Manchester United have dismissed Ruben Amorim after a 14-month spell in charge. His final outing came in a 1–1 draw against Leeds United at Elland Road, after which Amorim openly criticised the club’s hierarchy and stressed that he wanted to operate as a “manager”, not merely a “coach”. United currently sit sixth in the Premier League after 20 matches.We break that down, alongside the PL action in which Arsenal has a six point cushion at the top of the premier league, here on Just For Kicks!

Enzo Maresca’s time at Chelsea has come to an end after 18 months, with things unravelling as results dipped and tensions grew behind the scenes. While he had enjoyed real success earlier on, including winning trophies and getting the club back into the Champions League, a poor run of league form and disagreements with the board gradually wore away trust. In the end, both sides felt it was better to part ways as Chelsea look to reset and steady their season.We dissect that alongside the PL action here on this episode of Just For Kicks!

Aston Villa came from behind to defeat Chelsea 2–1 at Stamford Bridge, extending their winning run to 11 matches, equaling their century-old club record. Chelsea took the lead in the first half through João Pedro, who converted from close range following a corner. Villa improved after the break, with substitute Ollie Watkins making an immediate impact by scoring the equalizer shortly after coming on. Watkins then completed the turnaround late in the match with a headed winner, securing a significant away victory that maintained Villa’s strong league momentum while leaving Chelsea frustrated after failing to hold their advantage. A result that has huge implications in the title race, we review that plus the rest of the PL action, here on Just For Kicks!

In a pulsating Carabao Cup quarter-final at the Emirates, Arsenal and Crystal Palace served up a dramatic night of football that ended 1–1 in regular time before Arsenal edged through 8–7 on penalties to reach the semi-finals. Arsenal dominated possession and created the better chances, finally breaking the deadlock in the 80th minute when Maxence Lacroix inadvertently turned a corner into his own net, only for Marc Guéhi to snatch a stoppage-time equaliser in the fifth minute of added time to send the tie to spot kicks. From there, both sides calmly dispatched their first seven penalties in a tense shootout before Arsenal keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga became the hero by diving to save Lacroix’s attempt, sealing the win and sending the Gunners into a last-four clash with Chelsea

Liverpool carved out a dramatic 2–1 victory at Tottenham, weathering red cards, shifting momentum and a tense late surge to claim all three points. Florian Wirtz unlocked Spurs with a sharp assist for the opener, though the scorer was forced off injured almost immediately, before Hugo Ekitiké added a second to put Liverpool in control. Spurs rallied late despite being reduced to nine men, but Liverpool held firm through a tense finish to see out a gritty victory that brings them level on points with Chelsea.That plus the rest of PL action here on Just For Kicks!PHOTO: Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images

Rayan Cherki announced himself in style, lighting up Manchester City’s Carabao Cup win over Brentford. After curling a glorious strike into the top corner, the Frenchman didn’t just celebrate — he performed, borrowing Erling Haaland’s now-iconic robot pose with a grin that suggested confidence, cheek, and belonging. With Haaland watching on approvingly from the bench, Cherki’s imitation felt less like mockery and more like a statement: he is settling in, expressing himself, and beginning to carve out his own place in City’s star-studded cast.We review that plus preview the upcoming PL matches & a bit of AFCON, here on Just For Kicks! 

Mohamed Salah’s Anfield return was always going to be in the spotlight. After publicly clashing with Arne Slot, he came off the bench against Brighton, setting up a goal and earning wary applause from fans. His muted lap of honor hinted at tension, remorse, or both—was this the start of an apology or a farewell in disguise? Salah remains the heartbeat of Liverpool, but the cracks in the relationship are clear, leaving fans to wonder: can the king of Anfield mend fences, or are fans witnessing the end of his Liverpool story?That plus much more action & drama, here on Just For Kicks!

