Football rumours: Man City’s Kalvin Phillips expected to leave club in January

FA chief executive Brian Barwick believes he will leave English football in rude health after announcing he is set to step down at the end of the year.

Barwick, who appointed Fabio Capello as England coach, released a statement confirming his decision to quit after his country s 2-2 draw against the Czech Republic on Wednesday

It is believed Barwick s exit has come as a result of disagreements with FA chairman Lord Triesman on how the English game s governing body should be developed.

Barwick is said to have disagreed with Triesman over the FA s strategic policies and the appointment of key figures in the 2018 World Cup bid team.

Triesman, a former Government minister, appears to have won the dispute and is likely to take a more hands-on role at the …

Verdict: Crystal Palace win

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Crystal Palace face a test of their Premier League credentials as Newcastle United head to Selhurst Park on Sunday. Just eight points separate the bottom 10 teams in the division, and defeat to a potential relegation rival could drop either of the Eagles or the Magpies 13th and 14th respectively right back into the mix.

Crystal Palace

After losing their first seven opening games of the season, without registering a single goal in reply, the Eagles were heavily tipped as this year s relegation favorites. However, after appointing former England boss Roy Hodgson, Crystal Palace have found some recent Premier League stability. Although the south London club still remains in the heart of a relegation…

Juventus midfielder Sami Khedira believes Tottenham star Harry Kane is the most complete striker ahead of team-mate Gonzalo Higuain and Bayern Munich s Robert Lewandowski.

Kane has dazzled this season, the two-time reigning Premier League Golden Boot winner already scoring 22 goals in 2017-18.

The 24-year-old England international has netted 31 goals in all competitions this term and Khedira heaped praise on the Spurs talisman ahead of next week s Champions League last-16 tie.

Harry Kane for me is maybe the most complete striker, actually, Khedira told BBC Sport.

There is also Robert Lewandowski and Higuain too, but he is strong, good with his head, fast, good with his feet, can score with one touch, he can dribble…

For me he s an amazing pla…

Borussia Monchengladbach claim to have secured an agreement with Chelsea to sign midfielder Thorgan Hazard on loan for next season.

The 21-year-old, younger brother of Eden Hazard, joined his elder sibling at Stamford Bridge in July 2012 from French side Lens.

Chelsea opted to immediately loan Hazard junior to Belgian team Zulte Waregem, where he has impressed during the last two seasons.

Indeed, Thorgan Hazard won the Player of the Year award in the 2013-14 campaign and earned his first senior international cap for Belgium last May.

As a result, the likes of Schalke, Wolfsburg and Gladbach have all been linked with a move for the playmaker, with the latter clubs sporting director Max Eberl stating that they have struck a deal with Chelsea.

We w…

Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas says his side s Champions League fate will be decided in games with Manchester City and Chelsea.

Spurs have won just once in their last six matches, and a similar late run of poor form last season saw the club finish a point behind Arsenal in fourth and miss out on the competition in place of tournament-winners Chelsea.

The north London side are now behind the Blues on goal difference in fourth and two points ahead of the Gunners in fifth, but have played a game more than each of their rivals.

Arsenal s game in hand is against Everton, so something is going to happen, Villas-Boas told reporters.

Everton probably have the toughest calendar and we probably have the second-worst with matches against Manchester City and C…

Best odds: 133/100

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Having beaten Lithuania by 2-0 in the opening round of the Euro 2024 qualifications, Serbia travel to Kaunas to face this rival at the Darius and Girenas stadium on Sunday.

These teams have met five times in the last five years, and the history contained within that span heavily favours the Balkans country ahead of this meeting.

Lithuania

After losing the opening match in Belgrade, Lithuania earned their first point in a 1-1 draw at home against Bulgaria, with defender Justas Lasickas sent off in the 17th minute. They soon suffered another 2-0 loss, away to current group leaders Hungary, and eventually drew 2-2 at home against Montenegro on Thursday.

All four goals in that game came in the final quarter, with Gytis …

Prediction: Match to end in 2-2 draw

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The Columbus Crew and the New England Revolution will face each other in Major League Soccer this weekend. The match will take place at the Lower.com Field on Saturday and is scheduled to kick off at 10pm UK time.

Columbus Crew

The Columbus Crew will head into the match against the New England Revolution on the back of a goalless draw with Austin at the Q2 Stadium. It followed a 1-0 defeat to the Philadelphia Union away from home in MLS.

Caleb Porter’s side are fifth in the Eastern Conference table at the moment with 15 points from 10 matches. The Columbus Crew are eight points behind leaders The New England Revolution.

Team News:

Josh Williams, Luis Diaz, Bradley Wright-Ph…

West Ham United are the latest side to be linked with a move for West Bromwich Albion forward Saido Berahino, .

The twenty-two year old, who has been constantly linked with a move away from the Hawthorns over the past few transfer windows with White Hart Lane often mooted as his next destination.

As well as Tottenham Hotspur Premier League champions Leicester City are monitoring the situation, and now West Ham have thrown their hat into the ring with a proposed deal that could see Senegal striker Diafra Sakho move in the opposite direction.

The Hammers have rejected two approaches from Sunderland for Sakho, while Everton, Stoke City and Crystal Palace are also keen on securing the services of the twenty-six year old who moved to England in the summer of 2014.…

Lyon manager Bruno Genesio has confirmed that Rachid Ghezzal has been demoted to the reserves two days after the club rejected a bid from West Ham.

The 24-year-old enjoyed a breakthrough season with Les Gones in 2015-16, scoring eight goals and providing eight assists as Lyon finished a distant second behind runaway leaders Paris Saint-Germain in Ligue 1.

Club president Jean-Michel Aulas claimed on Wednesday that Slaven Bilic s side had a bid of £6.9million rejected for the Algerian international, whose contract expires next June, with Genesio confirming that Ghezzal would not feature in Lyon s Ligue 1 curtain-raiser against Nancy on Sunday.

Rachid Ghezzal will play with the CFA [reserve team] this weekend, Genesio told a news conference on Friday.

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Mano Menezes has named his 21-man squad for Brazil s international friendly doubleheader with Argentina.

Brazil will play two friendly matches with Alejandro Sabella s side, the first taking place in Goiania on September 19, before travelling to Argentina for a game in Resistencia on October 3.

Luis Fabiano has received his first call-up since the 2010 FIFA World Cup, with the Sao Paulo man in imperious form so far this season, scoring 10 goals in 12 Brazil Serie A games in 2012.

Elsewhere, Neymar, Leandro Damiao and Wellington Nem make up an exciting forward line, while Atletico Mineiro s young midfielder Bernard has been given his debut call-up.

Brazil squad: Cassio (Corinthians), Jefferson (Botafogo), Carlinhos (Fluminense), Marcos Rocha (Atletico Min…