Ben Olsen had to hold a few tough conversations to get the Houston Dynamo out of their slump, with Saturday s Texas derby at Austin FC offering them the chance for back-to-back wins.

The Dynamo approached Saturday s trip to Sporting Kansas City both winless and goalless in three MLS matches (one draw, two defeats), while they were also dumped out of the U.S. Open Cup by Detroit City FC.

However, goals from Hector Herrera and Ibrahim Aliyu handed them a 2-1 road win and lifted them into the top seven of the Western Conference – above Austin by a single point.

Speaking ahead of Wednesday s grudge match against a team that won the reverse fixture less than a month ago, Olsen credited his players for coming through a tough patch.

I think some people were…

Jurgen Klopp hailed Unai Emery as a world-class coach and vowed Liverpool will not underestimate Champions League semi-final opponents Villarreal.

The Reds are still in contention for an unprecedented quadruple and enter Wednesday s first leg with Villarreal at Anfield as strong favourites to advance to next month s final.

However, the Spanish club stunned Juventus in the last 16 and followed that up by eliminating a much-fancied Bayern Munich side in the quarter-finals.

Villarreal s domestic form has improved of late, meanwhile, having won back-to-back LaLiga games – against Getafe and Valencia – to move into seventh place.

Liverpool have progressed from nine of their previous 11 European Cup and Champions League semi-finals, but Klopp is taking not…

While the might have once again broken a string of financial records since the summer transfer window opened up, there remains a string of European icons who are still seeking a new adventure.

Watching a host of modern-day poster boys fail to agree on a new deal with their former clubs, the free agent pool could be one that many teams are looking to dive into.

On a list that includes a host of record-breaking European heavyweights, we have taken a look at a trio of free agent superstars that are still sat by their phones.

David de Gea

Although many might have expected to sign a contract extension with Premier League giants Manchester United this summer, shockingly announced last month that he would be ending his 12-year stay at Old Trafford.

With Inte…

Napoli have strengthened their squad in pursuit of a first Scudetto in more than three decades with the signing of right-back Bartosz Bereszynski from Sampdoria.

Bereszynski joins from fellow Serie A side Samp, where he has spent the past six years, on an initial loan until July with the option for Napoli to make the deal permanent.

The 30-year-old Poland international has made 180 appearances in the Italian top flight since the start of 2017, which is the sixth-most of any defender during that period.

He will provide competition for Giovanni Di Lorenzo on the right side of defence for Napoli, who are five points clear of Milan at the top of the table.

Both clubs confirmed the transfer on their official websites on Saturday, a day before the sides face of…

England midfielder Declan Rice has called for calm after defeat to Italy extended the Three Lions winless streak to five games.

Giacomo Raspadori s strike at San Siro condemned Gareth Southgate s side to relegation to League B in the Nations League and marked England s longest run without a win in competitive matches since October 1992.

With just 90 minutes of football and 56 days until the World Cup campaign in Qatar begins against Iran, concern is rising, but Rice has promised there will be improvements.

It s obviously disappointing. Every tournament we go into, we set out to win, he told Channel 4 after the loss.

In the Nations League we have slipped below our standards, but I didn t think it was all bad tonight.

It s coming. It was a muc…

With the likes of and Everton dealing with their own respective financial issues, many of the Premier League’s elite were tight with their spending during January’s transfer window.

With all of the 20 Premier League clubs only spending a tally of £100million, that is the lowest overall figure since the COVID-restricted window of January 2021.

However, although there might not have been too much excitement during Thursday’s Deadline Day, the likes of Chelsea striker did manage to secure a late loan switch to west London rivals Fulham.

With January’s transfer window now officially closed for another year, we have taken a look at some of the Premier League Deadline Day deals that you might have missed.

Morgan Rogers (Middlesbrough Aston Villa)

W…

Maidstone FA Cup hero Lucas Covolan once scored a goal and saved two penalties in a play-off final but just a few months later found himself in the depths of depression.

The Brazilian goalkeeper, pushed into attack with his Torquay side trailing Hartlepool 1-0 in the 2021 National League final, headed an added-time equaliser to take the match to extra time.

“The feeling of scoring a goal is totally different from just saving it,” he recalled.

“Such a high moment of my career. I don’t know if it brought me into the mental issues I had as well, but I will remember that day for ever.

“It was a corner, they cleared it, it went for a throw-in, I thought they were going to put it back in the box again, so I stayed up.

“It was great header in…

James McClean has backed the Republic of Ireland’s new generation to fulfil their potential after calling time on his international career.

The 34-year-old won his 103rd and last Ireland cap in Tuesday night’s 1-1 friendly draw with New Zealand and bade an emotional farewell to team-mates and fans alike after a 11 and a half years in the green shirt during which he played at the finals of two major tournaments.

McClean may not be the only man whose time in the international set-up has drawn to a close, with manager Stephen Kenny now out of contract and not expecting an extension after a disappointing Euro 2024 qualifying campaign, although the Wrexham defender is convinced the foundations he has put in place will pay dividends.

Speaking after the game, he sai…

Renan Lodi sent Atletico Madrid into the Champions League quarter-finals by securing a 1-0 victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford on Tuesday. 

After a 1-1 draw in the first leg of the last-16 tie three weeks prior, Lodi s first-half header clinched a 2-1 aggregate success for LaLiga s reigning champions. 

Anthony Elanga scored United s goal in Madrid but missed an early chance to convert a pass from Bruno Fernandes, who returned to the line-up following a positive COVID-19 test. 

Atletico sat back and made life difficult for United after Lodi s first Champions League goal, which was enough to send them into the last eight for the second time in three seasons. 

Jan Oblak kept out a point-blank effort from Elanga with his head in the 13th minute…

Mikel Arteta is hoping his Arsenal side can avoid the Anfield “washing machine” to secure a long-awaited victory at Liverpool and top the Premier League table on Christmas Day.

The Gunners boss will be aiming for a clean sheet after likening the challenge of playing away to Liverpool as being stuck on a spin cycle.

Arsenal have not won at Anfield since Arteta was part of the side that secured a 2-0 victory in September 2012.

The Spaniard knows first-hand the challenge of getting a result at Liverpool, having also gone there with neighbours Everton before his stint at Arsenal.

Victory, though, would be enough to keep the north London side top of the tree over the Christmas period but Arteta – who once piped ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ around the …