Sin bins should be trialled at higher levels of football following their successful implementation in the grassroots game, the sport’s lawmaking body has agreed.

Temporary dismissals of players for offences such as dissent and specific tactical fouls were backed by the International Football Association Board (IFAB) at its annual business meeting.

IFAB board members also supported a proposed trial whereby only the team captain may approach the referee in certain major game situations.

IFAB Annual Business Meeting approves trials to improve participant behaviour in football

News release:

— The IFAB (@TheIFAB)

Tuesday’s meeting in London will shape the agenda for the organisation’s annual general meeting, which will be held on Ma…

Liam Kelly insists “sleeping giant” Coventry must avoid letting the occasion of a Wembley play-off final ruin their Premier League dream.

Coventry, one of the Premier League’s founder members in 1992, will end a 22-year exile from the top flight if they overcome Luton in the Sky Bet Championship play-off final on Saturday.

Victory would cap a remarkable journey for Coventry and Kelly as the veteran midfielder was part of the Sky Blues team which beat Exeter in the League Two play-off final at Wembley in 2018.

“The attention surrounding this game is more (than 2018), but on a personal level it’s just the same for me,” said skipper Kelly.

“We were expected to be promoted from League Two and League One, but at the start of the season I don’t …

Matteo Gabbia s dramatic late winner secured Milan a valuable three points against rivals Inter at the San Siro on Sunday.

Gabbia planted a bullet header from Tijjani Reijnders free-kick beyond the grasp of Yann Sommer in the 89th minute to end a run of six straight Milan derby defeats for the Rossoneri.

Milan s bright start was rewarded in the 10th minute when Christian Pulisic drove at the Inter defence before prodding the ball home, becoming the first player from the United States to score in the history of the Milan derby.

But their lead was short-lived as Federico Dimarco s left-footed strike nestled into the bottom corner 17 minutes later, with Inter heading into the interval in the ascendency.

Milan were awarded a penalty 20 minutes into the seco…

Rene Meulensteen believes Arne Slot is the right fit for the Liverpool job, with the Dutchman poised to take over next season.

It was reported last month that Feyenoord and Liverpool reached an agreement in principle for Slot to replace Jurgen Klopp, who announced in January he would be leaving the club after nearly nine years.

Slot led Feyenoord to their second Eredivisie title last season after taking over the club in 2021 and lifted the KNVB Cup in April after beating NEC Nijmegen.

Slot’s attacking style of play has been likened to Klopp’s, with Meulensteen also recognising the similarities between the two coaches.

Meulensteen, speaking on behalf of William Hill Vegas, told Stats Perform: There was a lot of speculation about different names, with […

Market: Bahia win

Odds: 4/6 @

Two sides who find themselves battling it out at opposite ends of the Serie A table, Bahia will welcome Vasco to the Arena Fonte Nova in the early hours of Thursday.

Starting with the hosts, while Bahia might have found themselves at the heart of a Serie A relegation scrap last season, the Tricolor have made a string of improvements this time around. Last seen over the weekend putting in a thumping performance as they stormed their way to a stellar 4-1 romp against Cruzeiro, Rogerio Ceni’s men have received a string of plaudits from across Brazil’s elite since opening up the 2024 campaign. Battling it out at the top of the table and remarkably sat just three points adrift of climbing to the top of the Serie A standings, the form…

Chelsea are once again on the hunt for a new head coach after Graham Potter s brief tenure was brought to an abrupt end on Sunday.

While the news might have caught some by surprise given Chelsea s insistence about Potter being a long-term hire when initially appointed, many will feel the writing was on the wall.

Premier League management is a cut-throat business and Chelsea s actions are the case in point, with Potter reportedly costing them £21million in compensation just 206 days earlier.

Despite his excellent reputation, Potter was unable to meet the demands at Stamford Bridge and leaves with a record that does him few favours.

Plumbing new depths

Chelsea s confirmation of Potter s dismissal was very respectful and made clear how remorseful t…

Leeds United are interested in signing Che Adams in the summer transfer window, according to . The report has claimed that Adams will leave Southampton at the end of the season, and that Leeds are keen on snapping up the striker on a free transfer. However, the Whites would be able to get a deal done for Adams only if they win promotion to the Premier League.

Adams has been on the books of Southampton since 2019 and has done well for the Saints over the years. The 27-year-old Scotland international striker has made 25 starts and 15 substitute appearances in the Championship for the Saints this season, scoring 16 goals and providing four assists in the process.

Southampton are aiming to win promotion to the Premier League. The Saints played out a goalless draw with West …

When the groups for the ongoing World Cup in Qatar were announced, not many expected Morocco to reach the knockout stages, given that they were set to face Croatia, the runners-up of the 2018 tournament in Russia, Belgium, widely believed to be a top-class team on their last chance to leave a mark on international football, and Canada, a fine team of rising stars.

The run

Fast forward three matches in and Morocco won Group F with seven points, two more than Croatia and three more than Belgium. Canada sat on the bottom without a single point.

It was clear at that point for anyone who wanted to see, that this team, without any proper superstars in their ranks, boasts supreme quality. Spain were possibly the next top team to learn that the hard way, having lost their last…

Best odds: 7/16

Bookmaker:

Arguably the biggest game of the third round of the 2023/24 Premier League roller coaster is being played on Sunday at St. James Park, where Newcastle welcome Liverpool. It s a proper heavyweight clash between two teams that battled it out for the final place in the top four last season, which left scores to settle on both sides, and their encounters are usually very exciting.

Newcastle United

It was Newcastle who won that race, finishing behind Manchester City, Arsenal and Manchester United. There s no doubt that Newcastle have made impressive progress in a very short time, coming from fighting against relegation to qualifying for the Champions League. And while many are quick to put it all down to the hard work and indisputable mana…

Prediction: Brighton and Hove Albion to win 3-0

Best Odds:

Bookmaker:

Brighton and Hove Albion will lock horns with Ajax in the UEFA Europa League this week. The match between the Premier League club and the Dutch Eredivisie outfit will be held at the American Express Stadium and is scheduled to kick off at 8pm UK time on Thursday.

Brighton and Hove Albion

Brighton and Hove Albion are fast becoming a team that everybody loves and enjoys watching. Under manager Roberto De Zerbi, the Seagulls are playing wonderful football and are doing extremely well in the Premier League.

The Seagulls are seventh in the Premier League table at the moment with 16 points from nine matches, four points behind Liverpool in fourth. Brighton are unlikely to challeng…