Arsenal already planning to make Pablo Marí transfer permanent

Despite not having made his Arsenal first-team debut, the Gunners management have already notified Flamengo that they plan on making Pablo Marí’s loan deal a permanent one.

That’s according to reports out of Brazil, who claim that a deal, which would include Marí’s economic rights and performance bonuses, could be as much as an additional £9.25m (€11m).

The Flamengo centre-back is currently being loaned to Arsenal for the rest of the Premier League season, with the Gunners paying a €5m loan fee for his services, according to football data provider iSports API.

（iSports API, which covers a wide range of football games with livescore, standings, events, line-ups, pre-match odds, statistics）

Flamengo themselves have already prepared for the player’s long-term departure by bringing in another left-footed centre-back, Léo Pereira from Athletico Paranaense, for €7m in the winter window, as per iSports API football data.

The rubro-negro also brought in long-time Santos stalwart Gustavo Henrique. Both centre-backs have received opportunities in the team but it’s still unclear which player will win the starting place next to Rodrigo Caio.

His former club Flamengo will go after their third title of the 2020 season when they host Ecuador’s Independiente del Valle in the second leg of the Recopa Sudamericana – the annual competition between the 2019 champions of the Copa Libertadores and Copa Sudamericana tournaments, noted by iSports football API.

The two teams drew 2-2 in Ecuador, though 2019 South American Player of the Year Gabigol missed out due to suspension.

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Bruno Fernandes makes history with his first goal for Man United

Bruno Fernandes has got off the mark for Manchester United, as per iSports football API.

（iSports API, which covers almost all ranges of football games with livescore, standings, events, line-ups, pre-match odds, statistics）

The Portuguese international was a €55m signing from Sporting Lisbon in the January transfer window.

The 25-year-old made his third start for the club during today’s Premier League clash against Watford and he’s had an impact.

Fernandes won a penalty in the 42nd minute after being taken down by Watford goalkeeper Ben Foster.

He then produced a very classy penalty to put his new side 1-0 up just before half-time.

Bruno Fernandes is the first Man Utd player whose maiden Premier League goal for the club was a penalty, according to football data provider iSports API.

And he’s put himself in the Manchester United history books already.

Not a bad start to his Old Trafford career.

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Barcelona complete surprise Martin Braithwaite signing from Leganes

Barcelona have completed the surprise signing of Leganes' Martin Braithwaite after being given permission to bring in a forward outside the transfer window.

Braithwaite, 28, has signed until 2024 and could make his debut on Saturday against Eibar after Barcelona paid his €18 million release clause, according to iSports . His new release clause at Barcelona is €300m, while Leganes, battling to avoid relegation in La Liga, will not be able to sign a replacement.

（iSports API, which covers almost all ranges of football games with livescore, standings, events, line-ups, pre-match odds, statistics）

Speaking about the transfer, Leganes sporting director Martin Ortega said: "We understood the 'emergency' rule was only used in cases where both clubs agreed. This goes against the idea of all clubs being equal. We'll try everything in a situation where we've been damaged irreparably.

"Barca have acted in correct manner. They contacted us Monday, and the only option was to pay the clause. We cannot hold it against them as they used the rules which currently exist. But we don't think the rules are fair.

"We hope that the federation will allow us to sign a player. We will try everything to be able to do this."

Barca were given permission to turn to the transfer market by La Liga after losing Ousmane Dembele to injury for the rest of the season, but the same rule does not exist for clubs who see a player leave through their release clause.

Barca had previously explored the possibility of signing Real Sociedad's Willian Jose, Real Betis' Loren Moron, Alaves' Lucas Perez and Getafe's Angel Rodriguez, but, for different reasons, did not push forward with their interest in any of the quartet.

Braithwaite first joined Leganes in January 2019 on loan from English side Middlesbrough before making the move permanent during the summer for €5m. He has scored 13 goals in 41 appearances for the club, as per football data provider iSports API.

He has also had two spells in France, first with Toulouse, who he joined from Esbjerg FB, and later with Bordeaux on loan. Braithwaite has been capped 39 times by Denmark, scoring seven goals, according to iSports football livescore API.

Barca are also without striker Luis Suarez for the next two to three months due to a knee problem.

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Pogba expects Man United exit and club want over £150m

Paul Pogba expects to leave Manchester United this summer, but the club are determined that he will not be sold in a cut-price deal.

Pogba was keen to leave Old Trafford last summer but was convinced to stay for at least another season by manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. The France international believes he will be allowed to move at the end of the campaign, with Spanish giants Barcelona and Real Madrid, or former club Juventus, his preferred destinations.

Despite Solskjaer's public declarations that Pogba will not be sold, there is a growing feeling among key figures that the 26-year-old -- along with agent Mino Raiola -- is becoming too big a distraction and will have to move on.

However, United insist privately that they will not be put on the back foot during any negotiations and are prepared to stick to their valuation of more than £150 million.

Pogba has 18 months left on the contract he signed when he joined from Juventus for a then-world-record fee of £89.3m in 2016, and United also hold an option to extend it until June 2022, according to iSports API football data.

（iSports API, which covers almost all ranges of football games with livescore, standings, events, line-ups, pre-match odds, statistics）

United are prepared to enter into talks with any serious bidder, but there remain significant doubts about whether Barcelona, Real Madrid or Juventus could afford a substantial transfer fee and Pogba's hefty wage packet.

Pogba has not featured for United since coming on as a half-time substitute in the 4-1 win over Newcastle on Dec. 26, and has been restricted to just 8t appearances all season, as per iSports football API. He underwent ankle surgery in January, with sources having told the procedure was to correct a osteochondral defect.

He has started light running without a cast but, due to the seriousness of the issue, United are refusing to put any timescale on a return to first-team action.

Pogba has responded well to treatment and there is hope he will be available again this season and feature for France at this summer's European Championship, but United are remaining cautious about an injury that has caused significant problems for other players.

English midfielder Gary O'Neil was sidelined for eight months during a spell at West Ham after undergoing surgery on an osteochondral ankle defect in 2011, recorded by iSports football livescore data.

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5 of the most memorable Champions League finals

The biggest prize in club football, few competitions hold as rich a history or as illustrious a reputation as the Champions League.

European football’s elite do battle each season, hoping to get their hands on the most coveted prize on the continent.

The final itself is a showpiece all players dream of competing in, and since its rebrand from the old European Cup in 1992 we have seen some truly remarkable finals.

We’ve looked backed through the archives to revisit some of the very best, here’s five of the most memorable Champions League finals, according to iSports football API.

（iSports API, which covers almost all ranges of football games with livescore, standings, events, line-ups, pre-match odds, statistics）

AC Milan 4-0 Barcelona, 1994

Spanish giants Barcelona headed into the 1994 final as overwhelming favourites, with Johan Cruyff’s ‘Dream Team’ having won four consecutive league titles and a first European Cup in 1992.

By contrast, Milan were struggling heading into the showpiece. Despite winning Serie A they had failed to win any of their final six league fixtures and were missing key personnel. Marco Van Basten was absent with a long-term injury, as was world-record signing Gianluigi Lentini whilst defensive duo Franco Baresi and Alessandro Costacurta were both suspended.

The script pointed to a Barcelona win, however that script was soon ripped up.

Milan dominated proceedings, with a brace from Daniele Massaro giving the Italians a two-goal half-time lead. Two minutes into the second half, it was three, Dejan Savićevic lobbing goalkeeper Andoni Zubizarreta to give Fabio Capello’s side a commanding lead.

