Nuno Espirito Santo was happy with Harry Kane s display as a substitute in Tottenham s 1-0 victory over Wolves on Sunday.
Dele Alli s penalty – the midfielder s first Premier League goal since March 2020 – proved decisive at Molineux as Nuno got one over on his former club.
Spurs talisman Kane, a transfer target for Manchester City, missed the opening two games of the season – a win over the champions and a defeat to Pacos de Ferreira in Europa Conference League qualifying – but returned to a rapturous welcome from the travelling support.
Kane came on in the 72nd minute, and perhaps showed just why Nuno has been reluctant to call on him so far, away from the transfer speculation.
It has been widely reported that Kane would like to join City, but …
Zinedine Zidane is not entertaining speculation about transfer talks with David Alaba as Real Madrid battle to defend their LaLiga title.
Bayern Munich defender Alaba is out of contract in Germany at the end of the season and negotiations over an extension have so far proved fruitless for the European champions.
The Austria international has been mooted as a target for Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain as well as Madrid, although Zidane s outfit are considered favourites for his signature in some quarters.
Alaba was a key part of the Bayern team that won the Champions League last season.
However, since the start of 2019-20, he has committed four errors leading to shots in the competition, a joint-high among defenders. Non…
Mary Earps insists that there are “so many more levels” for England to reach ahead of their quarter-final meeting with Colombia on Saturday.
After finishing goalless in normal time, the Lionesses progressed to the final eight with a penalty shoot-out win against Nigeria with Chloe Kelly smashing home the decisive spot-kick.
It was a tricky test for Sarina Wiegman’s side, who were reduced to 10 when Lauren James was sent off for a stamp on Michelle Alozie, but Earps believes “the best is yet to come”.
“I think it’s an exciting time to be an England player for sure, but we have to earn that right every day,” the goalkeeper said.
“And I think that we’re constantly looking to improve and drive performance and drive our standards and I thin…
Simone Inzaghi said Inter were made to regret failing to capitalise on a positive first-half display in their Champions League defeat against Real Madrid.
Inter were denied top spot in Group D after going down 2-0 to Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday.
Though already guaranteed a place in the knockout phase, goals from Toni Kroos and Marco Asensio ensured Inter will be drawn to play a group winner in the last 16.
Inter were on top of large periods of the first half; with 13 shots, 14 open-play crosses and 54.9 per cent of the possession.
But for all their positive play, visiting Inter could only register a single shot on target and their task was made more difficult after the break following Nicolo Barella s dismissal.
| FOTO
Gra…
Ajax star welcomes Liverpool link
Ajax midfielder Christian Eriksen admits he is flattered by the reported interest from Liverpool.
The Danish midfielder is one of the most sought-after players in Europe at the moment, and he is tipped to leave Ajax for greener pastures in the near future.
Liverpool are reported to have also joined the race for the 20-year-old hotshot, and Eriksen confirms he would consider a move to Anfield.
Liverpool? It is very nice that such a big club is interested in me , Eriksen .
It is special to me, but I am not thinking about a transfer at this time.
Eriksen has less than two years left on his deal at Amsterdam ArenA, meaning there is every chance he will be sold next summer.
My future? At the moment…
Controversial midfielder Joey Barton is already making a stir in France, after appearing to stamp on an opponent in his Ligue 1 debut.
Barton was sent on loan to Marseille after disgracing himself last season for parent club Queens Park Rangers.
He earned a red card and a 12-match ban from the Football Association for an ugly confrontation with Manchester City players on the final day of the last English Premier League campaign.
The former City and Newcastle United man, who served time in prison for assault in 2008, has appeared in the Europa League for Marseille but had to wait to make his Ligue 1 debut due to the domestic ban carrying over to the French championship.
Marseille defeated Lille 1-0 in the match at the Stade Velodrome, and Barton was fortu…
A strong record at home against English sides should give Shakhtar Donetsk confidence before their UEFA Champions League clash with Chelsea.
Shakhtar have played a quartet of English Premier League clubs since 2000 and have won three of the four home games against those sides, including a 5-1 thrashing of Arsenal in the group stages of the 2010/11 Champions League.
That was the second time Arsenal lost in Donetsk after a 3-0 defeat in 2000, while Tottenham also failed away to Shakhtar, losing 2-0 in the Europa League in 2009.
Fulham are the only Premier League club to have beaten Shakhtar at home, winning 2-1 in the Europa League in 2010.
The Ukrainian Premier League leaders knocked off Illichivets 2-1 on Saturday to extend their perfect start to the sea…
Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo has revealed he would love to win the Ballon d Or.
The award for the best footballer in the world will be announced in Zurich on Monday and Ronaldo is hoping to go one better after finishing runner-up to Lionel Messi last year.
Honestly, I will answer this question in a sincere way, he said.
You don t know me but some other people do and they know how honest I am.
Ok, I would love to win the Ballon d Or, I won t lie.
Ronaldo previously won the award in 2008, but since it merged with the FIFA World Player of the Year award, Messi has won the past two years.
The Portuguese superstar helped Real win last year s La Liga title with 46 goals and became the first player to score against all 19 league rival…
that Mark Noble is keen to finish his career with West Ham United.
The thirty year old has, aside from brief loan spells with Hull City and Ipswich Town over a decade ago has spend his entire career with the East London outfit and is fast closing in on four hundred appearances for the club in all competitions.
He has scored fifty-six goals for the club and was named their Player of the Year in both 2012 and 2014 while he was part of the squads that won promotion to the Premier League via the play-offs in both 2005 and 2012.
Internationally, he has been capped by England at U18, U19 and U21 levels, making twenty appearances for the latter though he has yet to make his senior debut.
West Ham currently sit tenth in the table and next face Watford at V…
Diego Forlan has hailed the job done by Diego Simeone at Atletico Madrid and believes his former club can push Barcelona and Real Madrid for the Liga title.
Veteran striker Forlan, now playing for Penarol in his native Uruguay, represented Atletico between 2007 and 2011 in a prolific spell before joining Inter.
Simeone took over as head coach at the Vicente Calderon in December 2011, Forlan having left in August, and collected the Europa League and UEFA Super Cup during his first nine months at the helm.
The ex-Atleti, Inter and Lazio midfielder built impressively on that initial success, securing the 2012-13 Copa del Rey before a memorable final-day Liga title triumph in 2013-14.
Atletico lost 1-0 at Malaga on Sunday, passing up the chance to top La Liga…