Author: Andrew Rogers

Cristian Romero criticised Tottenham Hotspur for operating with a “disgraceful” lack of squad depth.He posted the comments on Instagram after the January transfer window closed.Spurs signed Conor Gallagher and teenage defender Souza but sold Brennan Johnson.Manager Thomas Frank faced an injury crisis that left him short of players against Manchester City.Romero played despite illness but went off at half-time.He said players would keep taking responsibility and thanked fans for their support.

Manchester United beat Fulham 3-2 after a dramatic late winner from Benjamin Sesko.Sesko spun and finished in stoppage time after Bruno Fernandes crossed from the right.Fulham had equalised moments earlier through Kevin, silencing Old Trafford.Casemiro opened the scoring before Matheus Cunha struck superbly after the break.VAR controversy dominated, with a Fulham goal ruled out and penalty decisions overturned.Interim manager Michael Carrick celebrated a third straight win as United’s momentum grew.

West Ham United banned season-ticket holder Joshua Wood for holding an oversized anti-board banner.The club cited stadium regulations, not the protest message, after CCTV showed Wood lifting the banner.Wood denied bringing it inside and said other fans asked him to help display it.The five-game ban covers home and away matches and exceeds the club’s usual sanctions.West Ham said the banner posed safety risks and denied targeting peaceful protest.

Aston Villa came from two goals down to beat Red Bull Salzburg 3-2 at Villa Park, with teenager Jamaldeen Jimoh-Aloba scoring the late winner.Salzburg led through Karim Konaté and Moussa Yeo before Morgan Rogers and Tyrone Mings levelled for Villa.Jimoh-Aloba struck three minutes from time to secure second place in the table, though Villa lost Ollie Watkins to a hamstring injury.Elsewhere, Porto beat Rangers 3-1 to reach the last 16, while Lyon finished top and Roma sealed qualification.

Crystal Palace stalled talks over a £50m move for Jørgen Strand Larsen from Wolverhampton Wanderers.Palace had agreed terms in principle but never submitted a formal offer.Attention has shifted to a loan deal for Evann Guessand from Aston Villa, including a purchase option.Strand Larsen also interests Leeds and Nottingham Forest.Palace need a replacement before allowing Jean-Philippe Mateta to leave.

Raheem Sterling left Chelsea by mutual consent after falling out of favour under the club’s new transfer strategy.The winger earned £325,000 a week and had 18 months left on his contract.Chelsea froze him out of the first team and he did not play this season.Sterling joined from Manchester City in 2022 as a marquee signing.Inconsistent form and high wages made a transfer difficult.The 31-year-old now wants a fresh start and is open to leaving London.

Pep Guardiola played down concerns over Erling Haaland’s form before Manchester City host Galatasaray in the Champions League.Guardiola joked he did not know Haaland’s freshness because they “did not have dinner together”.Haaland has failed to score from open play in seven matches after dropping to the bench against Wolves.City need a big win to boost hopes of automatic qualification for the last 16.Guardiola insisted better team play will restore Haaland’s scoring.Elsewhere, Antonio Conte faces a decisive clash as injury-hit Napoli host Chelsea.Barcelona also chase a top-eight finish as they welcome Copenhagen despite key midfield absences.

Nottingham Forest have made a £35m bid for Jean-Philippe Mateta from Crystal Palace.The France striker has told Palace he wants to leave as Forest seek attacking reinforcements.Palace want up to £40m and insist on signing a replacement before selling.Mateta has drawn interest from Juventus and Aston Villa.Forest recently signed Lorenzo Lucca on loan from Napoli.Forest sit 17th in the Premier League and are prepared to meet Mateta’s wage demands.

Aston Villa produced a performance of real authority at St James’ Park as goals from Emiliano Buendía and Ollie Watkins earned a fully deserved win over Newcastle and kept their faint title ambitions alive. Villa were fluid, inventive and confident throughout, with Morgan Rogers central to much of their best attacking play. Buendía opened the scoring with a superb curling effort from outside the box after a slick team move, setting the tone for a first half in which Newcastle struggled to cope with Villa’s movement and imagination. Newcastle had early chances, most notably when Emiliano Martínez denied Sandro Tonali,…

Manchester City stopped their Premier League slide with a hard-fought victory over Wolves, earning their first league win in four matches despite a contentious VAR moment that overshadowed the result. Pep Guardiola’s decision to drop Erling Haaland and Phil Foden proved effective, as first-half goals from Omar Marmoush and Antoine Semenyo put City in control. The key flashpoint came when referee Farai Hallam, on his top-flight debut, refused to award a penalty for a Yerson Mosquera handball after a pitchside review. The call angered Guardiola, who criticised what he sees as a pattern of unfavourable decisions against his side, while…