Marcel Desailly, who became the first player to win consecutive European Cup/Champions League titles with different clubs, scored a fourth before the hour and Milan were crowned champions of Europe, as per iSports football livescore data.

It is regarded by many as perhaps the greatest final performance in the competition’s history.

Manchester United 2-1 Bayern Munich, 1999

Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United met Bayern Munich at Barcelona’s Camp Nou stadium, looking to complete a historic treble following their earlier Premier League and FA Cup success.

The duo had met in the group stages of the competition earlier in the season, twice playing out draws, and met again in the final looking to win Europe’s biggest prize.

United had endured a memorable run to the final, knocking out Italian giants Inter Milan and Juventus, but would be without Paul Scholes and inspirational captain Roy Keane who were both suspended for the showpiece.

Bayern started strongly and took an early lead, Mario Basler curling home a low free-kick to hand Ottmar Hitzfield’s side the lead after just six minutes.

The Germans controlled long periods of the game, twice hitting the woodwork in the second half, before came perhaps the most memorable final finish in history.

With the clock ticking into stoppage time, United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel ventured forward for a corner as the Manchester side searched desperately for an equaliser. David Beckham swung in the set piece, just evading Schmeichel before Bayern managed to half-clear. The clearance fell only as far as Ryan Giggs, who fluffed an effort towards goal that was turned home by substitute Teddy Sheringham to spark wild celebrations.

United looked to have forced extra-time, though just moments after the restart they forced another corner. Beckham again delivered and Sheringham flicked the ball on at the near post. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, another substitute, reacted quickest and wrote his name into history with a second stoppage time goal.

A second European Cup would be heading to Manchester, a historic treble secured after late, late drama.

AC Milan 3-3 Liverpool

(Liverpool win 3-2 on penalties)

Goals, drama, incredible saves and the greatest comeback in final history, when Liverpool were crowned champions of Europe for a fifth time in Istanbul in 2005.

Liverpool entered the final as major underdogs, Rafael Benitez’s side having finished fifth in that season’s Premier League. Having surprised by beating Juventus and Chelsea to reach the final, many thought Carlo Ancelotti’s Milan would prove a step too far for the Merseyside club.

Milan were playing in their second final in three years, having lifted the trophy in 2003, and had superstars including the likes of Andriy Shevchenko, Kaka and Andrea Pirlo amongst a star-studded line-up, according to iSports API football data.

The match could hardly have begun better for the Italian side, captain Paulo Maldini becoming the oldest scorer in the competitions history after just 50 seconds.

Milan continued to dominate, whilst Harry Kewell’s substitution through injury was a blow to Liverpool’s hopes. Soon after, Hernan Crespo doubled Milan’s lead, turning home from Shevchenko’s cross. Before half-time it was three, Crespo getting his second with a delightful chip over Jerzy Dudek after being played in by Kaka.

At half-time it was 3-0 and Milan seemingly had an unassailable lead. Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez brought on Dietmar Hamann at the interval and switched to a 3-5-2 formation. The tactic seemed to work, Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard heading home John Arne Riise’s cross to give his side hope.

Moments later, it was 3-2, Smicer firing home from distance into the bottom corner and Liverpool had belief. Just three minutes after Smicer’s goal, Liverpool had a penalty. Gerrard burst into the area and was brought down by Gennaro Gattuso and Benitez’s side had the chance to level. Xabi Alonso stepped up, seeing his penalty saved by Dida before reacting first to equalise.

From three goals down Liverpool had levelled in a frantic six-minute period. The game went into extra-time, with Dudek making a miraculous double save to deny Shevchenko in the added period.

Penalties were to decide the tie, and after Serginho and Pirlo missed Milan’s first two Liverpool were in control. 3-2 to Liverpool with only Shevchenko to take, the Ballon D’or winner had to score to keep Milan in it. Having scored the winning spot-kick two years prior, his tame effort was kept out by Dudek who had deployed former Liverpool goalkeeper Bruce Grobbelaar’s wobbly leg’s tactic to distact his opponents.

The Miracle of Istanbul was complete.

Bayern Munich 1-1 Chelsea, 2012

(Chelsea win 4-3 on penalties)

Bayern Munich were the first and so far only side of the Champions League-era to have played a final at their home ground, with the 2012 edition held at the Allianz Arena in Munich.

Their opponents were Chelsea, who were looking to become the first London side to be crowned champions of Europe after suffering final heartbreak four years prior in Moscow against Man United.

Both clubs had several players missing through suspension, though notably for Chelsea they were without captain John Terry, as per iSports football historical data.

Bayern controlled the game for long periods, but a breakthrough proved difficult. With just seven minutes remaining, the German’s though they’d won it after Thomas Muller headed home to give them the lead.

Just like in 1999, Bayern suffered late heartbreak to an English side and again from a set-piece. Juan Mata swung in an 88th-minute corner, with Didier Drogba powering a header past Manuel Neuer to send the final in extra-time.

There was more drama to come in the extra period, as Drogba turned from hero to villain by fouling Franck Ribery inside the Chelsea penalty box. Arjen Robben stepped up against his former side to put Bayern ahead, but the Dutchman saw his low effort saved by Petr Cech.

The game would be decided by penalties, with the shoot-out again a topsy-turvy affair. Bayern converted their first three kicks through Phillip Lahm, Mario Gomez and goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, however, Juan Mata missed Chelsea’s opening kick to give the German side the advantage.

Ivica Olic and Bastian Schweinsteiger then both saw their efforts saved by Cech, giving Didier Drogba the chance to win it for the Blues. As proved on many occasions, the Ivorian further enhanced his reputation as a big-game player and stroked home to give Chelsea the trophy for the first time in their history.

Real Madrid 4-1 Atlético Madrid (AET), 2014

Throughout Champions League history there have been several occasions of final meetings between teams from the same country, but 2014 was the first time two teams had met in the showpiece from the same city.

The Madrid rivals did battle in Lisbon, with Real looking for the elusive ‘La Decima’ to extend their record to 10 European crowns. Atlético were competing in their second ever final, having lost their previous appearance to Bayern Munich 40 years earlier, also in the process breaking the record for the longest wait between final appearances.

Diego Simeone’s side had surprised everyone to be crowned Spanish champions for the first time since 1996, and entered the final in confident mood against their fierce rivals.

Atlético took the lead after 36 minutes, courtesy of a mistake from Real captain Iker Casillas. Following a corner, the goalkeeper came off his line as Juanfran headed the ball back into the penalty area only to be caught in ‘no man’s land’ as Diego Godin looped a header over the stranded shot-stopper.

Real pushed hard for an equaliser in the second half, but Atlético’s defence held firm and a first Champions League title was just seconds from their grasp.

However, in the 93rd minute, Sergio Ramos met Luka Modric’s corner to head home and the Spaniard’s late, late intervention sent the game into extra-time.

With Atlético clearly fatigued in the extra period, Real ran riot. Gareth Bale put them in front, heading home after Thibaut Courtois parried Angel Di Maria’s shot into his path before Marcelo hit a low drive to add a third. Cristiano Ronaldo netted a fourth from the penalty spot, and ‘La Decima’ was achieved.

Real manager Carlo Ancelotti became just the second manager, after Bob Paisley, to win the trophy three times after previously doing so with AC Milan in 2003 and 2007, as per iSports API football data.

