Vieira rates World Cup chances as ´100 percent´

Market: Nice win

Odds: 19/20 @

Looking to make another Ligue 1 statement this weekend, title contenders Nice will make the trip to Le Havre on Saturday afternoon.

Starting with the hosts, while Le Havre might have come flying out of the traps when making their Ligue 1 return this season, it is fair to say that Luka Elsner’s side have struggled to find much stability of late. Last seen putting in another downbeat performance as they eventually slumped to a 2-1 loss away at Strasbourg, the Normandy-based outfit have failed to muster a single top-flight victory since returning from November’s international break. Opening December with a 2-0 defeat at the hands of PSG, the one-time Amiens boss also finds his squad sat in Ligue 1 limbo. Slipping out the top-half,…

There comes a time in one s life when one has a sufficient number of scarves. Too many perhaps. Enough, some might say, that if one donated half of said scarves to a charity shop, said shop would be able to display an eye-catching feature of scarves through the decades.

Thanks Mum, for another scarf this Christmas. No, no, of course it ll come in very useful.

Mikel Arteta s Arsenal wardrobe is crammed with old scarves and all sorts of knick-knacks the new head coach would surely never have chosen for himself. A dressing room where too little fits the bill.

Arsenal s squad is that box of cards bearing bad knock-knock jokes that relatives giddily hand over, having briefly taken leave of their senses in a department store trolley dash.

Knock knock. Who s …

According to , Tottenham Hotspur are interested in signing Issa Diop from Premier League rivals West Ham United in the January transfer window. It has been reported that Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho is keen on brining the 23-year-old to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The report has claimed that Mourinho’s top target in defence is Milan Skriniar, but a move for the Inter Milan star is unlikely in January. The former Chelsea and Manchester United boss is now looking at alternatives and has identified Diop as a player he could do with.

West Ham are reportedly open to selling the French defender this month and would do business for £18 million. The 23-year-old is a peripheral player in David Moyes’s side at the moment, and that is unlikely to change anytime soon. A…

Juventus goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny was left scared after leaving the first leg of his side s Europa League quarter-final against Sporting CP with chest pain.

The Poland international left the field in tears before the conclusion of the first half, with Mattia Perin introduced in his place and playing the remainder of the 1-0 victory at Allianz Stadium.

Szczesny was checked by the medical team and given the all clear shortly after the resumption of the second half, though he admitted he was concerned by the sequence of events.

I am fine, I was a little anxious, but we did all the tests and everything is fine, he told Sky Sport Italia.

I was scared, it had never happened to me before, I was struggling to breathe and it really worried me.

Perin…

Stefano Mauri s match-fixing case has been adjourned as the Federal Court of Appeal failed to reach a unanimous decision.

Mauri was hoping to be involved in Lazio s Supercoppa Italiana final against Juventus on Sunday, but will not be able to feature as the court requested further evidence and investigation before reaching a conclusion.

The Lazio midfielder appealed a six-month ban handed to him for failing to report to authorities knowledge of a potential fix.

Prosecutor Stefano Palazzi also lodged an appeal to have an original punishment of over four years reinstated after accusing Mauri of actively partaking in match-fixing.

The 33-year-old s case in the Calcioscommesse trial stems from two Lazio league fixtures against Genoa and Lecce in May 2011.

He re…

Mainz winger Nicolai Muller has warned his team-mates not to get carried away with their impressive start to the Bundesliga season.

Thomas Tuchel s men are one of four teams with 100 per cent records, with Muller scoring four times in their three games.

However, despite their strong start to the campaign, Muller feels the real test of the squad s credentials will come when they go behind in a game a predicament they have not yet faced.

Mainz 05 are not a club who can simply presume that they will have nine points after just three games, he told Bundesliga.com.

We’re very stable, but so far this season, we’ve always managed to take the lead. Let’s just see how we deal with going behind in a game.

Muller scored the second goal in Mainz s 2-0 win ove…

Market: Romelu Lukaku to score anytime

Odds: 

Looking to make their own statement in Group G, Belgium will look to get off to a flying start when they face off against Panama at the Olimpiyskiy Stadion Fish on Monday afternoon.

For Roberto Martínez side, coming off the back of a 4-1 win over Costa Rica, Belgium s golden generation appear to have come of age. Now unbeaten since September 2016, The Red Devils are tipped by many to top Group G and arguably go further. Given their recent form in the final third, Martinez s side will be looking for Manchester United forward Romelu Lukaku to carry on his recent goalscoring record. The 25-year-old found the net twice against Costa Rica in their final warm-up match and Lukaku has now remarkably scored 14 goals in his…

Arsene Wenger was left marvelling at Alexis Sanchez s ability to change a game on his own even when he looks dead following Arsenal s 3-1 victory over Bournemouth.

The Chile star has been in fine form since being moved into a more central role in the Arsenal attack, scoring seven times in his last eight matches in all competitions, including a double against Bournemouth on Sunday.

Eddie Howe s men produced a strong display at the Emirates, but Arsenal s star quality ultimately shone through, with Sanchez netting his second in stoppage time to wrap up the win.

And Wenger continues to be astonished by the former Barcelona attacker s appetite for the game.

Even when he looks dead he is still alive and finds the resources when he wins the ball back to d…

The Football Association (FA) is the latest governing body to join our nation in mourning the loss of the Queen.

Buckingham Palace confirmed  on Thursday that Her Majesty had passed away peacefully at the age of 96, with members of the Royal Family travelling to Balmoral to be by her side.

The Queen famously handed over the Jules Rimet Trophy to Bobby Moore after England s World Cup final triumph over West Germany at Wembley in 1966.

Meanwhile, she recently told the women s football team – the Lionesses – that their home triumph at Euro 2022 would serve as an inspiration for girls and women today, and for future generations .

We have sent our deepest condolences to our president, HRH The Duke of Cambridge and the whole of the following the passing o…

Manchester United have confirmed next Thursday s Europa League group meeting with Sheriff will go ahead as planned.

United s Premier League clash with Crystal Palace on Saturday has been postponed, as have all Premier League games this weekend, following the passing of Queen Elizabeth II at the age of 96.

However, United will travel to Moldova as planned next week for their European tie with Sheriff at Bolshaya Sportivnaya Arena.

A statement on United s official website on Friday read: Following discussions with the relevant governing bodies and in line with guidance issued by the UK Government, we can confirm our UEFA Europa League fixture against FC Sheriff will take place as scheduled on Thursday evening in Moldova.

Match arrangements will remain the …