Sports news

Former Chelsea youth player Izzy Brown has announced his premature retirement from professional football at the age of just 26 as a result of injury.

Brown became the second youngest player in Premier League history when he made his debut for West Brom aged 16 years and 117 days in May 2013. He soon joined Chelsea and won two FA Youth Cups with the Blues, as well as the UEFA Youth League.

His first-team debut at Chelsea came in May 2015, before embarking on seven loans away from the club, starting with a stint at Dutch side Vitesse Arnhem.

Brown went on to play extensively in the Championship for Rotherham, Huddersfield, Leeds, Luton and Sheffield Wednesday, as well as a top flight spell with Brighton in 2017/18.

The winger was still on the books at Chelsea until as recently as 2021, eventually leaving the club and signing with Preston North End on a permanent deal. But he never played a single game for the Lancashire side after suffering the ruptured Achilles in pre-season that ultimately ended his career.

Read more on Frank Lampard’s return to Chelsea

Brown was released by Preston in May 2022, with his last game as a professional footballer having come as a substitute for Sheffield Wednesday against Swansea in April 2021.

“I just didn’t think this day would come so soon,” Brown said in a statement posted on social media.

“It is with great sadness and a heavy heart that after a long year of struggling from two Achilles tendon surgeries, I now have to retire from professional football.

“I will always remember the memories I have made. They will live with me forever. From being told I was going to be on the bench against Chelsea, to making my debut against Wigan at the age of 16 for West Brom. Then getting to make my debut for Chelsea, the club I dreamed of playing for when I was a little boy. And I’ll never forget getting promoted to the Premier League with Huddersfield at Wembley. That will forever be one of the happiest and greatest moments of my life.”

LISTEN NOW

On this edition of Talking Transfers, part of the 90min podcast network, Scott Saunders, Graeme Bailey, Toby Cudworth & Tom Gott discuss Chelsea’s decision to sack Graham Potter, Man City and Real Madrid’s interest in Josko Gvardiol, the futures of William Saliba, Kai Havertz, Randal Kolo Muani & more! If you can’t see this embed, click here to listen to the podcast!

Middlesbrough host Championship leaders Burnley on Good Friday evening, with the chance of the visitors being confirmed as promoted to the Premier League.

Vincent Kompany’s Clarets need a result to go their way earlier in the day for that to happen, but will still need to see off an impressive Boro side pushing for second place under Michael Carrick.

Here’s what you need to know about a potentially defining fixture at the top of the Championship.

Middlesbrough vs Burnley H2H Results (Last Five Meetings)

Current Championship Form (Last Five Games)

Middlesbrough team news

Matt Clarke is the only confirmed absentee for Boro, who were surprisingly beaten 4-2 at Huddersfield in their most recent outing. Dael Fry and Riley McGree could come back into the starting XI after being named on the bench for that defeat.

League top scorer Chuba Akpom will continue in attack alongside Cameron Archer, who has two goals and two assists in his last two league games.

Middlesbrough predicted lineup (4-2-3-1): Steffen; Smith, Fry, Lenihan, Giles; Howson, Hackney; Forss, Akpom, McGree; Archer.

Burnley team news

Clarets boss Kompany also has a relatively fit squad, with Darko Churlinov the only player to definitely miss out.

Manuel Benson may drop out of the starting XI for Vitinho, but otherwise it’ll likely be a similar team to the one that drew 0-0 with Sunderland last time out.

READ NEXT

Burnley predicted lineup (4-2-3-1): Muric; Roberts, Harwood-Bellis, Maatsen; Cullen, Brownhill; Vitinho, Tella, Zaroury; Barnes.

Burnley know they could be in position to secure automatic promotion on Friday night if Luton lose in the day’s early kick off at Millwall, who are themselves firmly in the mix for a play-off position in fifth.

However, Carrick’s Boro are not a side to skip over and will have designs on winning this game to boost their own automatic promotion hopes. They sit third, six points off Sheffield United having played a game more.

It has all the makings for a fun spectacle on Friday night.

Prediction: Middlesbrough 2-2 Burnley

Manchester United host Everton in the Premier League in Saturday’s early kick-off hoping to build on a 1-0 win over Brentford on Wednesday night.

That victory, albeit narrow, was pretty dominant and injected some fresh impetus into the club’s top four ambitions after a difficult few weeks.