Real Madrid’s 2-1 defeat to Manchester City in the Champions League didn’t just sting—it seemed to crack open the pressure cooker around Xabi Alonso, who now finds himself trying to steady a giant that’s suddenly stumbling. Injuries, missed chances and just two wins in eight have turned the Bernabéu’s usual roar into a restless murmur, even as stars like Bellingham, Courtois and Rodrygo rally around their coach. Alonso insists the dressing room is united, but the air feels charged: a club built on triumph is flirting with turbulence, and the question hanging over Madrid is whether this rough patch is merely a blip —or the start of something far more destabilizing.That plus other European action & Premier League previews on this episode of Just For Kicks!Photo: Kieran McManus/Shutterstock

Aston Villa delivered pure chaos and late-game magic, toppling Arsenal 2–1 in a thriller that blew the Premier League title race wide open. Villa Park erupted when Matty Cash smashed in the opener, but Arsenal clawed back as Leandro Trossard leveled the match and cranked up the tension. Just when it looked destined for a draw, Emiliano Buendía unleashed a stoppage-time dagger in the 95th minute, sending the stadium into bedlam and snapping Arsenal’s 11-game unbeaten run. It was Villa landing a knockout blow, Arsenal reeling from the hit, producing a finale that's the season's most dramatic so far.We break down the action and much more here on Just For Kicks!

Arsenal’s 2–0 win over Brentford, sealed by goals from Mikel Merino and Bukayo Saka, not only restored their five-point cushion at the top of the Premier League but also extended their impressive unbeaten run to 18 matches. Yet the victory came with a cloud, as centre-back Cristhian Mosquera was forced off through injury, deepening the club’s defensive worries amid the ongoing absences of William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhães. Will Arteta's men cope especially with a challenging trip to Villa Park on the weekend? That plus all the football action dissected on this episode of Just For Kicks!

The battle between Chelsea and Arsenal lived up to expectations, with 10-man Chelsea taking the game to Arsenal, despite being a man down after Moses Caicedo's rash tackle on Merino. They took the lead with a smart header from Trevor Chalobah, but Mikel Merino then equalized. Liverpool, meanwhile, got back to winning ways, thanks to goals from Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo, with Mohamed Salah looking on from the bench. Is this the sign of things to come? Our pundits look back on the week that was and look ahead to midweek matches as the festive season approaches, on another episode of Just For Kicks!Image Credit: theanalyst.com

Estevao outshone Lamine Yamal at Stamford Bridge as Chelsea swept aside Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League with a commanding performance, ahead of their showdown against Arsenal this weekend. Are Chelsea a dark horse both in Europe and in the Premier League? Speaking of Arsenal, they're looking more and more imperious, with another irresistible performance, this time against Bayern Munich at the Emirates. Who will come out on top this weekend? Our pundits share their thoughts on those matches and chime in on the issues surrounding Liverpool and Arne Slot, only on another episode of Just For Kicks!Image Credit: One Tiger Arena

Liverpool fell to a shocking 3-0 defeat at Anfield as Nottingham Forest delivered their biggest ever win at the stadium, scoring through Murillo, Nicolò Savona and Morgan Gibbs-White. Despite Liverpool controlling most of the possession, they created little and repeatedly broke down defensively, looking disconnected and low on confidence. Forest, meanwhile, were well-organized, clinical and fully committed, taking advantage of every mistake. The result adds even more pressure on the champions and brings up major concerns especially after an expensive summer.We dissect that and much more here on Just For Kicks.

