Football Articles | Mail Online

• Man City 2-1 Bournemouth: Enzo Maresca's bold call to play Marc Guehi in midfield was Pep Guardiola-esque - it paid off, but the Italian knows they need more signings there for a title challenge, writes JACK GAUGHAN23 August 2026, 7:32 pm
  JACK GAUGHAN AT THE ETIHAD: Part of City's insistence on making this place an entertainment venue is to install a zip line from the South Stand to the new one named after Pep Guardiola.
  
• No amount of data will save Dundee United boss Jim Goodwin if his players don't have the hunger to go with it23 August 2026, 7:20 pm
  Key metrics, laws of averages, touches in the opponents' box, possession, shots, dangerous attacks.
  
• 'It will be difficult, but we must beat the odds... this club is our life': REGIS LE BRIS and GRANIT XHAKA welcome Daily Mail Sport into Sunderland's inner sanctum - and take us inside their plan to take Europe by storm23 August 2026, 7:19 pm
  Little about the office tucked into the corner of the Academy of Light gives any clue it belongs to the man leading Sunderland's first European adventure in over half a century.
  
• Aston Villa suffer NIGHTMARE start to the Premier League season as Unai Emery's side concede FOUR - and new signing is sent off - in opening half at Brighton23 August 2026, 7:10 pm
  The Seagulls ran riot against Unai Emery's new-look Villans, netting four times in the opening 31 minutes to leave the Spaniard apoplectic on the touchline.
  
• Newcastle vs Liverpool - Premier League RECAP: Szoboszlai scores 99th-minute penalty to salvage point for Reds23 August 2026, 7:01 pm
  Relive Daily Mail Sport's live coverage of Newcastle United vs Liverpool, plus reaction from the 2pm games with City beating Bournemouth and Brighton thumping Villa.
  
• Newcastle 2-2 Liverpool: The Reds are as flawed and unpredictable as they were last term but their late equaliser already feels like a huge moment for Andoni Iraola, writes IAN LADYMAN23 August 2026, 6:55 pm
  IAN LADYMAN AT ST JAMES' PARK: They came in their thousands to greet new dawns at Newcastle and at Liverpool and to pay homage to one of the greatest either club has ever known.
  
• Newcastle 2-2 Liverpool PLAYER RATINGS: Which Toon star was unplayable at times? And who delivered an anonymous performance at the start of a defining season?23 August 2026, 6:29 pm
  Dominik Szoboszlai scored a last-gasp penalty to earn his Liverpool team a draw at St James' Park in the first game of the Andoni Iraola era. Here's how Lewis Steele rated both sides.
  
• On The Road: Ambitious Saltire City's first priority is to give players a second chance23 August 2026, 6:11 pm
  It was once a matter of arithmetic. The Fifty Pitches in Govan would produce hundreds of stories on a weekend.
  
• Revealed: Terrorism threat could derail Manchester United's training ground expansion plans - INSIDE SPORT23 August 2026, 5:30 pm
  MIKE KEEGAN: Man United could see plans to extend the life of a car park at its training ground thwarted - thanks to concerns over potential for a terror attack.
  
• 'I can answer only with my silence': Aston Villa boss Unai Emery hints Ollie Watkins refused to play for club in Brighton drubbing - as England striker's move to Saudi Arabia looms23 August 2026, 5:16 pm
  Unai Emery hinted heavily that Ollie Watkins had been reluctant to play for Aston Villa as they were hammered by Brighton amid interest in the striker from Al-Hilal.
  
• Newcastle and Liverpool pay tribute to Kevin Keegan in emotional scenes at St James' Park following football legend's death aged 7523 August 2026, 4:32 pm
  Newcastle and Liverpool came together to pay an emotional tribute to Kevin Keegan ahead of their Premier League clash at St. James' Park.
  
• Unai Emery looked like a man on the edge, distracted by uncertainty. Never mind Champions League - Villa can forget about top-half finish unless they take action in transfer market, writes TOM COLLOMOSSE23 August 2026, 4:31 pm
  TOM COLLOMOSSE AT THE AMEX STADIUM: First the positive news. The last time Aston Villa were hammered on the opening day of a Premier League campaign, they went on to finish fourth.
  
• New season, new hairstyle for Haaland! Man City star Erling chops off iconic long hair and shows off new look ahead of Premier League campaign23 August 2026, 3:16 pm
  He teased the new trim in a short Instagram video on Sunday morning and fans will get to see it in all its glory as City take on Bournemouth in their Premier League opener.
  
• Saudi side Al Hilal working on sensational swoop for Arsenal's Gabriel Martinelli and Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins23 August 2026, 2:29 pm
  Al Hilal are working on a double raid from the Premier League with Arsenal's Gabriel Martinelli and Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins.
  
• Manchester City agree £81.4m deal to sign Morocco's teenage World Cup star Ayyoub Bouaddi, 18, after new boss Enzo Maresca insisted club urgently need a Rodri replacement23 August 2026, 12:25 pm
  Manchester City are set to complete the signing of Moroccan teenager Ayyoub Bouaddi for an initial £81.4million.