The Spanish rivals would meet again in the final two years later with Real again emerging triumphant, this time on penalties after a 1-1 draw.

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Rating the five most expensive U21 transfers in football history

Football is big business, with transfer fees seemingly on a never ending upward trajectory and record deals broken with increasing regularity.

The stratospheric fees once restricted to top-end, proven talent are no more, major clubs now often prepared to spend big on emerging youngsters in a gamble to secure the next superstar of the game.

We’ve decided to look back at some of the priciest prospects of years gone by, here are our ratings of the most expensive U21 transfers in football history, according to iSports API football data.

（iSports API, which covers almost all ranges of football games with livescore, standings, events, line-ups, pre-match odds, statistics）



Frenkie de Jong – Ajax to Barcelona, €75m, 2019

The midfield metronome at the heart of Ajax’s surprise run to the Champions League semi-finals last season, De Jong’s talents had long been admired from afar and it would be Barcelona who would win the race to secure his signature, securing the young Dutchman on a pre-contract agreement in January 2019 before he headed to the Camp Nou last summer, as per iSports football historical data.

At surface level rarely has a player looked more suited to his future destination, De Jong following in a long line of players built in the style of former Ajax and Barcelona great Johan Cruyff.

A versatile playmaker, De Jong’s ability to retain and recycle possession makes him a superb fit in the heart of the Catalan side, the now 22-year-old quickly establishing himself in Ernesto Valverde’s side and drawing comparisons with Barca greats Xavi and current teammate Sergio Busquets.

De Jong’s career in La Liga may be less than a year old, but he has already shown signs of being a key component of the side for seasons to come.

Rating: 7/10

Neymar – Santos to Barcelona, €86m, 2013

One of a long list of South American talents to emerge from the continent amongst much hype, Neymar would be chased by almost all of Europe’s leading clubs before opting for Barcelona in 2013.

The effortlessly talented forward had scored prolifically in his homeland and had long been tipped for the very top of the game, twice being named as South America’s Footballer of the Year.

His move to Europe and Spain would prove a huge success, following a season of adaptation in which he scored 15 goals with a haul of 39 in all competitions the following year, as per iSports football livescore API, forming a devastating forward partnership with Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez as Barcelona completed a continental treble.

In four seasons at the Camp Nou he would score 105 goals in just 186 appearances, winning a series of major honours including two La Liga titles and the Champions League. He would ultimately depart under a cloud for Paris Saint-Germain in 2017, the Brazilian the most expensive footballer in football history.

Rating: 9/10

Ousmane Dembele – Borussia Dortmund to Barcelona, €105m, 2017

The third big-money Barcelona signing to make this list, Ousmane Dembele would head to Spain as part of the knock-on effect of the aforementioned Neymar’s move to PSG.

Left with a Neymar-shaped hole in their forward line and pockets stashed with cash, the Catalan side chose to part with an eye-watering €105m to sign the talented French winger from Borussia Dortmund, Dembele having joined from Rennes a year earlier and enjoyed a meteoric rise in his single season in German football.

Dembele had made the Bundesliga Team of the Year after providing 12 assists during that campaign, with Barcelona believing the Frenchman possessed the creativity from wide that would be absent following Neymar’s departure.

It has proven to be a frustrating time for Dembele since the move, however, the winger failing to truly establish himself as a key figure with injuries and inconsistency hampering his progress. Team success has come in the form of back-to-back league titles, but he continues to be linked with a move away from Camp Nou having failed to make a significant impact.

Rating: 4/10

Joao Felix – Benfica to Atletico Madrid, €126m, 2019

The most recent inclusion to this feature of expensive youngsters, Felix would join Atletico Madrid last summer as the most expensive acquisition in the club’s illustrious history.

The teenage forward had thrived since being handed his opportunity in the Benfica first-team last season, scoring 20 times in all competitions as the club secured the Portuguese league title, according to iSports football result.

His performances had not gone unnoticed amongst the elite of European football, though it would be Atletico who somewhat uncharacteristically took the plunge and activated his hefty release clause.

It’s been a slow adaptation to life in the Spanish captial, Felix scoring four goals in all competitions thus far, though he has shown glimpses of the talent that saw him secure the Golden Boy award ahead of the likes of Jadon Sancho and Kai Havertz last year.

The jury still remains out on whether his huge fee will be justified, but he certainly possesses the potential and promise to become a leading star in the near future.

Rating: 5/10

Kylian Mbappe – Monaco to Paris Saint-Germain, €180m, 2017

The French phenomenon would burst onto the scene with an exciting, young Monaco side, winning the league title and reaching the Champions League semi-finals with the Ligue 1 outfit just over two years ago before a mega-move came calling.

Mbappe would choose to remain in his homeland and sign for PSG, initially on loan before joining for a staggering €180m, making him the second most expensive player in football history.

Since arriving in the capital the sublime talents of the forward have continued to flourish, Mbappe scoring 78 goals in just 106 appearances, winning back-to-back Ligue 1 titles and being named as the division’s Player of the Season last year in addition to winning the Golden Boot, as per iSports livescore football data.

Remarkably still just 20-years-old, the youngster’s impressive haul already includes three league titles in addition to World Cup success with France, Mbappe becoming the first teenager since Pele to score in the final against Croatia in 2018.

Delivering a maiden Champions League success would give Mbappe full marks in our ratings, and he will undoubtedly have one eye on achieving that feat this season.

Rating: 9/10

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Analysing Cristiano Ronaldo’s league goalscoring record over the last 11 seasons

Cristiano Ronaldo’s extraordinary goalscoring exploits continued as the Juventus superstar scored his 20th Serie A goal of the season against Verona, meaning the forward has now scored 20+ league goals in each of his last 11 seasons, according to iSports football API.

（ iSports API, which covers almost all ranges of football games with livescore, standings, events, line-ups, pre-match odds, statistics）

The Portuguese international is widely recognised as one of the greatest footballers of all-time, and the forward’s goal also set another new record as he became the first player in the Turin side’s history to score in ten consecutive league matches.

Following the five-time Ballon d’Or winner’s latest landmark, we’ve decided to look back at Ronaldo’s goalscoring league campaigns from previous seasons in what has been a truly remarkable career.

2009/10 – 26 goals in 29 appearances (Real Madrid)

Ronaldo’s first season in Madrid following his world record move from Manchester United would see the marquee signing score 26 La Liga goals, coming in just 29 appearances for the Spanish side, according to iSports API.

Despite those exploits, however, Ronaldo would finish a goal behind Gonzalo Higuain as the club’s top league scorer, in a season that would end without silverware as the second coming of the Galacticos took time to adapt to the pressure cooker of the Bernabeu.

2010/11 – 40 goals in 34 appearances (Real Madrid)

Whilst 20 goals is often viewed, for good reason, as a total to reach for leading strikers, Ronaldo would help elevate the game to new standards by hitting a then record 40 league goals in a single La Liga campaign during his second season in the Spanish capital.

Madrid’s efforts to wrestle La Liga back from Barcelona would ultimately end in failure, though Ronaldo would enjoy the best goalscoring season of his career and claim a first Pichichi trophy, averaging more than a goal-per-league-game for the first time in his career – a feat he has since achieved on a further three occasions.

Ronaldo’s efforts would also see him claim the European Golden Shoe, winning the award for the second time in his career.