Curaçao has stunned the football world, becoming the smallest nation ever to qualify for a men’s FIFA World Cup after a dramatic, hard-fought draw with Jamaica. This tiny Caribbean island — long considered an underdog on the global stage — has shattered expectations with a historic, goosebump-raising achievement. Under the guidance of veteran coach Dick Advocaat, they went unbeaten through qualification and leaned heavily on players from the Dutch-Caribbean diaspora. At 78, Advocaat could become the oldest coach in World Cup history. We dissect that - alongside Scotland's return to the World Cup and preview the upcoming round of Premier League matches - only here on Just For Kicks. ​

Norway have officially booked their place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, ending a wait that stretched back to 1998. A commanding 4–1 victory over Italy sealed a flawless qualifying campaign, with eight wins from eight. Erling Haaland delivered once again, scoring twice in the decisive match as Norway topped their group with authority. Their resurgence leaves four-time champions Italy facing the uncertainty of the playoff path for the third time in a row while Norway celebrates a long-awaited return to football’s biggest stage. That plus other World Cup qualifying action & stories broken down here on this episode of Just For Kicks!

Rule changes kick things off after a short review of the international break as we dive straight into the fun stuff—what would you tweak, scrap, or totally reinvent in football? VAR meltdowns, handball headaches, maybe even bringing back the good old back-pass just for chaos—our pundits let loose with the rule fixes they’d love to see. From there, we hand out some well-deserved flowers to Pep Guardiola for hitting the incredible 1,000-game milestone—has he secured his place as the GOAT manager of our era? The conversation then expands into the wild world of club ownership: what makes an owner truly responsible, which models actually put fans first, and why certain approaches—especially those borrowed from American sports—might clash with the spirit and traditions of football.

Pep Guardiola marked his 1,000th match as a manager in perfect fashion as Manchester City swept aside Liverpool 3–0 at the Etihad Stadium - beating them for the first time since April 2023 - cutting Arsenal’s Premier League lead to just four points. Erling Haaland redeemed an early penalty miss with a towering header to open the scoring, before a deflected strike from Nico Gonzalez and a stunning solo goal from Jeremy Doku sealed a commanding victory. Doku was the standout performer, dazzling Liverpool’s defence with pace and flair as City’s attacking rhythm—driven by Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva—returned to its brilliant best. All that plus the rest of the weekend's PL action here on this episode of Just For Kicks!

Liverpool delivered a commanding display at Anfield, defeating Real Madrid 1–0 in the UEFA Champions League. Alexis Mac Allister sealed the victory with a precise header from Dominik Szoboszlai’s pinpoint free-kick in the 61st minute. Though the scoreline was slim, Arne Slot’s men dominated from start to finish, carving out chance after chance only to be denied time and again by the brilliance of Thibaut Courtois in the Madrid goal. Among a host of impressive performances, Conor Bradley stood out, expertly containing Vinicius Jr and embodying the renewed energy, confidence, and intensity that marked Liverpool’s resurgence after a difficult spell.We review that plus other European ties & also look forward to the weekend's football action, here on Just For Kicks!

Arsenal put on a strong show at Burnley, cruising to a 2–0 win with goals from Viktor Gyökeres and Declan Rice. The first came from a clever set piece — Rice whipped in a corner, Gabriel Magalhães flicked it on, and Gyökeres was in the right spot to nod it home. Later, Burnley tried to push forward with a long throw, but it backfired as Arsenal hit them on the break, with Rice finishing it off to seal the deal. The win keeps Arsenal’s unbeaten run going putting them seven points clear at the top of league. Elsewhere, we talk the end of Liverpool's domestic losing-streak, Manchester United salvaging a draw at Nottingham Forest, Chelsea coming up tops in a scrappy game against their London rivals Tottenham Hotspur, while looking forward to selected Champions League matches.

Liverpool’s Carabao Cup run came crashing down at Anfield as they fell 3–0 to a confident and composed Crystal Palace side. Under the floodlights, Palace dazzled—Ismaïla Sarr struck twice in quick succession before halftime, exploiting Liverpool’s frailties, while Yeremy Pino’s late finish in the 88th minute sealed a memorable triumph. Arne Slot’s bold decision to overhaul his starting lineup, making ten changes, backfired spectacularly, extending the Reds’ alarming run to six defeats in seven games.That plus the rest of EFL Cup action, plus EPL previews here on Just For Kicks!Photo: Getty Images