FOOTBALL

Arsenal goalkeeper Bernd Leno has reacted to Granit Xhaka’s blunder during the club’s 1-1 Premier League draw against Burnley on the road. The Gunners took the lead after just six minutes on the clock through Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and should have doubled the advantage with the chances which were handed to them. However, they ended up going into the break with the scores level after a horrendous mistake from Xhaka. The Swiss midfielder asked for the ball from Leno in the six-yard box and attempted to clear across the face of goal. Instead, the ball struck Chris Wood’s hip and cannoned into an empty net with Leno rooted at the far post. That happened to be the final goal of the game despite chances for both sides for the remainder of the contest. Speaking aft...

Zinedine Zidane described Karim Benzema as a “joy for football” as the Real Madrid boss prepared to welcome the striker back for Sunday’s crucial derby with Atletico Madrid. Madrid make the short trip to the Wanda Metropolitano with Los Blancos trailing their LaLiga-leading neighbours by five points, Atletico also having the benefit of a game in hand. Having returned to training this week following an ankle injury that has kept him out since February 14, Benzema is back in the frame for a game that could go a long way to deciding the destination of the title. “Karim is going to be with us,” Zidane told a media conference. “We know what Karim is. Not just the matter of goals. “He is an important player for us in our syst...

Kylian Mbappe has already achieved a ridiculous amount in his short career, and he has now been afforded high praise from Brazil icon Pele, who has tipped the PSG forward to become his 'heir'.Mbappe's recent exploits against Barcelona in the Champions League - where he hit a hat-trick at Camp Nou during PSG's 4-1 first leg victory - has reaffirmed his status as one of the world's best, and Pele has become the latest to pay homage to him.And as admirers come, they don't come much bigger than Pele. The Brazilian is regarded as the greatest player of his generation, and considered by many as the finest players to ever grace the game - and he is backing Mbappe to follow in his footsteps.Pele and Mbappe are both teenage World Cup winners | FRANCK FIFE/Getty Images"Mbappe can become my heir, ...

London (AFP) – Manchester City have history in their sights as the runaway leaders bid to take a huge step towards the Premier League title in Sunday’s showdown with fading challengers Manchester United.City are 14 points clear of United with 11 games left and victory in the derby would effectively end their second placed rivals’ faint hopes of catching them.Pep Guardiola’s side have been so dominant since the end of last year that it is the landmarks they can shatter on the way to a third title in four seasons that now hold the greatest interest.They are unbeaten in 28 games and will set a new club record if they avoid defeat this weekend.That could be the first of many milestones to fall for City, who are on an English top-flight record run of 21 successive wins in all competitions.T...

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