Bitesize Prediction: Livingston vs Motherwell – 24/05/23

AFC Bournemouth have announced manager Eddie Howe has committed his future to the Dean Court club by signing a new contract.

The 37-year-old, who started and finished a playing career shortened by injury at Bournemouth, took charge of the club during the 2008-09 season.

He has since overseen three promotions to guide them to the Premier League, either side of a brief, unsuccessful spell at Burnley between January 2011 and October 2012.

Howe s fine results with Bournemouth have not gone unnoticed elsewhere and he has recently been linked with several other teams.

However, the former defender may have now put a halt to speculation about his future by inking a new deal.

I am delighted that Eddie has committed his future to the club, owner Maxim Dem…

In Serie A, Lautaro Martinez struck his 12th goal of the season to send Inter Milan back to the summit with a 3-0 win at Torino.

After a goalless first half, Marcus Thuram broke the deadlock in the 59th minute before Martinez and Hakan Calhanoglu, via the penalty spot, added further goals for Simone Inzaghi’s side.

Napoli secured a 3-1 victory on the road at Verona thanks to Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s double to ease the pressure on Rudi Garcia.

Meanwhile, first-half efforts by Felipe Anderson and Luis Alberto earned Lazio all three points with a 2-0 triumph away to Sassuolo.

In France, Kylian Mbappe’s early penalty sent Paris St Germain on their way to a 3-0 win over Strasbourg.

A 10th-minute spot-kick from Mbappe got the ball rolling for PSG b…

The Mirror understand Chelsea are considering offering Cesc Fabregas a new contract in an attempt to fend off interest from Manchester United.

The Premier League champions have a policy of only offering twelve-month extensions to players over thirty but may have to make an exemption if they are to keep hold of the Spain international, who’s current deal expires at the end of next season.

Fabregas, who turns 31 in May moved to Stamford Bridge from Barcelona in the summer of 2014 and has since racked up one hundred and forty-two appearances in all competitions, scoring nineteen goals and has helped the side win two Premier League titles, and the League Cup in 2015.

The former Arsenal captain has been capped one hundred and ten times for Spain, scoring fifteen…

Ricardo Quaresma wants to help Besiktas lift the Super Lig title next season after securing a move back to Turkey on Wednesday.

The Portugal international – who left the club in 2012 – agreed a return to Istanbul after spending the last three years with Al Ahli and Porto, and has now set his sights on winning silverware.

Quaresma arrived on Tuesday and passed a medical before being presented to the club s fans, when he vowed to give everything he has got to bring success back to Besiktas. 

I am leaving all my past behind and opening a new page in Turkey, he told the club s official website. 

I know what the fans expect from me, and I’ll do my best in order not to disappoint them. 

Their love and passion was the main reason why I r…

AC Milan forward M Baye Niang believes the club can still finish in the Serie A top three despite a slow start to the season. 

Sinisa Mihajlovic has endured a tough start at Milan, with the club in the bottom-half of the table after four defeats in seven games.

Milan s most recent match before the international break finished in a 4-0 loss at home to Napoli their worst defeat at San Siro since August 2009.

Niang, who did a video Q A with his followers on Twitter, said belief within the squad was still there.

Yes we still believe in third place, as there have only been a few games and we are all united. I believe, so does the whole team and the club, the 20-year-old said.

Before he arrived at Milan, everyone knew Mihajlovic because he had a g…

Liverpool assistant coach Pep Lijnders insists the Reds deserve credit for their determination in challenging circumstances following the 2-2 draw with Chelsea on Sunday.

The visitors claimed a share of the spoils after an entertaining encounter at Stamford Bridge, despite the hosts recovering from 2-0 down before half-time.

Lijnders took charge of the 2019-20 Premier League champions in the absence of manager Jurgen Klopp, who tested positive for COVID-19 on Saturday.

Alisson, Roberto Firmino and Joel Matip also missed the trip to London for the same reason, while Andrew Robertson was suspended.

Meanwhile, Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane – who both netted for the Reds – were playing their final match before linking up with Egypt and Senegal respectively…

Wayne Rooney is on a mission in France to end England s disappointing record in major tournaments, and the captain genuinely believes the nation can go all the way at Euro 2016. 

England have never made a final of the European Championships, with just two semi-final appearances (1968, 1996) to their name. 

Since their last semi-final appearance on home soil in 1996, England have faced three group-stage exits in major tournaments, while they failed to qualify for Euro 2008. 

Rooney has competed in six tournaments for England since making his debut in 2003, but his only knockout win came against Ecuador at the 2006 World Cup, and the Manchester United skipper is out to end their disappointing cycle. 

You don t play for the achievement of getting to…

Papy Djilobodji has been handed a two-game ban for unsportsmanlike conduct after making a throat-slitting gesture in Werder Bremen s 1-1 draw with Mainz on Saturday.

The 27-year-old, on loan at Werder from Chelsea, made the signal at a grounded Pablo de Blasis after battling for possession with the attacker during the Bundesliga clash.

A three-match suspension for the Chelsea loanee had initially been proposed by the German Football Association (DFB) a similar sanction to that of St Pauli s Deniz Naki for making the gesture toward Hansa Rostock fans in 2009 but Werder appealed Tuesday s ruling.

Bremen s appeal has been partially successful, but they will nonetheless be without the centre-back in their upcoming games.

The DFB disciplinary board has hand…

Newcastle United are interested in signing Jarrad Branthwaite from Premier League rivals Everton in the January transfer window, according to . The report has claimed that Newcastle are looking for a new centre-back, and that the Magpies are keen on bringing Branthwaite to St. James’ Park.

Football Transfers has claimed that Newcastle manager Eddie Howe is a big fan of Branthwaite and personally wants to sign the 21-year-old English central defender. Branthwaite has established himself as an important player for Everton. The 21-year-old has made 10 appearances in the Premier League this season.

Newcastle are seventh in the Premier League table at the moment with 20 points from 12 matches, six points behind Tottenham Hotspur in fourth. Meanwhile, Everton currently find…

Barcelona chief Joan Laporta is not a fan of the original plans for a European Super League, even though his club have stood by the proposal.

Along with 11 other European heavyweights, Barca attempted to form a breakaway competition in April 2021.

However, nine of the 12 teams withdrew due to the unpopularity of the proposals, with UEFA s reaction particularly strong.

The sides nevertheless avoided any meaningful punishment and three clubs – Barca, Real Madrid and Juventus – remain committed to a Super League.

However, Laporta, who succeeded Josep Maria Bartomeu as Barca president in March of last year, does not believe a closed-shop Super League would be the correct way to go.

Indeed, Laporta believes keeping alive the chance of smaller teams…