EFL round-up: Sheff Weds downed by Bradford; Jamie Vardy return talk gathers pace
Sports News Blitz loves the English Football League - and our expert Rob Beezley provides some of the stories hogging the headlines outside of the Premier League.
Premier League betting tips: Arsenal begin their title defence, Newcastle’s new manager with a rebuild and more Gameweek 1 betting tips
Read on for a breakdown of the best bets from the opening weekend’s Premier League TV games from Sports News Blitz’s punting laureate - The Bookie Basher - including the massive clash between Newcastle and Liverpool on Sunday, August 23.
Champions League: Martin O’Neill pleased as Celtic secure crucial play-off first-leg lead over LASK
Scottish Premiership champions Celtic have one foot in the Champions League proper after securing a commanding 3-0 play-off first-leg lead over LASK.
Benjamin Nygren opened the scoring at Celtic Park before Camilo Durán struck twice to put Martin O’Neill’s side firmly in control 12 months on from a painful play-off exit at the hands of Kazakh minnows Kairat.
Everton news: James Tarkowski replaces departed Séamus Coleman as Toffees club captain
James Tarkowski has been announced as Everton’s new club captain ahead of the 2026/27 Premier League campaign.
The Toffees begin their season by welcoming Crystal Palace to the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Saturday, with kick-off scheduled for 15:00 UK time – and Tarkowski is optimistic about what lies ahead.
Championship analysis: Five things Wolves need to address at Preston
Wolves’ opening match of the 2026/27 EFL Championship season against Blackburn Rovers was an entertaining 2-2 draw, with a late Raul Jimenez penalty helping to rescue a point.
With Preston North End next up at Deepdale, César Peixoto’s side have several areas that they will need to address if they’re to secure their first three points of the league season, writes Sports News Blitz’s Will Jones.
Champions League: Martin O’Neill urges Celtic to chase European glory despite improbable odds
Celtic manager Martin O’Neill believes the club should continue to chase Champions League glory regardless of how improbable it feels.
The Bhoys famously lifted the European Cup, as it was known then, in 1967, overcoming Inter Milan 2-1 in the Lisbon showpiece. And O’Neill, who won the competition twice as a player with Nottingham Forest, thinks the current Scottish champions must aspire to match that feat despite the realities of modern football.
Premier League news: Everton boss David Moyes makes transfer plea ahead of Crystal Palace clash
Everton manager David Moyes says the club are still looking to add several more players before the summer transfer window slams shut on September 1.
The Toffees have made five permanent signings so far, with two of those deals for players who were previously on loan, spending around £74 million in the process. Despite that activity, Moyes is desperate to further strengthen his squad ahead of what is expected to be another gruelling Premier League season.
2026/27 Premier League betting tips: Best title race and relegation bets ahead of the new season
The 2026/27 Premier League season is now just a few weeks away, and the excitement is tangible.
Read on for a breakdown of the best bets from the Premier League outright markets - courtesy of Sports News Blitz’s punting laureate - The Bookie Basher.
2026/27 Premier League betting tips: Alexander Isak or Erling Haaland for the Golden Boot, and a bold Tottenham prediction
Read on as we chew the fat over the Premier League Golden Boot winner for the 2026/27 campaign as well as napping some other decent ante post fancies - all courtesy of Sports News Blitz’s punting laureate - The Bookie Basher.
Premier League news: Could Harrison Armstrong be Everton’s next superstar in the making?
At just 19 years of age, Harrison Armstrong has already made 16 appearances for Everton in the Premier League, with most of them coming towards the back end of last season.
Here, Sports News Blitz writer Dylan Grady assesses how the 2026/27 campaign could be Armstrong’s chance to solidify his place in the Toffees midfield.
Premier League news: Could Aston Villa wonderkid Brian Madjo be England’s Harry Kane successor?
Despite Brian Madjo only turning 17 years old in January, the 6ft 4in ex-Luxembourg international has already burst onto the scene thanks to a goal on his competitive debut in Aston Villa’s UEFA Super Cup loss to PSG.
Here, Sports News Blitz writer Dylan Grady looks at the struggles Madjo has faced in his young career and considers what he could offer both Aston Villa and England in the future.
