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Furuhashi finally recalled to Japan national team

Kyogo Furuhashi has finally been recalled to the Japan national team.

"The Celtic striker, 29, will link up with the Samurai Blue for their upcoming matches against China and Indonesia", the Herald reports..

Daizen Maeda and Reo Hatate have been regular squad members for the national team in recent history but Kyogo has missed out.

However, he has been included for the World Cup Qualifiers later this month alongside his club team-mates.

Kyogo's call-up comes 13 months after his last outing for his country when he netted against Tunisia.

The Steel City Derby

Sheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday are two historic football clubs from the city of Sheffield, England. Their rivalry, known as the Steel City Derby, is one of the oldest and most intense in English football.

Both clubs have a passionate fanbase and their matches are always highly anticipated events in the English football calendar, with this Sunday being the first meeting this season.

The last three meetings have ended in a no score draw, but after securing their third consecutive win and fifth in seven games, Sheffield United have climbed into the automatic promotion spot, so you can expect the Blades to have a target on their backs when the Owls visit on Sunday.

Sheffield Wednesday head into Sunday’s derby clash at Bramall Lane with no known fresh injury concerns, with Keiffer Moore potentially being United’s only injury concern.

Sheffield United head into Sunday's clash as the favourites. It's not just psychological warfare; their table position and home ground advantage make them the obvious choice. But football is unpredictable, and nothing is certain.

Pep Guardiola's full-time row creates further Man City intrigue.

Pep Guardiola is in a position he's never been in before, reports the Manchester Evening News.

The Manchester City boss has overseen four successive defeats for the first time in his managerial career with the latest coming at Brighton on Saturday evening as the Blues threw away a 1-0 lead for the second match in a row. Guardiola and City now have a fortnight to reflect on their slump in form and attempt to put it right when Tottenham visit the Etihad later this month.

With a trip to Anfield to face Premier League leaders Liverpool on the horizon, City and Guardiola will want to rediscover both their form and their squad, which has been decimated by injury in recent weeks. Jeremy Doku became the latest addition having missed the trip to the Amex while Manuel Akanji was only fit enough to be on the bench.

Guardiola was defiant in his post match interview, insisting he will relish the fight. The City chief had marched onto the pitch when the final whistle sounded on Saturday, seeking out Brighton defender Jan Paul van Hecke. Guardiola was unhappy with the way the Seagulls man had acted in a late challenge with Erling Haaland which saw the Norwegian carded.

What Brendan Rodgers thought of Celtic fans breaking Remembrance Sunday minute's silence – 'It's a difficult one'

The moment of reflection at Rugby Park was interrupted by the away end before the win against Kilmarnock

Mark Pirie: “Brendan Rodgers was put on the spot over Celtic fans disrupting the minute's silence before the clash with Kilmarnock by singing and booing”.

It was good news on the pitch for Celtic as goals from Callum McGregor and Nicolas Kuhn led the champions back to the Premiership summit ahead of Aberdeen. However, ahead of the game the game Killie and the Hoops joined clubs across the country in holding a minute of contemplation ahead of kick-off for Remembrance Day.

As Kilmarnock captain Kyle Vassell approached the middle of the pitch with a wreath, loud booing was audibly picked up by the Sky microphones. Referee Nick Walsh blew his whistle to commence a period of silence before the Scottish Premiership clash with songs being sung by the away end before the man in the middle brought the moment of contemplation to an abrupt halt.

Bigger tests keep on coming for Aberdeen

Monday 11th November 2024

“Having responded strongly to their first defeat of the season, the Dons are now focused on a hat-trick of away games after the international break” reports The Press and Journal.

Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin and his players passed their first test with flying colours after bouncing back from their day to forget at Hampden in emphatic style on Saturday.

There was genuine curiosity in Scottish football at just how much impact the 6 – 0 Premier Sports Cup mauling by Celtic in the semi-final would have at Pittodrie.

The answer was brief – very little.

Saturday’s 4-1 win against Dundee was not plain sailing.