2011/12 – 46 goals in 38 appearances (Real Madrid)

Ronaldo would once again raise the bar in a record-breaking season for Real Madrid, playing in every La Liga fixture as the title was secured, Jose Mourinho’s side setting new standards including most points (100), most goals scored (126) and biggest goal difference (+89), as per iSports livescore API.

His 46 goals would again improve his best ever personal tally for a league season and he would register 53 goals in all competitions, whilst he would also become the first player to score against all 19 opponents in a single La Liga season.

Remarkably, however, he would finish as only the second highest scorer in La Liga, Lionel Messi becoming the first player in the history of Europe’s top five leagues to score 50 times in a league season – the duo reaching unprecedented levels at the height of their great rivalry.

2012/13 – 34 goals in 34 appearances (Real Madrid)

The Real Madrid star’s standards would dip slightly as Los Blancosfailed to defend their title, though Ronaldo would still break the 30-goal barrier for the third consecutive league season and register an average of a goal-per-game.

The 2012/13 campaign would also see CR7 score his 200th goal for the club, coming in just 197 appearances, whilst his goal-per-game ratio would be maintained throughout all competitions, scoring 55 goals in 55 games, including finishing as the top scorer in the Champions League for the second time and first as a Madrid player.

2013/14 – 31 goals in 30 games (Real Madrid)

Injuries would restrict Ronaldo to his lowest number of appearances since his debut season in Spain, though his haul of 31 goals in 30 league games were enough to see him claim a second Pichichi trophy and a third European Golden Shoe – sharing the award jointly with Liverpool striker Luis Suarez, as per iSports football API data.

Real Madrid would ultimately suffer a disappointing La Liga season as they finished third behind champions Atletico Madrid and runners-up Barcelona, though it would prove a memorable season as the club ended their 12-year wait for La Decima by lifting the Champions League, Ronaldo becoming the first player to score in two finals for two different winning teams after earlier achieving the feat with Manchester United.

Some of his season highlights would include scoring his 400th career goal and a stunning last-minute backheeled volley against Valencia – the goal named as the best in Spanish football that season.

2014/15 – 48 goals in 35 games (Real Madrid)

The best goalscoring season of a phenomenal career, Ronaldo would hit 48 La Liga goals during 2014/15, averaging 1.371 goals-per-game throughout the league campaign and falling just two short of Messi’s aforementioned record.

His tally would include 15 goals in his first eight league appearances of the season, whilst he would also become the fastest player to reach 200 goals in Spain’s top-flight, achieving the feat in just 178 games, recorded by iSports football API data.

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Named as the winner of the Ballon d’Or for the second successive year in December, the season would be a disappointment on a team level as Real won only the Club World Cup and UEFA Super Cup, finishing as runners-up in La Liga and losing in the semi-finals in the defence of their Champions League crown.

Despite that Ronaldo would finish with 61 goals in all competitions, winning a fourth European Golden Shoe in his most prolific campaign to date.

2015/16 – 35 goals in 36 appearances (Real Madrid)

Ronaldo would smash the 30-goal barrier for the sixth successive league season in 2015/16, scoring 35 times in 36 appearances as Real finished as runners-up once more in La Liga.

That season would see the forward eclipse Raul as the club’s greatest ever goalscorer in league football, scoring five times in a 6-0 thrashing of Espanyol to move to 230 La Liga goals, before moving past the Spanish great as Real’s leading goalscorer in all competitions with a goal against Levante the following month.

Later in the campaign, a four-goal haul against Levante would also take Ronaldo to 252 La Liga goals, putting him behind only Messi as the competition’s all-time record goalscorer, whilst he would also fire the club to a second Champions League title in three years.

2016/17 – 25 goals in 29 appearances (Real Madrid)

It’s perhaps remarkable that Ronaldo’s lowest goalscoring league season in Spain produced just 25 goals, a testament to the abnormal levels that have become so routine for the Portuguese great.

Whilst it may have been a less prolific season on a personal level for the star, it would be a campaign of great team success, Real securing La Liga in addition to becoming the first side in the Champions League era to defend their crown.

UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup honours would also be added to an ever growing trophy cabinet, Ronaldo finishing the season with 40+ goals in all competitions for the seventh season in succession and winning a fifth Ballon d’Or at the end of the year, as per iSports API football data.

2017/18 – 26 goals in 27 appearances (Real Madrid)

The 2017/18 season would prove to be Ronaldo’s last in the famous all-white colours of Real Madrid, and would prove a disappointing campaign domestically as Zinedine Zidane’s side slumped to a third-placed finish despite Ronaldo averaging almost a goal-per-game.

Ronaldo would save his best for the European stage that season, however, firing Real to a third consecutive Champions League title and scoring one of the competition’s greatest ever goals with a gravity-defying overhead kick against Juventus in the quarter-finals.



2018/19 – 21 goals in 31 appearances (Juventus)

Speaking of Juventus…

The Italian giants would capture worldwide headlines by signing Ronaldo from Madrid, the club believing that Ronaldo was the man to help them capture European glory after seasons of domestic dominance.

Whilst Champions League success would ultimately prove elusive during his maiden campaign, the forward would help the Turin side to an eighth consecutive Scudetto, scoring 21 goals in 31 appearances to finish as the fourth-highest goalscorer in the division.

His 21-goal haul may have been his lowest tally since his final season with Manchester United ten years previously, though he was still named as Serie A’s Footballer of the Year following his debut season with Juventus.

2019/20 – 20 goals in 20 appearances*

Following a season of adaptation, Ronaldo is beginning to hit his best goalscoring form in Serie A, his goal against Verona the tenth consecutive league fixture in which he had found the net and taking his tally to 20 goals in just 20 appearances this season.

Juventus currently sit second and are embroiled in a tense title race with Inter Milan and Lazio, and the Bianconeri will need Ronaldo to continue firing if they are to see off the new found competition.

Averaging a goal-per-game at present, the 35-year-old is firmly in contention for a fifth European Golden Shoe and to finish as the league’s top scorer in a third of Europe’s five major leagues.

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Jürgen Klopp makes Premier League managerial history

Liverpool boss Jürgen Klopp has broken the record for most Premier League Manager of the Month awards in a single season.

The German has now won the award an unprecedented five times this term, surpassing the record set by Pep Guardiola in 2017/18, as per iSports football API.

（ iSports API, which covers almost all ranges of football games with livescore, standings, events, line-ups, pre-match odds, statistics）

He wins the January prize after overseeing the Reds victories over the likes of Tottenham and Manchester United and his side ended the month 19 points clear at the top of the Premier League.

Guardiola, Ralph Hasenhüttl and Nigel Pearson were the other three nominees.

Klopp has now won a total of eight Premier League Manager of the Month awards in his career, moving him level with Martin O’Neill and Harry Redknapp.

Only Sir Alex Ferguson, Arsene Wenger and David Moyes have now won more than the 52-year-old former Borussia Dortmund manager.

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Real, Barca ousted from Copa on same day for first time in 65 years

Real Madrid and Barcelona were ousted from the Copa del Rey quarterfinals on Thursday, the first time in nearly 65 years that the La Liga giants were eliminated from the tournament on the same day, as per iSports API data provider.

Real Sociedad ended Real Madrid's 21-game unbeaten run by winning 4-3 at the Bernabeu, while Barcelona were sent crashing out thanks to hosts Athletic Bilbao on a stoppage time header.