Hidden Engine of Elite Football: Inside Youth Academy Success and Financial Realities
Youth football academies serve as the ultimate proving ground for the world’s next generation of superstars.
Every year, thousands of kids step onto pristine grass pitches, dreaming of walking out into packed stadiums in the Premier League or Champions League.
However, behind the glamour of professional debuts lies a complex ecosystem built on massive financial investments, grueling schedules, and relentless competition.
How Alvaro Arbeloa’s Fulham could be the next team to surprise a few in the Premier League in 2026/27
43-year-old Spaniard Alvaro Arbeloa takes charge of the West London club after Marco Silva’s exit in June due to his contract expiring.
Fulham have already made major moves in the transfer market on Arbeloa’s side, and Sports News Blitz writer Dylan Grady looks at how the ex-Real Madrid manager can shock a few doubters in the upcoming 2026/27 season.
Premier League news: A look at how Oliver Glasner’s Nottingham Forest are shaping up
Oliver Glasner has spent the last two and a half seasons managing Crystal Palace, tallying a club-record 53 points in the 2024/25 Premier League campaign as well as winning both the FA Cup and the Conference League.
Here, Sports News Blitz writer Dylan Grady looks into how the 51-year-old Austrian can continue that success with Nottingham Forest.
How set-piece coaches are changing Premier League football
When Chelsea poached Aston Villa’s set-piece coach Austin MacPhee this summer, it wasn't just a standard addition to the dugout.
They were investing in a part of the game that has become increasingly specialised, writes Sports News Blitz’s Joseph Kan’gethe.
Clubs are realising that set pieces need their own full-time experts instead of a quick five-minute drill at the end of training sessions.
The stats back up the hype.
The more interesting question is what these specialists actually change on the training ground, and whether those changes translate into a measurable advantage on matchday.
Inverted and overlapping full-backs betting value in the Premier League
A team’s attack can look completely different depending on the full-back’s role, writes Sports News Blitz’s Joseph Kan’gethe.
Tucking inside changes the numbers around midfield, while overlapping gives the attack another route down the flank.
For bettors, understanding that difference matters when analyzing markets such as corners, team goals, player shots and assists.
An inverted full-back gives the team another passing option in midfield and can leave the winger with more room on the flank.
An overlapping full-back can stretch the opposition and give the team another route to the final third.
Everton’s forward line could be the key to a stronger 2026/27 season
Everton scored just 47 goals in 38 Premier League games last season, with 27 of them coming from Everton’s attacking players.
Beto converted the most with eight goals last season, but Moyes and his recruitment team have been busy in the summer window looking to add more quality ahead of the 2026/27 season.
Sports News Blitz writer Dylan Grady looks into the additions to Everton’s forward line, and how they could help the Toffees put away more chances.
Premier League analysis: Managers with the clearest tactical ideas – Alonso, Maresca, Arteta and more
Every successful team has a recognisable way of playing, but only a handful of coaches enforce a tactical identity that remains consistent regardless of the opponent, writes Sports News Blitz’s Joseph Kan’gethe.
A tactical identity shapes how a team builds attacks, presses, defends, and creates chances, giving players a system they can rely on in different match situations. This analysis compares five different managers whose teams reflect those principles in different ways.
African players at Manchester United: A history
Manchester United have drawn passionate support from across Africa for decades, and over the years, a succession of African players have pulled on the famous red shirt at Old Trafford.
With Virgin Bet ZA among those backing the sport's growing relationship with the continent, here is a look at the African players who have represented United across three distinct eras, from the treble years to the modern day.
Roberto Mancini's return feels right - but can he restore Italy to its former glory?
The Italian Football Federation has had a week of drama worthy of EastEnders, with Andrea Pirlo blocked from becoming head coach, Pep Guardiola declining the opportunity, Paolo Maldini’s resignation, and finally Roberto Mancini's reappointment as the next head coach of the Azzurri.
Former Manchester City manager Mancini has brought success to Italy before at Euro 2020, but is he truly the right person to get Italy’s national team back on track and give the country something to be truly proud of?
Sports News Blitz writer Luca Salmasi delves into this particular move and whether the FIGC have made the right move to revive Italian football.