Once again, West Ham United have made a dreary start to a Premier League season to leave fans fearful of the campaign to come. After being battered by Manchester United in 2017 and then Liverpool 12 months later, the Hammers were hoping for an opening day homecoming against champions Manchester City. But Pep Guardiola’s side ripped the Hammers to shreds on Saturday afternoon as a Raheem Sterling hat-trick helped City to a 5-0 win. Yet it’s not all doom and gloom in the East End as fans got to see a glimpse as to why Manuel Pellegrini shelled out £45million to sign Sebastien Haller. Marko Arnautovic held the club to…

Click:niche brands “Hard Knocks” is back. HBO and NFL Films’ must-see sports reality show centering on NFL training camp is almost here, and this year’s edition features the Oakland Raiders for the very first time. Chronicling the start of their final season in Oakland, the latest season of “Hard Knocks” features several storylines that are worth following over the course of the NFL’s preseason. From Jon Gruden to Antonio Brown, there’ll be no shortage of entertainment in the coming weeks. MORE: 7 things we can’t wait to see on ‘Hard Knocks’ with Raiders Oakland will be the 12th team featured in the show’s upcoming 14th season (Cincinnati and Dallas each…

Jerry Jones thinks highly of Tony Pollard. The Cowboys have been without Ezekiel Elliott this preseason, as the star is holding out in hopes of receiving a new contract. Jones, however, believes Pollard ⁠- the team’s fourth-round pick in the 2019 draft – can step in and start in the backfield if needed. “He looks confident out there,” Jones said about Pollard (via the team’s official website). “We know he’s inordinately understanding of what he does and can do. We’ve seen him do it, we know he’s capable of, if he really needs to, carrying the whole load.” Pollard rushed for 16 yards on four carries in his preseason debut…

Jose Mourinho heaped huge praise on Manchester United new boy Harry Maguire following the Red Devils’ rampant opening day victory over Chelsea. Maguire was making his United debut after completing his £80million switch – a record transfer fee for a defender – from Leicester earlier this month. And it was one to remember for the centre-back as he helped his new club beat Frank Lampard’s Blues 4-0. Marcus Rashford’s brace and goals from Anthony Martial and Daniel James secured the victory. There were a number of good performances in the United team including from two-goal hero Rashford. However, former United and Chelsea boss Mourinho, who was working as a pundit…

talkSPORT.com rounds up all the latest transfer news and football gossip from today’s papers and online… Paul Pogba has sparked fresh speculation over his immediate future at Manchester United, saying after Sunday’s 4-0 win over Chelsea ‘there is always that question mark’ – FULL STORY Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil’s agents are set to fly to the United States for talks with MLS club DC United. (Daily Express) Talks between Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain over the transfer of Brazilian superstar Neymar have stalled. The French champions are asking for three players in addition to a fee for the 27-year-old. (Sport) Barcelona say Brazil winger Philippe Coutinho will NOT leave the club this summer. (Marca)…

Frank Lampard was left surprised after learning Jose Mourinho had criticised Mason Mount for his performance in Chelsea’s 4-0 defeat to Manchester United on Sunday. The Blues boss endured a baptism of fire on his managerial debut in the Premier League as he watched his young side capitulate at Old Trafford. Click Here: afl store Lampard made some bold selection choices, handing starts to academy graduates Mason Mount and Tammy Abraham. And former Chelsea boss Mourinho, who was working as a pundit for Sky Sports, singled out the pair for criticism. He said: “You look to the performance of Mason Mount, the performance of Tammy Abraham, you look to the…

The first day of a new football season is a special time for football fans all over the World. The moments before the first kick-off are when hope is high that this season could be a success for your team, despite what logic may actually be telling you. The feeling is only magnified for fans of teams who were promoted the previous season and would be competing at a higher level. This was the narrative surrounding the opening weekend of the Premier League season as Tottenham Hotspur faced off against Aston Villa. The overriding story at the beginning of last season was that Spurs had not signed a single player.…

In the world of PPR fantasy football leagues, it’s obvious how valuable receptions are. After all, they’re the ‘R’ in the format name! Every catch matters, and it has to be factored into rankings and cheat sheets. Whole tiers of sleepers and your draft strategy can shift simply by making each catch worth a point. Some of the players who receive the biggest boost in PPR formats are obvious. It didn’t take a genius to tell you that Christian McCaffrey catches a ton of passes and is even more valuable in PPR leagues. But pass catching can also come down to opportunity and the man delivering the football. That’s what…

With the prominence of PPR leagues through the roof, odds are decent that you’re playing in at least one point-per-reception league, even if it’s only half-point PPR. If you’re also playing in a standard league, that can lead to wildly different sets of rankings, sleepers, and cheat sheets. You have to really be on top on which players are more likely to bust in PPR leagues heading into 2019. The thing is, that can be difficult. Someone will still wind up with a bruising running back in their lineup because they’re decent bets for TDs, but boy is it frustrating to see him trot off the field on every third…

Carlos Santana came through for the Indians in a big way Sunday. The first baseman blasted a grand slam in the top of the 10th inning to help Cleveland come away with a crucial 7-3 win over the Twins at Target Field. Kevin Plawecki led off the frame with a single, Francisco Lindor followed with a walk and Greg Allen reached on a bunt single, setting up Santana’s heroics. “We were on the top step as the inning was unfolding,” Cleveland infielder Jason Kipnis said, via Cleveland.com. “We always say Carlos doesn’t leave here without hitting at least one (home run). He always seems to hit a home run in…