For the first time under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Manchester United are preparing for a final.

The Europa League might not be top of the agenda for Solskjaer s United ambitions but, after four semi-final defeats as manager in three different competitions, he will be delighted to have a shot at what could be the Red Devils first trophy since they won this competition in 2017.

Of course, this is also a momentous occasion for Villarreal: a first European final of any kind against a team who have been in these matches seven times previously. However, the Spaniards boast experience in coach Unai Emery, who won this trophy on three occasions while in charge of Sevilla.

Ahead of the first major final in European competition this week, Stats Perform examines the key Opta da…

Lionel Messi edged out Virgil van Dijk to claim the Ballon d Or for a record sixth time on Monday.

The Barcelona superstar climbed four places from his 2018 ranking as he beat runner-up Van Dijk and third-placed Cristiano Ronaldo to the most prestigious individual accolade in world football.

Messi s win, announced at a ceremony in Paris, is his first since 2015 and moves him one ahead of long-time rival Ronaldo.

Luka Modric ended the pair s monopoly 12 months ago but even a Champions League triumph for Liverpool defender Van Dijk failed to keep Messi from reclaiming his crown.

WHAT AN IMAGE!

When Luka Modric gives the Ballon d Or to Lionel Messi 

— #BallondOr (@francefootball)

The brilliant Argentina international continu…

Reading striker Adam Le Fondre scored a brace to help his side record a 2-1 win against Everton, their first league win of the season.

This weekend’s Premier League fixtures kicked-off at the Emirates Stadium, where Arsenal hammered arch-rivals Tottenham 5-2 in the early kick-off.

The visitors took the lead on ten minutes, former-Gunners striker Emmanuel Adebayor scoring from close-range after Wojciech Szczesny had pushed the ball away.

The Togo striker went from hero to villain in the 18th minute, as he was shown a straight red card for a lunge on Arsenal midfielder Santi Cazorla.

The Gunners were back on level terms in the 24th minute through a powerful header from defender Per Mertesacker.

The Gunners took the lead three minutes before the i…

As football concludes for 2021, you d be forgiven for wondering if the past year even happened at all.

COVID-19 cases are skyrocketing, the climate crisis continues unabated, Donald Trump is crying election fraud and everyone is talking about cryptocurrency without really knowing why. If Bill Murray appeared on television to tell you we re stuck in a 2020 time loop, you d barely even blink.

Well, 2021 really did happen, and we have the data to prove it. Here, Stats Perform presents a selection of the biggest footballing moments of the year, and the numbers that help to make them unforgettable – even if you can t remember what day it is

Tuchel your fancy

Expectations are pretty high for Chelsea coaches, but winning the Champions League before you ve be…

The NFL season is underway and so are all the glorious prop markets that come with it. We are looking into every market to uncover some of the week’s best team, player, and derivative prop bets. We do the heavy lifting so you don’t have to!

We’re coming into Week 2 with a ton more information at our disposal and on game day we’re fading a QB at Lambeau, buying low on a receiver with an increased role, and backing an offense that will be playing in front of fans for the first time in two seasons. 

We bring you our favorite free NFL prop picks and predictions for Week 2 of the 2021 NFL season.

Best sign-up bonuses

If you’re signing up for a new sportsbook for NFL Week 2, here are two of the best welcome bonuses available:

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The Buffalo Bills have a lot to play for entering their Week 18 home matchup versus the New York Jets as hefty 16-point favorites. A win would secure the Bills the top spot in the AFC East and a top-four seed in the playoffs while New York is playing for next season. Both teams are said to be playing their best players.

With a win highly probable for the home team, the real question is if Buffalo can avoid a fourth-quarter backdoor cover if Sean McDermott throws in the reserves late in the game.

Find out in our free betting picks, predictions and NFL odds for Jets vs. Bills.

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It looks as though the NFL saved the best Monday Night Football matchup of the season for last, as the Buffalo Bills will visit the Cincinnati Bengals in a battle of AFC powerhouses to wrap up Week 17.

Much of the pregame hype has focused on quarterbacks Josh Allen and Joe Burrow — and we’ll highlight the latter signal caller in this column. Without further ado, here are my three favorite Joe Burrow props for Monday, January 2, 2023.

Also, be sure to check out Jason Logan’s full Bills vs. Chiefs betting preview and Josh Inglis’ best MNF prop bets.

Editor’s note: Welcome to regulated sports betting, Ohio! Check out the best betting sites in Ohio and the best Ohio sports betting bonuses and promo codes! 

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The Detroit Lions host the Carolina Panthers on Sunday afternoon in Week 5 of NFL action. It might seem wild for long-suffering Detroit fans to see their team as a double-digit NFL odds favorite but given how this season has gone, it isn’t that surprising to see those odds.

The Lions are atop the NFC North with a 3-1 record after hammering the Packers at Lambeau Field last Thursday while the Panthers are one of only two teams in the NFL that has yet to win a game. Here are my best Panthers vs. Lions free NFL picks and predictions for October 8.  

Panthers vs Lions odds

Panthers vs Lions predictions

The Lions are off to their best start since 2017, and traveling to Lambeau to beat the Packers by 14 poin…

Aaron Rodgers will get a do-over on his New York Jets career tonight when he heads home to Northern California to take on the San Francisco 49ers.

The four-time MVP lasted just four snaps in his Jets debut a year ago, rupturing his Achilles tendon moments after the game began. Now, exactly 12 months later, he’s fully healed and appears ready to make the most of his second chance. 

“I have a lot of pride in my performance, so when I take the field, I expect greatness,” he said ahead of the game. “That’s the kind of standard I hold myself to.”

There are a number of subscription-based TV channels and streaming services available to watch this evening’s game, but did you know you can also live stream the action directly from legal sports betting …

Ole Gunnar Solskjær says Wayne Rooney could one day manage Manchester United, saying it would depend on how much the club’s record goalscorer would want the role.

Rooney is expected to face United as Derby’s player-coach in Thursday’s FA Cup tie at Pride Park. This will be a third time he has lined up against them since leaving for Everton in 2017, ending a 13-year stay at Old Trafford in which he scored 253 goals and won 12 trophies.

Solskjær was asked if the 34-year-old, who signed for Derby in January after a spell at DC United, could emulate him and become United’s manager.

Wayne Rooney: ‘As a kid every half-time I argued with Ferguson’Read more

“Yes,” Solskjær said. “It…