According to iSports API Football Stats & Information, the last time the two Spanish traditional powers were bounced from the competition on the same day was May 29th, 1955, when Real Madrid lost to Sevilla and Barcelona were eliminated by Athletic Club in the semifinals.



With Real and Barcelona out of this year's competition, Basque clubs Real Sociedad and Athletic Bilbao will join fellow La Liga counterparts Granada and second division side Mirandes in the final four.

The last Copa del Rey semifinals without Real Madrid and Barcelona occurred in 2009-10.

Barcelona have lifted the Copa a record 30 times, while Real Madrid have won it 19 times. Athletic Bilbao have 23 titles but have not won since the 1983-84 season, recorded by iSports football API.

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Barcelona coach Quique Setien said he was hurt by the elimination but was pleased with his side's performance.

"Today everything went well apart from the result," he said. "We took a step forward in our play and I'm pleased with many things we did, I'm not only looking at the result."

On Real Madrid's loss, manager Zinedine Zidane said: "It's a bad feeling because we lost at home. We started badly. We tried until the end and the second half was much better ... the opponent played well. We were bad in the first half with our press, then we made defensive mistakes."

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Borussia Dortmund looking to make Achraf Hakimi move permanent

There’s no doubt that Achraf Hakimi has taken advantage of his two-year loan to Borussia Dortmund, winning back-to-back CAF Young Player of the Year awards while becoming one of their star performers.

The 21-year-old has delivered 9 goals and 13 assists in 58 matches for the club, as per iSports API and was absolutely clinical in helping BVB reach the Champions League knockout round.

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With the Moroccan’s loan spell coming to an end this summer, Dortmund sporting director Michael Zorc has revealed the German giants will look to retain his services for years to come.

“We will have talks with Real Madrid in the next few weeks,” Zorc told media.

“The decision is not up to us, but Achraf’s great development has, of course, not been hidden from anyone in Spain either.

“He feels very comfortable with us. They [Real Madrid] know that we would like to keep him.”

Hakimi, who came up through the Real Madrid youth system, is currently valued at €45m on Transfermarkt.

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Chiellini named in Juventus' Champions League squad

Giorgio Chiellini has been named in Juventus' squad for the Champions League knockout stage as he nears a return from a knee injury.

Chiellini, 35, has made just one appearance for Juve this season and underwent surgery on his knee in September, as per iSports football API.

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The Juve captain was targeting a return this month or in March and was included in Juve's 22-man squad for the Champions League knockout stage.

Juventus will face Lyon in the last 16, with the first leg to be played in France on February 26.

They are top of Serie A by three points ahead of a trip to Hellas Verona on Saturday.

According to iSports football data, Juventus latest squad: Gianluigi Buffon, Carlo Pinsoglio, Wojciech Szczesny; Leonardo Bonucci, Giorgio Chiellini, Danilo, Matthijs de Ligt, Mattia De Sciglio, Daniele Rugani, Alex Sandro; Rodrigo Bentancur, Juan Cuadrado, Sami Khedira, Blaise Matuidi, Miralem Pjanic, Adrien Rabiot, Aaron Ramsey; Federico Bernardeschi, Douglas Costa, Paulo Dybala, Gonzalo Higuain, Cristiano Ronaldo.

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LA Galaxy sign former Man United man to replace Zlatan Ibrahimović

Los Angeles Galaxy have found their replacement for Zlatan Ibrahimović.
And it comes in the form of a man with his own impressive pedigree in European football.

The Major League Soccer outfit have completed the signing of Javier Hernández, aka Chicharito, from Sevilla.

The 31-year-old has racked up over 110 goals across the past decade in European football, including spells at Manchester United, Real Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen and West Ham, according to iSports football API.

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At Sevilla, he found it hard to break into Julen Lopetegui’s plans and has exited after just six months in Andalusia.

Reports in Spain claim that the Galaxy have paid a fee of €8.5m for the Mexico international’s services.

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Mario Mandzukic leaves Juventus for Qatari side Al Duhail

Mario Mandzukic has joined Qatari side Al Duhail, leaving Juventus after four years at the Serie A club.

Mandzukic reached the World Cup final in 2018, and at club level he previously played for Atletico Madrid and Bayern Munich, winning the Champions League with the latter in 2013, according to iSports API football data.

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"The team's management succeeded today in contracting with the Croatian striker Mario Mandzukic of Juventus in a free transfer deal after the end of his contract with his Italian team," Al-Duhail said.

Mandzukic, 33, was linked with Manchester United in the summer, but sources told ESPN the Premier League side backed out of a move due to Juventus' asking price and the forward's wage demands.

The former Croatia international, who did not make a single appearance under new Juventus manager Maurizio Sarri this season, joins former Juve teammate Medhi Benatia at Al Duhail.

The Doha-based club are coached by Rui Faria, former assistant coach to Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho.

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Five of the Premier League’s most notorious divers ever

The most recent debate over diving reminded us of some of its worst proponents in the Premier League era.

There was a bit of a stir created by Pep Guardiola this week when, after both Manchester City and Liverpool had completed dramatic late comebacks against Southampton and Aston Villa respectively, he suggested that Sadio Mane had won vital points for the league leaders through diving.

“Sometimes it is diving, sometimes it is this talent to score incredible goals in the last minute,” the Catalan said of their ability to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, although he never directly referenced the Senegalese.

A verbal catfight ensued, in which Jurgen Klopp highlighted City’s propensity for cynical fouling to stop opposition attacks, before Guardiola tried to set the record straight by saying that he wasn’t trying to insinuate Mane was a diver.

It would be churlish to argue that Liverpool and Mane are the only ones in the Premier League trying to con referees by going down suspiciously easily under a challenge, because it’s become regrettably common in the modern game.

From a player’s perspective though, sometimes you have to make the decision for the referee and make the most of it, otherwise you won’t get the foul called. Some are worse than others however, to an almost embarrassing degree.

Five of the biggest divers in Premier League history, according to iSports API.

Dele Alli

It happens often enough that it’s fair game to label Dele Alli a serial diver rather than someone who just takes a tumble every now and again, as most players do nowadays.

That was such a spectacular dive by Dele Alli. He got more air on that than most skaters do going up ramps.

The Tottenham Hotspur midfielder has made such a habit of it that his own manager has called him out on it in the past – not that it’s stopped him.

“He needs to learn,” Mauricio Pochettino warned the midfielder after a particularly dramatic dive against Huddersfield in 2017. “This type of action doesn’t help him, doesn’t help the team and doesn’t help football. We have talked in the last few years about fair play and being honest.”

Because it seems to have been taken down AGAIN... heres Dele Alli’s shameful dive earlier on! I know it wasn’t given, but surely he’s got to be punished for persistent diving? It’s every game now!

Luis Suarez

You would think that great footballers would have less reason to dive – they have more than enough ability to create goal scoring opportunities for themselves, why bother cheating?

Luis Suarez is the greatest example of this. Few players have been so talented and yet so willing to cheat their way to victory simultaneously (Diego Maradona, maybe?). His finest moment came after scoring a legitimate goal for Liverpool in the Merseyside Derby, after which he raced to the sideline and flopped like a fish in front of the Everton bench in response to then Toffees boss David Moyes’ complaints about his fondness for a dive.

The Uruguayan has almost elevated diving to an artform, as illustrated by the one he took during Barcelona’s 5-1 win over Lyon in the Champions League knockout stages last season. He simultaneously fouls the defender and wins the penalty at the same time, thereby taking shithousery to a new plane.

