Former West Brom manager Ron Atkinson has urged the Baggies to look to Sam Allardyce to retain Premier League status.

West Brom chairman Jeremy Peace unexpectedly sacked Roberto Di Matteo on Sunday, sparking contrasting reactions amongst the club s fans, and furious debate as to who should succeed him.

Atkinson has now waded into the debate, suggesting Allardyce should get the nod ahead of other contenders Derek McInnes, Roy Hodgson and Chris Hughton.

If I were the chairman, that would be my first thought. Go to Big Sam and ask him to come in until the end of the season to keep the team up they can review things after that, Atkinson told the Wolverhampton Express and Star.

But the immediate aim is survival. They need someone with the drive, the experie…

Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas described the last two years as a dream for Spanish football fans after so many years without a major tournament win.

Speaking in Nuremberg after being presented with his Golden Glove award for best goalkeeper at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, the Real Madrid shot-stopper said Spain s victories in Euro 2008 and this year s World Cup were just reward for long-suffering fans.

Casillas, 29, conceded just two goals in South Africa and remarkably went through the tournament s knockout stages without being beaten, as Spain clinched their first ever World Cup triumph.

It s a unique feeling that you cannot describe because it is too many years following this dream, the dream of all Spanish football fans, Casillas said.

I thi…

Pep Guardiola says he began the talks that led to him being appointed as Manchester City manager from the 2016-17 season in the middle of last year.

The Premier League club announced this week that Guardiola would take charge at the Etihad Stadium with Manuel Pellegrini stepping down at the end of this term.

City revealed preliminary negotiations were held with the 45-year-old in 2012, during Roberto Mancini s tenure in Manchester and Guardiola s one-year sabbatical from football between his celebrated posts at Barcelona and Bayern.

In December, Guardiola declared he would leave Bayern when his contract expires at the end of the season but, speaking at a news conference for the first time since news of his new job broke, the Spaniard revealed discussions wi…

Swansea City boss Garry Monk is anticipating a tough test when Premier League newcomers Burnley visit the Liberty Stadium on Saturday.

Monk s men sprung the surprise of the opening weekend, winning 2-1 at Old Trafford to ensure Louis van Gaal s reign at Manchester United began with a whimper.

This weekend s clash in south Wales represents an altogether different challenge, as Swansea take on a Burnley outfit who marked their return to the Premier League with a 3-1 home reverse at the hands of Chelsea on Monday.

Many have tipped Sean Dyche s men to struggle this season, but Monk sees similarities between Burnley and the Swansea side that began life in the top flight in 2011-12.

We realise how tough it is going to be, he said. Burnley are a hard-working si…

“When the offer of Bayern came, I didn’t have to think for a second. Bayern is the best club in the world for me”.

Those are the words of Benjamin Pavard, who revealed during a recent interview that it was easy for him to reject other clubs in favour of a move to Bayern Munich. The German giants were after the World Cup winner for a while, before finally landing their man in January. However, they’ll have to wait before they can fully utilise his services, as he won’t officially complete his transition over from fellow German side Stuttgart until the summer.

The defender has been with Stuttgart since back in 2016, when he made the jump over from Lille. In that time he has been able to establish himself as one of the best young defenders in world football today…

Cristiano Ronaldo s professionalism and humility set him apart from any other player in world football, according to former Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari.

Scolari gave Ronaldo his international debut in 2003 and has watched as the forward has gone on to become Portugal s leading goalscorer and second highest appearance maker.

While international honours have yet to grace Ronaldo s career, at club level he has thrived with Manchester United and now Real Madrid.

His exploits in the Spanish capital have seen him win two Ballons d Or, the Liga title and the Champions League in 2013-14.

A second European crown is in his reach this weekend when Madrid take on Atletico in Milan, but all the success does not go to the 31-year-old s head, making him a special…

This Sunday sees Premier League leaders Liverpool host Manchester United, rivals who sit 27 points below them in the table.

There has been a clear gulf in class between Jurgen Klopp s side, who have accrued a whopping 61 points from a possible 63 across 21 fixtures, and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer s men, who have suffered defeats at Watford, Bournemouth and Newcastle United already this term.

Yet one bright spark for United has been the form of Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial, an attacking duo who have combined for more goals than Liverpool pair Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane.

Rashford faces a battle to be fit for the game having come off against Wolves in Wednesday s FA Cup replay due to a back injury, but just how do the quartet compare when fully fit, and how hav…

Diego Simeone refused to confirm or deny whether Atletico Madrid are among the clubs interested in disgruntled Chelsea forward Alvaro Morata.

Former Real Madrid frontman Morata has been linked with a return to LaLiga, though Sevilla said a deal for the Spain international would be very, very complicated .

Morata – who has only managed nine goals in all competitions this term – has scored just 16 Premier League goals since joining Chelsea from Madrid in a reported £60million transfer in July 2017.

Atletico have reportedly joined the race to bring Morata back to Spain but head coach Simeone was coy following Wednesday s 1-1 draw with Girona in the Copa del Rey.

The only thing I m thinking about is the upcoming match against Levante, Simeone told repo…

Once again moving within a single point of breaking into the top-four, Manchester United picked up a 1-0 victory against West Ham at Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon.

While the former Premier League champions might have had to overcome a late flurry from the Hammers, Erik ten Hag s side dominated large spells of the game and will feel that they were deserving off maximum points here.

With the game eventually decided by Marcus Rashford s first-half header, the Red Devils also extended their unbeaten run to eight matches across all competitions.

However, while United might still be firmly battling it out in the Champions League chase, the Hammers find themselves desperately seeking some stability as they continue looking over their shoulder at the drop zone.

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Karim Benzema s double propelled Real Madrid to a 2-1 win over Shakhtar Donetsk as they at least temporarily moved top of Champions League Group D.

A woeful defensive error from Shakhtar enabled Benzema to give Madrid the lead in the 14th minute, Los Blancos becoming the first team to reach 1,000 Champions League/European Cup goals.

Shakhtar responded superbly and levelled matters when Fernando powered home their first goal of the group stage.

Yet Madrid were much improved in the second half, and predictably it was Benzema who provided the decisive touch after wonderful build-up play from Vinicius Junior and Casemiro.

Luka Modric could have given Madrid the lead in the fifth minute as he was played in on goal at the end of a well-worked move only to be th…