised by Keane in an appearance on the  Stick to Football  podcast. The 30-year-old Portugal midfielder has often been criticised for his on-field demeanour and has admitted in the past that his gesticulating and complaining can rile up both teammates and opponents. "I do things in my own way," Fernandes told Sky Sports. "Obviously it's not nice to hear those things about you, but at the same time it motivates you and obviously people think there's a lot of things you need to improve. "You have to take it in a positive understanding that whatever people are saying, if it's ...

Alexander Isak   has refused to rule out extending his contract at Newcastle United despite reported interest from clubs including Liverpool and Arsenal. The Swedish striker has been one of the Magpies’ standout performer this season and has scored 22 goals in 32 appearances across all competitions, including 19 strikes in 25 Premier League outings. Since moving to St James’ Park from Real Sociedad for a club-record £63m in August 2022, Isak has found the net 57 times in 99 appearances for Newcastle, and he recently became the seventh-fastest player in Premier League history to score 50 goals in the division, doing so after 76 games. Isak’s exceptional form in front of goal has understandably caught the eye of a number of top European teams, with Liverpool and Arsenal two clubs who have recently been heavily linked with a big-money summer swoop for the 25-year-old. Arsenal are known to be in the market for a new centre-forward who they hope can take them to the next level and end ...

Manchester United on Tuesday announced plans to build a new 100,000-capacity stadium that co-owner Jim Ratcliffe said would be the “world’s greatest” football ground. The Premier League club have been examining whether to redevelop their historic Old Trafford home or build a new stadium in the same area. United have now confirmed their “intention to pursue a new 100,000-seater stadium as the centrepiece of the regeneration of the Old Trafford area” as they throw their “support behind the government’s growth agenda”. Scaled models and conceptual images for how the new Old Trafford and surrounding area could look like were revealed on Tuesday at the London headquarters of architects Foster + Partners, appointed in September to design the stadium district. “Today marks the start of an incredibly exciting journey to the delivery of what will be the world’s greatest football stadium, at the centre of a regenerated Old Trafford ,” Ratcliffe said. “Our current stadium has served us brilliant...

  Roy Keane   has branded Liverpool as the "champions" and believes the Reds have done enough to win the Premier League title ahead of   Arsenal . Arne Slot's side moved 11 points clear of the Gunners at the top of the table with a comfortable 2-0 win over Manchester City on Sunday. After  Arsenal suffered a damaging 1-0 defeat against West Ham on Saturday , Liverpool had the chance to extend the gap at the top of the Premier League and put one hand on the title. And Slot's Reds did just that, producing a professional performance to beat City and put another huge statement down. Although City started the game on the front foot, Liverpool took the lead in the 14th minute. A well-worked corner ended with Mohamed Salah getting the ball in space and he fired the ball home via a deflection. City continued to probe, but were punished for not taking any of their chances as Liverpool doubled their advantage in the 37th minute. Salah turned provider for this one, laying the b...

   Mohamed Salah (32) said Liverpool's veterans need another Premier League title after inspiring a 2-0 win at Manchester City to surge 11 points clear at the top of the table. Salah was central to a  statement win  for the Reds as he opened the scoring and then teed up Dominik Szoboszlai to double Liverpool's lead before half-time. Arne Slot's men are in a commanding position to secure a record-equalling 20th English top flight title, although second-placed Arsenal have a game in hand. City, who have won the last four Premier League titles, are now 20 points behind the leaders down in fourth. "It is incredible. It is a very hard place to come and play here," said Salah after Liverpool's first league win at the Etihad for a decade. "They are a tough team and they have an incredible manager I am glad in the end we won the game. It is special. Especially when you are in the title race, it is incredible. "Hopefully we keep calm be...