Ashley Young

Another player warned by his own manager about diving, Ashley Young’s reputation certainly precedes him when it comes to the act of leaping. So much so that he’s probably lost the benefit of the doubt from referees when it comes to actual fouls.

We could pick out numerous examples of the Manchester Unitedwinger going down too easily, but this clip is the best instructional guide from a veteran you can possibly find. Young cleverly knocks the ball away so there’s no possibility of the challenger cleanly winning the ball, before initiating contact by sticking his leg out, then finally falls over.

The former Aston Villa man doesn’t dive as much as he used to, but that’s likely has more to do with the fact that he doesn’t have the legs to take on defenders anymore.



Arjen Robben

A world-class player in his day with a world-class ability to hit the deck when the exact moment calls for it. In the same way Arjen Robben became renowned for cutting in off the right before shooting at goal, he gained an extraordinary reputation for diving throughout his career.

The Dutchman did it in the Premier League with Chelsea, in the Champions League with Bayern Munich (much to the chagrin of former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger), and for his national team on the biggest stage possible, ensuring the Netherlands’ progress in the 2014 World Cup.

The winger dived with such regularity that there was such a thing as a ‘textbook’ Robben dive. They didn’t always look the most convincing, but more often than not he won fouls in dangerous areas that gave his team an excellent chance of scoring.



Cristiano Ronaldo

Before the Ballon d’Or awards, before all of the broken records, and before establishing himself as the second-best footballer in the world, Cristiano Ronaldo was all sizzle and no steak. A fancy dan baller with no end product. TV pundit and former Millwall player Eamon Dunphy famously dubbed him a “cod” and a “disgrace to the game”, predicting he wouldn’t become a great player.

The Portuguese winger eventually proved them all wrong, but in his early years at Man United he was notorious for diving at every available opportunity. This was in the mid-2000’s when it wasn’t quite as common as it later became, so Ronaldo inevitably became the poster boy for those pesky foreigners who infected the English game with such a despicable deed.

Ronaldo kept it up long after he left Old Trafford for Real Madrid and his national team, more often than not making a fool of himself rather than win fouls or get opposition players sent off.

Dishonourable Mentions: Jamie Vardy, Harry Kane, Didier Drogba, Steven Gerrard, Robert Pires, David N’Gog, Robinho, Jurgen Klinsmann, Morten Gamst Pedersen, El Hadji Diouf, David Ginola, Nani.

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Five famous footballers who were hated by their own fans

Granit Xhaka’s popularity at Arsenal has reached a new low, the much-maligned midfielder’s angry reaction to the crowd’s jeers during Sunday’s draw with Crystal Palace sparking outrage amongst the club’s support.

Xhaka’s ill-advised decision to cup his ears and mouth “f*** off” to his own supporters has made his position at the club uncertain, not least because he was appointed club captain ahead of the new campaign.

The Switzerland international is not the only player to have suffered a difficult relationship with his own supporters, however, and he is likely not to be the last.

Five famous footballers who were hated by their own fans, all data collects from iSports API:

Gareth Bale – Real Madrid

A world-record signing who has helped his side to four Champions League titles in six seasons, including performing match-winning antics in two of those finals, Gareth Bale must be left wondering quite how it turned so sour for the Welshman at Real Madrid.

Having established himself as arguably the finest player in the Premier League, Bale headed for Spain in 2013 in a record-breaking move and success soon followed. The former Tottenham Hotspur star ended his first season by helping Real to La Decima, scoring in the club’s final success over city rivals Atletico Madrid.

A host of major honours, including three consecutive Champions League triumphs have followed, Bale producing a stunning performance off the bench to score twice and beat Liverpool in the 2018 showpiece in Ukraine.

However, the Welsh winger has fallen out-of-favour under manager Zinedine Zidane who has been desperate to offload the player, whilst he has been targeted by fans as a scapegoat during the club’s worst performances in recent times.

Such has been Bale’s unpopularity at the Bernabeu that the club tried to force him to move China, whilst the Spanish side’s supporters have attacked his car and chanted ‘desagradecido’, the Spanish word for ungrateful, as he has arrived for training.

His reluctance to leave – his current contract worth £600,000-a-week running until 2022 – has made him further disliked and his future at the club remains uncertain.

Joleon Lescott – Aston Villa

The former England defender was part of Aston Villa‘s dismal relegation campaign four years ago, producing a series of uninspired performances as the Midlands side dropped into the second tier for the first time in over two decades.

Many of the side which finished rock bottom of the division were targeted for jeers by the club’s supporters, though Lescott made himself especially unpopular following a pair of rather idiotic incidents.

Following a 6-0 defeat to Liverpool in February, Lescott reacted to the club’s biggest home defeat in 81 years by tweeting a picture of his luxury Mercedes just two hours after the full-time whistle, further fracturing his relationship with an incensed fanbase which had seen their team slump to eight points from safety following a chastening defeat.

Lescott would somewhat embarrassingly claim he ‘pocket tweeted’ the image by mistake, though the common consensus was that this was a middle-fingered salute to the Aston Villa boo boys

The defender would later described the confirmation of the club’s early relegation as a “a weight off the shoulders”, a statement which unsurprisingly did little to boost his popularity.

Charles Itandje – Liverpool

Remember him? Probably not.

A famous face in only the sense that he was a professional footballer at one of world football’s biggest clubs, the former Cameroon goalkeeper endured an all together forgettable time during a three-year spell at Liverpool, making just seven first-team appearances all of which were in cup competition.

However, Itandje is remembered for all the wrong reasons on Merseyside for one particular incident. During the club’s memorial service for the twentieth anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster, Itandje was pictured laughing and behaving inappropriately during the service.

He was subsequently suspended by the club and would never play another game at any level in a Red shirt before leaving for Greek side Atromitos, while he also claimed to have been threatened by the club’s supporters following the backlash.

Mauro Icardi

Immensely talented, though a player who endured somewhat of a love-hate relationship with the Inter Milan support.

The Argentine striker has established himself as one of the deadliest forwards in Italian football and was appointed as Inter’s club captain at the age of just 22, though despite his prolific returns in front of goal his relationship with his own fans soon deteriorated.

During a disappointing 2014/15 season in which Inter finished 14 points adrift of Champions League qualification, Icardi was involved in an angry altercation with the Inter ultras, who threw his shirt back in his face after he had given it to the crowd following a 3-1 defeat to Sassuolo.

It was, however, Icardi’s recollection of the events in his autobiography which sparked controversy. Icardi heavily criticised the club’s ultras, going as far to challenge them to a fight and threatening to fly over 100 Argentine criminals to ‘kill them on the spot’.

Unsurprisingly, his comments did not go down well and he was later stripped of the captaincy. He continued to endure a difficult relationship with the club’s supporters in the years since, his wife and agent Wanda Nara continuing to stir proceedings in the background, before joining Paris Saint-Germain on a season-long loan deal last summer.

Granit Xhaka

The most recent player to feature in this list is the Arsenal captain, whose position at the club is uncertain following his aforementioned reaction to jeers from the home support.

The Swiss international has rarely been a popular figure at the club during three seasons at the Emirates, producing a series of inept displays and being targeted, often justified, for some of the club’s poorer performances in recent seasons.

