Dave Challinor has signed a new three-year contract as Stockport manager.

The 47-year-old, who took charge in November 2021, guided the Hatters to promotion back to the English Football League after an 11-year absence in his first season in charge.

He followed up by taking them to the Sky Bet League Two play-off final, in which they were beaten on penalties by Carlisle, last term.

His initial contract was due to expire in summer 2024 but the new deal means he is committed to the club until 2026.

Challinor, who has won 56 of his 97 games as manager, told the club’s official website: “I don’t think it’s any secret that since I came to the football club, I’ve been really happy.

“We’ve had some success. There’s still the overriding dis…

Xavi is expecting Barcelona s LaLiga title battle with Real Madrid to go down to the wire, despite his side opening up a five-point lead at the summit.

Barca, who last lifted the title in the 2018-19 campaign, have won 16 of their opening 19 league matches to reach the 50-point mark already.

It is only the sixth time Barca have hit that half-century milestone at this stage of a campaign, and they went on to lift the title in four of those previous five campaigns.

Reigning Spanish and European champions Madrid have struggled for consistency either side of the World Cup break, winning only half of their past eight league matches.

However, with the sides also paired together in the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey, Xavi insists Carlo Ancelotti s men can never…

Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe were unleashed together for the first time but Paris Saint-Germain had to settle for a 1-1 Champions League draw at Club Brugge.

Mauricio Pochettino started with his formidable attacking trio at Jan Breydel Stadion on Wednesday, with Mbappe teeing up Ander Herrera for the opener after a mazy run on the left flank.

Many may have expected Brugge to crumble, however, they responded through Hans Vanaken s fifth goal in eight games in the competition.

Mbappe was forced off in the second half with a slight foot problem as PSG, despite their embarrassment of attacking riches, failed to kick-off their Group A campaign with a win.

4 Ander Herrera has scored 4 goals in his last 4 games in all competitions, twice as many as …

Market: Both teams to score

Odds: 3/4 @

In what could be an action-packed affair from west London in midweek, QPR will welcome Norwich to the capital on Wednesday night for an EFL Cup showdown.

Starting with the hosts, while QPR might have opened the 2023/24 campaign with a nightmare display as they slumped to a 4-0 drumming at the hands of Watford, the Hoops are seeking some much-needed stability this time around. However, although Gareth Ainsworth’s men might be tipped as a standout contender to find themselves at the heart of another relegation scrap this season, the former Wycombe boss did see his side claim a crucial boost last weekend. Eventually snatching a 2-1 victory away at Cardiff a few days ago, the west London outfit will be desperate to make anot…

According to , Leroy Sane is set to reject any approach for a transfer at the end of the season and sign a new contract with Bayern Munich. Apparently, the interest has been coming from the likes of Liverpool, Chelsea, and Barcelona.

Sane is a left-footed winger who predominantly plays on the right, which is something Liverpool need if they aim to sign a ready-made replacement for Mohamed Salah. Chelsea lack such a player altogether, and Barcelona only have 16-year-old Lamine Yamal.

With plenty of pace, dribbling skill and a powerful shot, as well as top-level experience, it s no wonder other clubs are showing interest in the 28-year-old Germany international.

Sane joined Bayern from Manchester City in 2020 for a fee reportedly of around €50 million, even thou…

Jamie Vardy s injury-time penalty against Southampton gave Leicester City a piece of Premier League history by sealing a 9-0 win at St Mary s.

Vardy and Ayoze Perez both scored hat-tricks in a triumph that equalled the previous best in the competition s history, while also representing the biggest top-flight win away from home in 131 years of league football in England.

Here, we look back at the matches that proved to be the stuff of wildest dreams or darkest nightmares for the teams on the respective sides of a yawning gulf in class.

Southampton 0-9 Leicester City – October 25, 2019

Ryan Bertrand was sent off for a challenge in the build-up to Ben Chilwell s 10th-minute opener but that was scant excuse for the manner in which Ralph Hasenhut…

Prediction: Spain win

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European football is slowly but surely starting to return with a brand new season after an incredibly short absence, but for the next few days, the international game is going to become the core focal point and that means the return of the UEFA Nations League. Spain and Ukraine will be clashing heads later on this week in what many consider to be a hyped up friendly, but with UEFA Euro 2021 coming up next season, this could serve as an important psychological edge for the winner.

Spain

The Group F winners wasted no time in securing their place in next year s European Championship as they attempt to reclaim the title they lost four years ago. They ve been scoring goals for fun in the last few years, and si…

Brighton and Nottingham Forest maintained their unbeaten Premier League starts as an entertaining 2-2 draw resulted in both sides missing the chance to leap into the top four.

The pair, along with Manchester City and Arsenal before their heavyweight clash on Sunday, remain as the only sides undefeated in the competition this season after a chaotic encounter at the Amex Stadium.

Chris Wood sent the visitors ahead with a 12th-minute penalty, only for Jack Hinshelwood s fine header to restore parity before Danny Welbeck curled a sumptuous free-kick past Matz Sels on the stroke of half-time.

Welbeck should have made it 3-1 but was denied by the sprawling legs of Sels early into the second half, and that superb stop proved pivotal with 20 minutes remaining.

Ra…

Matheus Nunes first Manchester City goal proved the difference as Pep Guardiola s team beat Watford 2-1 to progress to the EFL Cup fourth round.

Tom Ince set up a nervy ending for the hosts at the Etihad Stadium, but Championship side Watford could not find a late equaliser to force a penalty shootout.

City got off to a quick start, helped by Ryan Porteous loose backpass, as James McAtee pounced before Jack Grealish teed up Jeremy Doku for a pinpoint finish into the bottom corner after five minutes.

Kwadwo Baah thought he had equalised in the 21st minute, drilling his low shot into the far post, but he was penalised for a foul on debutant Kaden Braithwaite.

Rico Lewis then opened up Watford s defence with a driving run before laying it off to Nunes, whose…

Best odds: 1

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One of the more interesting duels of the Europa League quarterfinals this season will see four-time continental champions Ajax face Serie A side AS Roma, with the first leg being played at the Johan Cruijff Arena this Thursday. If they win, the Dutch team will equal the record of 11 consecutive home triumphs in this competition, while the Italians will be looking to continue the streak which has so far seen them win all four knockout games in this campaign.

Ajax started the season in the Champions League, but they couldn t secure passage on from the first stage and only managed to finish third in Group D, behind Liverpool and Atalanta, bettering only Midtjylland. They were thus forced to take a step down to the Europa League round of 32, …