The Dons, by their manager’s own admission, were too open and disjointed in the first half against Tony Docherty’s Dark Blues.

Had it not been for Dimitar Mitov’s penalty save just before the break, then perhaps a very different take would be required.

Hat-trick Check: 9th & 10th Nov 2024

Monday 11th November 2024

There were no hat-tricks scored in the top two tiers of English football this weekend. However, there was one standout performance in the EFL League One. Kwame Poku of Peterborough United netted a hat-trick in their impressive 6-1 victory over Cambridge United.

'Everyone had written me off' - Andy Robertson responds to Liverpool critics as slow start explained

Tuesday 12th November 2024

“Andy Robertson has opened up on a difficult opening months to the season at Liverpool and the battle for his starting role,” Ian Doyle reports.

With his head bowed and hood pulled firmly up over his head, it was as though Andy Robertson was attempting to sneak out of the Emirates unnoticed a fortnight ago. It had been that kind of afternoon for the Liverpool left-back, outfoxed by Bukayo Saka for the opener and suffering a tough first half in the eventual 2-2 draw against Arsenal.

And it was further evidence of a difficult 12 or so months for Robertson, for whom niggling injuries, a lack of a proper pre-season and adjusting to working under a new boss have all contributed to an inconsistent run of form that has seen him come under intense pressure from Kostas Tsimikas for his regular role.

Not since the opening months of his Anfield career back in 2017, when he was rarely seen until injury to Alberto Moreno, has Robertson had to scrap for his starting role. And his impressive response during Saturday's 2-0 win at Aston Villa, having been recalled to the XI by Arne Slot having been benched for the previous two games, was recognised with chants from the Kop.

Rather than go into hiding, Robertson has come out fighting. "Look, I am a lot older and a lot wiser now than when I came in," he says. "When I first came in I was only 23, first time playing for a big club. I have been here for seven years and won everything, played in a lot of big games.

I am a lot more experienced and a lot better at switching off from everything like over-reactions and things like that. Probably a bad 45 minutes of football against Arsenal, it was not great. I think pretty much everyone had written me off after that.

"That is football and that is what happens these days. People can write me off all they want. But I will always try to keep working, keep improving, I have tried to do that and hopefully (against Villa) I have shown that."

Asked if he had a point to prove after his spell as substitute, Robertson is forthright. "To an extent, yeah," he says. "In the last couple of games I’ve been on the bench and I got doubters for the first time in a long time, first time at this club. But it suits me in this position. I am trying to prove people wrong again.

"I missed pre-season which is never ideal for any player. And then I have had the ankle struggles, I got another knock on it against Wolves and it took a bit of time to settle down.

"So, look, I feel good and obviously taking a couple of games out was frustrating. I want to play every game, of course, but that was not possible. I knew that the next time I got a chance I would take it and that’s what I tried to do."

Speaking earlier in the month, Slot outlined reasons why Robertson has found it difficult to get up to speed under his tenure, with the lack of preparation in the summer a key factor.

And the Scotland international adds: "I think the manager is very open and honest, we have spoken quite a few times and it has always been good conversations. There is mutual respect between both of us even if we don’t agree with the team line-ups!

"It happened with Jurgen (Klopp), it has happened with Scotland – and I always have respect for the manager. He knows my experience in the changing room and how I try to help everyone else. And that won’t stop. But I do like playing.

"I like starting and being on the pitch but when I’m not I try to be as professional as I can and just try to do my talking on the training pitch and wait for my chance."

Hashtag United ban supporter after alleged homophobic abuse

Tuesday 12th November 2024

Hashtag United has taken swift action to ban one of its own supporters for two seasons following allegations of homophobic abuse.

"The south Essex football club say they were made aware of an alleged comment by staff members of Dulwich Hamlet Football Club during an away game on October 26," reports Sophie England.

Following an investigation, Hashtag United has now confirmed a supporter has been banned from all fixtures for two seasons.

The supporter must also complete an approved LGBTQIA+ awareness course before a return to games “can be considered”.