Voted in as club captain during the summer, Xhaka was supposed to be the leader behind a new era under Unai Emery, though that looks unlikely given his actions last weekend.

Having waved his arms and cupped his ears to the supporter’s boos, Xhaka would proceed to tell the Arsenal fans to ‘f*** off’ before visibly removing his shirt as he left the field.

Xhaka’s actions were unacceptable, particularly from a club captain, however it was a visible demonstration of his frustration at a difficult relationship with his own support.

Whether he can come back from this remains to be seen, though it will take some effort to win back the affection of the Arsenal faithful.

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Footballing siblings who played together for the same Premier League club

Matthew Longstaff made his dream debut for Newcastle United by putting in a top performance and scoring the winning goal against Manchester United – and he did it while playing alongside his older brother, Sean.

The pair are not the first brothers to play on the same team together, and they probably won’t be the last. Given the promising start both youngsters have made to their careers, they could be anchoring the Magpies midfield for years to come.

Only time will tell, and then we can judge the pair up against the very best siblings to have teamed up.

Brothers who played on the same Premier League team together, all data collects from iSports API.



Kolo and Yaya Touré – Man City & Cote d’Ivoire

The Ivorian duo probably have a strong claim to being the most talented brothers to ever play with each other, although one can imagine Danish legends Brian and Michael Laudrup would have a lot to say about that.

The Touré’s played together for three years at Manchester City, where they helped the club capture their first Premier League title in 2012. They were also teammates on the Cote d’Ivoire national team, with whom they won the African Cup of Nations in 2015, but their greatest contribution to football has to be the Yaya Kolo song that City fans used to belt out.



Rafael and Fabio Da Silva – Man United & Brazil

Identical twins are extremely rare in professional football, but the Da Silva brothers were both snapped up by Man United in 2008 when they were just teenagers at Fluminense.

Fabio made a decidedly lesser impact with the Red Devils than his sibling though, making just 22 league appearances (and taking one title winner’s medal) before leaving the club in 2014. Rafael, on the other hand, played 109 times in the top flight for United, winning five major honours along the way as well as playing in the 2011 Uefa Champions League final.

They both have two caps for the Brazil senior national team, although they didn’t overlap with each other, but they did play together in the youth ranks all the way up to U17 level. Both men currently play in France, Fabio for Nantes and Rafael for Lyon.

Five players Man United should never have let go in the post-Alex Ferguson era

Shola and Sammy Ameobi – Newcastle

Both of the Ameobi brothers came through the academy at Newcastle and spent the majority of their careers at the club. Their time in the senior team overlapped for four years until Shola was transferred to Turkish outfit Gaziantep in 2014.

Sammy is currently playing for Notts Forest, while his elder brother is back on Tyneside as the club’s loan player coordinator, despite never officially retiring. Their brother Tomi is also a professional footballer.

Six of the best players to switch international allegiances



Shaun and Bradley Wright-Phillips – Man City

Both of the Wright-Phillips brothers came through the academy at Man City and spent a brief time together as part of the senior setup. It was Shaun, adopted son of Ian Wright, who had the more successful Premier League career, while Bradley, biological son of the Arsenal legend, has carved out a name for himself in north America.

The former Southampton forward moved to MLS outfit the New York Red Bulls in 2013 and has since won the league’s Golden boot award on two occasions. Shaun reunited with his brother when he made the same transatlantic move in 2015, playing together for two seasons.

The longest unbeaten runs in Premier League history

Andre and Jordan Ayew – Swansea City & Ghana

The Ayew brothers have been in English football since 2015, but have only played together at club level for six months. In January of 2018 Andre rejoined Swansea City, where his brother Jordan was already playing.

The latter had moved to Wales the previous summer from Aston Villa, who had just been relegated, and the Swans suffered the same fate that season. Jordan is now at Crystal Palace, while Andre remains at Swansea in their bid to gain promotion from the Championship. They also play together for the Ghanaian national team.



Gary and Phil Neville – Man United & England

Together they won six Premier League titles, three FA Cups and a Uefa Champions League. There isn’t a pair of brothers alive who have achieved such success together as Gary and Phil Neville did while at Man United, and there probably won’t be ever again.

Phil went off to play for Everton in 2005, while Gary stayed at Old Trafford and won even more silverware. The latter has since become arguably the most well-known football pundit in the country, while the younger brother is currently managing the England women’s national team. They also coached together for a brief time at Valencia, but the less said about that the better.

Christian and Jonathan Benteke – Crystal Palace

And now to finish on an odd one. This fraternal partnership wouldn’t even warrant mentioning if it wasn’t for the strange circumstances surrounding their link-up at Crystal Palace.

Christian Benteke joined Palace from Liverpool in the summer of 2016, and his younger brother arrived at the club not long after. Jonathan had just been released by Belgian side Zulte Waregem, but was somehow deemed good enough for a Premier League team.

The elder Benteke insisted his sibling was there on ability and merit, but Alan Pardew confirmed that he had been recommended by Christian himself.

Jonathan only made one substitute appearance for the Eagles in 2016, coming off the bench for the last six minutes against Middlesbrough – so they didn’t even play together. But we couldn’t leave them out.

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Top six teams with the fewest defeats in a single Premier League campaign

Only six clubs in the 27 year history of the Premier League have lost three games or fewer in a single season.

Of course, the best way to win titles is by winning as many games as possible. Or, more pertinently, by not losing them. Every great team manages to stave off defeat for as long as possible, creating an aura of invincibility that appears impenetrable from the outside.

The Reds have done a good job so far in building up that aura this season, but they will have to keep it going for as long as they can if they are to join the immortals and win their first league title in three decades.

Top six teams with the fewest defeats in a Premier League season, as per iSports API data:

6. Manchester United – 3 – 1998/99 and 1999/00

Man United truly peaked between 1998 and 2000, losing just six league games over two seasons. Alex Ferguson’s charges won five out of eight major trophies available, including the first treble in English football.

5. Leicester City – 3 (2015/16)

The fairytale season to end all fairytale seasons, Leicester City‘s unlikely title triumph was aided by their unwillingness to lose matches. They got a lot of luck along the way, but they were simply unstoppable with Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez taking apart opposition teams.

Ironically, two of their three defeats in that campaign came against Arsenal – who finished second in the table.

4. Manchester City – 2 – 2017/18

Manchester City broke just about every Premier League record going when they won their first title under Pep Guardiola, including the most goals scored and highest points total of any team in a single campaign.

Their only league defeats came in a thrilling 4-3 contest with Liverpoolat Anfield and a 3-2 turnover against Man United at home, despite leading by two goals at half-time.

3. Chelsea – 1 – 2004/05

Jose Mourinho transformed Chelsea from a good team to an unstoppable juggernaut in 2004/05, taking the Blues to their first league title in 49 years. Their only loss came in October against Man City thanks to a Nicolas Anelka penalty.

2. Liverpool – 1 – 2018/19

The only team to reach 90+ points in a season without winning the league; only the third team in the last decade to top the table at Christmas and not win the league (the other two? Also Liverpool); and the only team in this list to lose three or fewer games and, well, you know the drill.

Last season the Reds were just one game away from emulating the Invincibles and going a whole campaign undefeated, but that one defeat was the most crucial of all: it came against eventual winners Man City. Surely one of these days they’ll overcome their unwanted records?



