Just For Kicks

The FA Cup third round over the weekend delivered drama and excitement, with sides in the top-flight largely prevailing but not without challenges. Manchester United edged past Arsenal in a thrilling tie at the Emirates prevailing 5-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw, despite playing much of the match with ten men due to Diogo Dalot's red card. Newcastle United overcame an early scare against Bromley, recovering from a League Two side's lead to win 3-1 with contributions from Lewis Miley and Anthony Gordon. Tottenham Hotspur faced a resilient Tamworth, only breaking the deadlock in extra time to win 3-0, thanks to an own goal and strikes from Dejan Kulusevski and Brennan Johnson. Meanwhile, Ipswich Town cruised past Bristol Rovers 3-0, with Kalvin Phillips scoring his first open-play goal in over three years, and Crystal Palace narrowly defeated Stockport County 1-0 through an early Eberechi Eze goal. All that plus Premier League previews, on this episode of Just For Kicks. 

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It’s that time of year again! The axe has fallen on West Ham’s Julien Lopetegui and Everton’s Sean Dyche, with both clubs teetering above the relegation zone. So far, one confirmed replacement (as of recording) sees former Chelsea and Brighton boss Graham Potter stepping in to take charge at the London Stadium. Will more heads roll as managers face the dreaded ‘sack row’? On the pitch, the gang dives into the EFL Cup semi-finals, previews this weekend’s FA Cup third-round clashes, and shines a spotlight on the ethics of exhibition matches in Saudi Arabia. All this and more on this episode of Just For Kicks!

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It was an action-packed weekend in the Premier League, with plenty of drama and storylines to unpack. Liverpool held on to their six-point lead over Arsenal after a pulsating 2-2 draw against a determined Manchester United. Despite sitting in the bottom half of the table, United delivered a gutsy performance at Anfield to secure a valuable away point. Meanwhile, Arsenal missed a golden chance to close the gap, settling for a frustrating 1-1 draw at Brighton. The Gunners struggled to create clear opportunities, managing only nine shots, with just three on target—a concerning statistic for a side chasing the title. Over at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea’s woes deepened under manager Enzo Maresca as their winless streak stretched to four games, leaving fans desperate for answers, while on the brighter side, Manchester City looked like their unstoppable selves again cruising to a commanding 4-1 victory over West Ham, with Erling Haaland once again proving his worth by bagging a brace. Catch all this and more in this week’s episode of Just For Kicks!

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The most anticipated fixture in English football is upon us, as red-hot league leaders Liverpool welcome a struggling Manchester United to Anfield this weekend. For Ruben Amorim, the focus is damage control as he seeks to lift his team up the table—but earning a result against Arne's slot machine might just be an insurmountable challenge. Meanwhile, a revitalized Manchester City takes on West Ham, with Pep Guardiola aiming to restore the Cityzens to their formidable best. Second-placed Arsenal faces a tricky away clash against Brighton & Hove Albion, while Chelsea heads to Selhurst Park for a tough test against Crystal Palace. All this and more - including updates from ASEAN football - previewed on this week’s Just For Kicks!

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Liverpool and Nottingham Forest are ending 2024 on a high, after both teams won their matches over the weekend. Liverpool continue their relentless march to the title, dismantling West Ham at the London Stadium 0-5, while Nottingham Forest solidify their claim for a top four finish with a solid 0-2 win away to Everton, with the help from star striker Chris Wood. Our pundits share their thoughts on matches already played on Matchweek 19, as well as preview the upcoming ones, before reviewing 2024, as we bid goodbye to the year and look ahead to more awesome football in 2025. All these, and more, on another exciting episode of Just For Kicks!

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EPL's Matchweek 18 delivered on all fronts, with belters, upsets and even a few red cards to entertain us on Boxing Day! Liverpool strengthened their grip on the Premier League title, coming from behind against Leicester City at Anfield, while Chelsea suffered a shock defeat against Fulham - the Cottagers' first win against the Blues at Stamford Bridge since 1979. Elsewhere, both Manchester clubs are still struggling to find wins, with City drawing at home against a resolute Everton side, while United lost at Wolves, with captain Bruno Fernandes' sending off the catalyst for their demise at the Molineux Stadium. Bob Holmes and Dez Corkhill join Kam Raslan to go through all these matches, dissecting key moments and events, as well as look forward to Matchweek 19 this weekend. All these, as well as a quick summary of their favourite moments of the year 2024, on another episode of Just For Kicks!

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Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou's aim of entertaining football fans at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium continues, but this time at his team's expense, as they were at the end of a 3-6 drubbing against Liverpool. Arne Slot's team continues to impress, brushing aside Spurs with ease, solidifying their claim for the title. Their closest challenger, Chelsea drew against Everton, while Arsenal is back in the title race, spearheaded by Gabriel Jesus' return to form against Crystal Palace. Elsewhere, Man United lost 0-3 at home against Bournemouth for the second consecutive season, making it a bleak Christmas for Ruben Amorim and Man Utd fans everywhere. Our pundits share their thoughts on these matches, as well as other games on Matchweek 17, on another episode of Just For Kicks! Merry Christmas!

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Photo credit: REUTERS

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Tottenham Hotspur survived a scare in the Carabao Cup to book a place in the semi-final. Their next opponent in the tournament will be the same opponent that they will be facing this weekend in Matchweek 17: Liverpool. After claiming that being a football manager is even a harder job than being a Prime Minister, Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou will be looking to his players to hopefully make his job easier with a good performance, or even a win, against Liverpool. Can they do that and find some consistency in their performances? Our pundits look ahead to this match, and many more, as well as review the midweek Carabao Cup action, only on another busy exciting episode of Just For Kicks, as we welcome the festive season!

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The blue moon set in Manchester as City suffered their eighth defeat in 11 matches, losing 2-1 to Manchester United in last weekend's much-anticipated derby. Despite Pep Guardiola's recent two-year contract extension, the club faces mounting pressure after late goals from Bruno Fernandes and Amad Diallo sealed their fate. Guardiola acknowledged his shortcomings while Bernardo Silva likened their defensive lapses to under-15s football. Are the defending champions a club in crisis? Meanwhile, Chelsea extended their winning streak to five games, closing the gap on Liverpool to just two points. Enzo Maresca's side, now second in the table, is emerging as a title contender despite his cautious denial. Liverpool, on the other hand, have seen their momentum slow, with consecutive draws against Newcastle and Fulham, the latter played mostly with ten men. 

Managerial sackings are also dominating the backpages after Wolves dismissed Gary O'Neil after a loss to Ipswich left them second-bottom, five points from safety. Southampton followed suit, sacking Russell Martin after a humiliating 5-0 first-half defeat to Spurs. Southampton now sit nine points adrift, facing relegation challenges alongside Wolves. All that reviewed on this week's Just For Kicks. 

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This season's first Manchester derby promises to be an interesting one as both City and United are in their own little unique crisis. Manchester City lost again, this time against Juventus in their midweek Champions League match, while Manchester United scraped through a win against Viktoria Plzeň, amidst stuttering performances under new manager Ruben Amorim, as well as off-the-field upper management drama. With both teams yet to find their footing, who will come out on top at the Etihad? It's a tricky one to call, according to our pundits. Tune in as they share their take on that match, as well as other games from Matchweek 16, as well as the AFF Mitsubishi Electric Cup, only on another episode of Just For Kicks!

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