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Match Details EFL Captain Given Huge Ban After He Left Opponent 'Struggling to Speak' Details of Swindon Town captain Ollie Clarke's seven-match ban have emerged and the League Two star's lengthy suspension relates to two 'extremely serious and usual' incidents within the same game, according to findings shared by the Football Association. Clarke received the ban and a £2,750 fine last month relating to a game that took place against Cardiff City in August, and both his club and manager Ian Holloway were quick to condemn its length, with the latter branding it 'ridiculous' and citing the midfielder as 'honest and hardworking'. However, the FA have now published their findings and given crucial details on the nature of Clarke's offences, which involved touching an opponent's private parts. Official Match Report and FA Panel Provide Concerning Details Generic EFL referee Referee Elliot Bell revealed in his match report that a player approac...

  Liam Rosenior got a good indication of just how difficult his time at Chelsea could be during their 3-2 loss against Arsenal in the Carabao Cup. And one player needs to raise his game if he wants to be part of their long-term plans. The Blues went behind in comical fashion as Robert Sanchez failed to claim a Declan Rice corner, which allowed Ben White to head the ball in from close range with just seven minutes on the clock. And while the home side did rally, they conceded once again after an error from Sanchez, who let a low cross through his hands and into the path of Viktor Gyokeres for the Gunners' second. After substitute Alejandro Garnacho pulled one back, Martin Zubimendi then notched a third for Mikel Arteta's side, dancing through the Chelsea defence before lashing a shot in. It seemed as though the west Londoners would have no hope of reaching the final of the competition, but Garnacho scored a second to give them some cause for optimism heading into the second leg ...

  Liverpool transfer news: Second offer inbound as Arne Slot prepares for £52m bidding war Liverpool transfer news: Second offer inbound as Arne Slot prepares for £52m bidding war It looks to be a busy January on Merseyside as Arne Slot looks to lead Liverpool to a strong Premier League finish - with a number of players linked with arrivals and exits from Anfield Sport Aaron Morris Senior Sports Reporter 06:30, 14 Jan 2026 Arne Slot looks on View 4 Images It could be a busy month for Arne Slot(Image: Justin Setterfield, Getty Images) Liverpool are gearing up for a busy month as Arne Slot looks to strengthen his squad for the season's second-half. So far, there's been minimal activity at Anfield during the January transfer window, with the only new face being Mor Talla Ndiaye, who joined last week. However, the 18-year-old is seen as a future prospect and is set to join the U21s upon his arrival. After a summer of significant expenditure, it remains uncertain whether the Reds wi...

  At least LFC have more wriggle room with the 21-year-old than they do with Harvey Elliott, who’s been frozen out at Aston Villa and has already played for the maximum allotment of two clubs this season, thus severely limiting his options for another loan move. McConnell hasn’t played for the Reds in this campaign, so he would be free to join another outfit on loan until the summer, which’d give him another chance at racking up some much-needed game-time. His long-term future at Liverpool remains uncertain, but hopefully he can get back playing as soon as possible and put his abortive spell at Ajax behind him, with a view to potentially rediscovering the potential that Klopp saw in him towards the end of his managerial reign at Anfield. You can watch Slot’s full post-Barnsley press conference below, via Empire of the Kop on YouTube 

All 13 Premier League VAR Mistakes in 2025/26 - Chelsea and Arsenal Benefit Follow  Irrespective of whether fans are for or against it, Video Assistant Refereeing (VAR) is poised to stay in the Premier League – and that's despite, judging by the retrospective conversations made during the Premier League's Key Match Incidents (KMI) panel, a 30% increase in mistakes season-on-season. Ever since its introduction at the start of the 2019/2020 season following a unanimous vote by clubs in November 2018, there has been plenty of disagreement surrounding the utilisation of the VAR. Many believe it's a good addition; others believe it's ruining the beautiful game. Not helping its case is that face that date, collected by BBC Sport, has proved that mistakes are getting more commonplace as the seasons go on. Compared to 2024/25, when the tally was 10 by this point in the season, there have been 13 VAR mistakes. Referee Jarred Gillett looks at a VAR screen Related 2025/26 Premier ...

West Ham Women’s Player Denied WSL Debut by Referee After 'Unprofessional' Rule Breach A referee controversially prevented Estelle Cascarino from making her Women’s Super League debut for West Ham on Sunday afternoon after an “unprofessional” breach of the rules. The 28-year-old France international, who recently joined the Hammers on a six-month loan from Juventus, had been poised to make her long-awaited bow against Chelsea at Kingsmeadow . With West Ham trailing 4-0 at the break, new manager Rita Guarino looked to introduce Cascarino at the start of the second half in an attempt to steady the ship. However, as the defender waited on the touchline, she was denied permission to enter the field by referee Stacey Pearson, leaving the substitution in limbo. The moment quickly became a major talking point, with former England international Fara Williams criticising Cascarino’s “schoolgirl error”. That said, many neutral observers are likely to view the episode as an unnecessary an...