1. Arsenal – 0 – 2003/04

For 115 years, Preston North End were the only English team to ever go an entire league campaign without suffering defeat. They now share that mantle with Arsene Wenger’s 2003/04 Arsenal side, who won the title at a canter.

The Gunners’ undefeated streak stretched to 49 games, but they were denied the half century by rivals Man United in the now infamous Battle of the Buffet, in which Cesc Fabregas planted a pizza on Alex Ferguson.

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Top tacklers in the Premier League so far this season

Pep Guardiola, undoubtedly one of the best and most innovative coaches of his generation, once said he does not coach his players the art of tackling, whilst former Liverpool star Xabi Alonso stated he does not believe ‘tackling to be a quality’

Christ, even Paulo Maldini, one of world football’s all-time great defenders says he had made a mistake if he was forced to tackle, so someone should tell this lot they’re doing the game all wrong.

We’re joking, of course, and if like us you believe a good old-fashioned tackle to be a fundamental part of the beautiful game, then these ball-winning machines are right up your street.

Here are the top tacklers in the Premier League so far this season, according to iSports API data.

Declan Rice – West Ham – 30 tackles

The West Ham youngster has emerged as one of the most promising talents in the Premier League, establishing himself in Gareth Southgate’s England squad after his switch of allegiance from the Republic of Ireland.

His impressive performances have seen him linked with a move to some of the division’s biggest sides, and the statistics show just why he is so highly-rated in the holding midfield role. The 20-year-old has been prolific in his ball-winning during West Ham’s impressive start to the new campaign, making 30 tackles in his eight appearances so far.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka – Manchester United – 31 tackles

Nicknamed ‘The Spider’ by teammates due to the range of his long legs as he dives into challenges, the full-backs prolific tackling ability has won him admirers throughout the Premier League.

Having made his name at Crystal Palace, Wan-Bissaka’s tackling and difficulty to beat one-against-one saw him join Manchester United in a £50m deal this summer, where he has continued to make challenges at an impressive rate.

The 21-year-old has made 31 tackles in just six appearances, a rate of more than five per game, establishing himself as a fixture at right-back and earning a first call-up to the senior England team.

Oriol Romeu – Southampton – 33 tackles

The Southampton midfielder continues to act as an enforcer down on the South Coast, marshalling in front of Ralph Hasenhuttl’s defensive set-up and breaking down play.

Romeu has started in each of the club’s opening eight fixtures of the new season, making 33 tackles in the process.

Many have tipped Southampton for a season of struggle and the club have won just twice so far, and they will need Romeu to continue to shut-down opposition attacks as regularly as possible if they’re to avoid the drop.

Wilfried Ndidi – Leicester – 35 tackles

The most prolific tackler in each of the past two seasons, speak to any Leicester fan and they will tell you that the Nigerian international is amongst the finest holding midfield players in the division.

Whilst the likes of N’golo Kante and Fabinho may grab more headlines, Ndidi’s statistical numbers are incomparable when it comes to breaking up the play.

The 22-year-old is strong and athletic, whilst his reading of the game allows him to provide a platform for Leicester’s exciting attacking talents to flourish.

Bigger clubs have been linked, though the Foxes will do their utmost to retain him.

Ricardo Pereira – Leicester – 35 tackles

Alongside Leicester teammate Ndidi at the top of the charts is flying full-back Pereira, who has been one of the stand-out players in the early weeks of the new season.

The Portuguese international is quickly being recognised amongst the best right-backs in the Premier League and has played a key role in the impressive early season form of Brendan Rodgers’ side.

Having scored twice already his attacking threat has been well documented in recent weeks, though his joint-leading 35 tackles prove he is equally adept defensively.

*All data collects from iSports API.

The longest serving player at Premier League Big 6 club

Some surprise names and some surprise tenures! Here are the longest serving players for each Premier League club right now.

Players currently out on loan not included, data according to iSports API.

Arsenal: Emiliano Martinez



The Argentine goalkeeper, currently on international duty for the first time in eight years, has never been closer to the number one slot at Arsenal.

Having made his debut for the club way back in 2012, Martinez has since gone on six different loan spells. Now, at 27, he’s the Gunners’ cup keeper for the season.

Chelsea: Cesar Azpilicueta


Mister Reliable himself. Azpilicueta is a rare long-serving player at Stamford Bridge.

The club captain has won two Premier League titles and two Europa League titles since his arrival from Marseille in 2012.

Liverpool: Jordan Henderson


Signed in the summer of 2011 when Kenny Dalglish was in charge of the club, Henderson came with a big price tag and lofty expectations.

The midfielder has gone on to replace Steven Gerrard as captain and lifted the Champions League trophy in June – not bad!

Manchester City: David Silva


An absolute magician with four Premier League titles to his name.

Now in his final season with the club, Silva is a bonafide legend not just for Manchester City but in Premier League football.

Manchester United: Phil Jones



Yep, Phil Jones, who joined from Blackburn in 2011 and has a contract at Old Trafford until 2023.

Doesn’t that just sum up the malaise at Manchester United?

Tottenham: Danny Rose

Signed by Martin Jol in 2007 – yes, 2007! – Rose had to wait a while to make his mark at Spurs.

He made it, though, and did so in style, scoring a screamer against Arsenal on his debut in 2010. The left-back has been a regular under Mauricio Pochettino.

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Do You Know What is The longest unbeaten runs in Premier League history?

Liverpool’s current run of form is up there with the longest unbeaten runs in the Premier League era.

Following their late winner against Leicester City on Saturday, Liverpool continued their club-record unbeaten streak under Jurgen Klopp. Goals from Sadio Mane and 95th minute penalty from James Milner at Anfield stretched the run to 25 games, not only the Reds’ longest run without defeat in the Premier League era, but also the sixth-longest of any top-flight club in that period.

The Merseyside outfit are quickly catching up on records set by some of the greatest English teams of all-time, and if they were to climb further up the list it would cement their place among the best teams we’ve seen in recent history. The kicker here is that every team on this list won the league in the same campaign they embarked on their unbeaten streaks – except for Liverpool.

Is this the season they change that particular unwanted statistic?

The 3 longest unbeaten runs in the Premier League era, according to iSports API.

3. Man City – 30, Streak: April 8, 2017 – January 2, 2018

The side that everyone thought would emulate the Invincibles lost for the first time 22 matches into the 2017/18 campaign. The 4-3 defeat to Liverpool did nothing to derail their title charge however, as they enjoyed a procession on their way to becoming the first team to reach 100 Premier League points in a single season.

The result did reveal some chinks in the seemingly flawless Man City armour and foreshadowed the challenge the Reds would pose to Pep Guardiola’s team in the coming years.

2. Chelsea – 40, Streak: 16 October 2004 – 6 November 2005

1. Arsenal – 49, Streak: 7 May 2003 – 24 October 2004

And way out in front, it’s none other than The Invincibles, who became just the second team in the history of English football to go an entire league season undefeated, Preston North End in 1888/89 being the other.

Arsenal‘s run went beyond just a season though, refusing to lose for a whopping 49 games. Arsene Wenger’s side were stopped just short of the half-century however, by none other than their arch-nemesis, Man United.

That 2004 fixture was the scene of the infamous Battle of the Buffet, in which Alex Ferguson was splattered with a slice of pizza by Cesc Fabregas. The defeat had deeper repercussions for the Gunners though, who could never quite reach the same heights thereafter.

All football data collected from iSports API. For more information, please visit iSportsAPI.com