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Mario Balotelli and Brendan Rodgers are seemingly both unconcerned by the assertion that sarcasm is the lowest form of wit.

Rodgers took a chance on signing Balotelli from AC Milan for Liverpool in 2014, with the enigmatic striker going on to endure a nightmare season at Anfield.

Balotelli scored once in 16 Premier League games as he proved a wholly inadequate replacement for Luis Suarez and returned to San Siro on loan a year later.

Rodgers was sacked early on in the 2015-16 campaign, but both men have gone about rebuilding their reputations this term – Balotelli netting 14 Ligue 1 goals for Nice, while Rodgers Celtic are unbeaten domestically and a game away from winning the Scottish treble.

Nevertheless, their ill-fated alliance on Merseyside still …

Glenn Murray had a penalty saved before Vicente Iborra and Jamie Vardy struck late for 10-man Leicester City as they beat Brighton and Hove Albion 2-0 to prevent the Seagulls from all but securing their Premier League status.

Kasper Schmeichel was at fault for Chelsea s extra-time winner as Leicester were knocked out of the FA Cup last time out, but he was a hero for the Foxes on this occasion.

The Dane got down low to his left to deny Murray, who had missed a gilt-edged chance in the first half, after Harry Maguire brought down Jose Izquierdo.

And Leicester quickly took advantage of that let-off as Iborra popped up to settle what had for the most part been a disappointing contest.

Iborra glanced Ben Chilwell s left-wing cross into the bottom-righ…

With the first round of Nations League fixtures drawing to a close on Tuesday night, we are offered a host of meetings from across Europe in midweek. On that note, for those of you looking to stick on a Tuesday acca, we have found you a handful of helpful tips that are worth keeping an eye out for.

Tuesday 8th September  

BST 19:00 MK Dons vs Northampton Town

Starting with Tuesday s guests, undoubtedly still boosted after booking their spot in League One over the summer, Northampton find the mood in their camp at a real high. Along with shocking many and landing a stunning 4-0 romp when they faced off against Exeter in the fourth-tier play-off final at Wembley back in June, Keith Curle s men have won four of their last five contests and would have only been …

Mircea Lucescu s Shakhtar Donetsk booked a spot in the quarter-finals of the Europa League after Eduardo s late goal sealed a 1-0 win at Anderlecht, putting the gloss on a 4-1 aggregate triumph.

The Ukrainians had Oleksandr Kucher sent off six minutes from time, but had always looked comfortable sitting on their lead and Kara Mbodji was given his marching orders soon after to level the scores on that front.

Anderlecht had the ball in the net after 22 minutes, but Mbodji s header was ruled out for a push on Facundo Ferreyra.

Stefano Okaka could have had a penalty after the interval when he was bundled over by Ferreyra, but the referee again ruled against the Belgian team.

Kucher and Mbodji were sent off in the closing stages before Eduardo tidily …

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin says the remaining Super League clubs Barcelona, Real Madrid and Juventus could yet face sanctions, also insisting they are free to form their own competition if they give up their places in the Champions League.

Madrid, Barcelona, and Juventus were the only three founding clubs not to renounce their backing for the widely derided Super League after the breakaway project s collapse in April 2021.

Last month, a Madrid court lifted precautionary measures preventing UEFA from punishing the trio, who have continued to voice their backing for a new competition – to be governed by its founding clubs – despite the withdrawals of the other nine founding members.

Speaking to AS, Ceferin hinted sanctions against the trio could be on…

Florin Andone was the hero against Huddersfield Town for the second time this season as Brighton and Hove Albion eased their relegation fears with a 1-0 home win on Saturday.

On target in a 2-1 victory when these teams met in December, substitute Andone came to the Seagulls rescue again as he nodded in Anthony Knockaert s cross 11 minutes from time.

The hosts had long been frustrated in their attempts to find a way through but a sustained period of pressure after a lacklustre first half eventually broke Huddersfield s resistance, leaving Jan Siewert s side 13 points adrift of safety.

In contrast, Chris Hughton s men are now five points clear of 18th-placed Cardiff City, having celebrated a much-needed first league win of 2019.

80: Ohhhh Florin Andone!<…

Final presentations from countries competing to host the 2018 World Cup are being held in Zurich on Thursday morning.

The joint bid of the Netherlands and Belgium, who are bidding against Russia, England and another joint bid from Spain and Portugal, were the first to state their case.

Dutchman Guus Hiddink took to the stage to declare how the 2000 European Championships, which were co-hosted by the Netherlands and Belgium, demonstrated how well the two nations could handle a sporting event of that magnitude.

Then Netherlands/Belgium bid chief and former Dutch international star Ruud Gullit heralded the virtues of the country s green focus for the World Cup, and said they would provide two million bikes to help fans move around.

This is not a gimmick it…