Here’s a look at the starting XI that Erik ten Hag could pick for the visit of the Toffees.

GK: David de Gea – Fans saw the best and worst of the Spaniard against Brentford, almost costing a goal with poor kicking but later making a huge one-on-one save that preserved the lead.

RB: Aaron Wan-Bissaka – Could return to the lineup after being back on the bench in midweek.

CB: Raphael Varane – On course to start a fifth Premier League game in a row.

CB: Lisandro Martinez – Easily one of United’s best and most influential performers

LB: Tyrell Malacia – Impressed when he came off the bench in place of Luke Shaw in the first half on Wednesday. Could keep that place here with Shaw a doubt.

CM: Scott McTominay – Put in a huge shift against Brentford and will be keen to carry that on here, esepcially after a strong international break as well.

CM: Marcel Sabitzer – The Austrian could potentially help United pick through Everton’s lines, which are likely to be tiht and compact.

RM: Antony – His shooting radar wasn’t quite tuned in against Brentford but he was heavily involved in a number of promising attacks.

AM: Bruno Fernandes – Will captain the side in the absence of Harry Maguire and his chances of landing that role permanently seem to be going up and up.

LM: Marcus Rashford – The difference against Brentford, as he so often has been this season. Nowonly two goals shy of hitting 30 in all competitions for the first time in his career.

ST: Wout Weghorst – Will offer United a different kind of threat after Rashford played the ‘number nine’ role last time out. Would result in Jadon Sancho dropping out of the side.

LISTEN NOW

On this edition of The Promised Land, part of the 90min podcast network, Scott Saunders & Rob Blanchette discuss the win over Brentford and what was different about it, Marcel Sabitzer, Bruno Fernandes, Jadon Sancho, Anthony Martial’s return, Everton & the Hall of Fame. If you can’t see this embed, click here to listen to the podcast!

Manchester United and Everton will meet for the third time this season at the weekend. It is the reverse of a Premier League fixture United won 2-1 in October, with the clubs also having been paired together in the FA Cup third round in January – another United win.

The Red Devils come into this one off the back of a dominant but low scoring victory over Brentford in midweek. That marked the end of a three game win-less run in the league following only one point from a possible nine from games against Liverpool, Southampton and Newcastle.

Everton traded Frank Lampard for Sean Dyche towards the end of January and have generally been rewarded after winning as many league games (3) of the nine since then as they had done in the first 21 of the campaign. The Toffees are also unbeaten in their last four after rescuing late draws against both Chelsea and Tottenham in recent outings. But relegation is still a real threat.

Man Utd vs Everton H2H Results (Last Five Games)

Current Premier League Form (Last Five Games)

Man Utd team news

Casemiro is still suspended, which remains a blow for United, althogh Scott McTominay put in a star performance against Brentford in that role. Christian Eriken is potentially in contention after training with the rest of the squad this week, although Luke Shaw is a doubt after a knock on Wednesday.

Alejandro Garnacho, Tom Heaton and Donny van de Beek are unavailable.

Man Utd predicted lineup (4-2-3-1): De Gea; Wan-Bissaka, Varane, Martinez, Malacia; McTominay, Sabitzer; Antony, Fernandes, Rashford; Weghorst.

Everton team news

Abdoulaye Doucoure is suspended following his red card against Tottenham. Dominic Calvert-Lewin is a doubt and will be monitored, but Andros Townsend is the only other player definitely missing.

Everton predicted lineup (4-5-1): Pickford; Coleman, Keane, Tarkowski, Godfrey; Iwobi, Garner, Gueye, Onana, McNeil; Gray

Even though the scoring was kept to a minimum thanks to a bit of wayward finishing, United showed their quality against Brentford and will be expecting more of the same against Everton this weekend.

There is no doubt the Toffees have secured better results under Sean Dyche, including a shock victory over Arsenal, but getting anything from this one will be tough.

Prediction: Man Utd 1-0 Everton

Erik ten Hag wants Manchester United to make Marcel Sabitzer’s move from Bayern Munich permanent in the summer, 90min understands.

Sabitzer joined United on loan from the German champions on deadline day in January, and has made 11 appearances in all competitions to date. The Austrian international assisted Marcus Rashford’s winner in the 1-0 victory over Brentford on Wednesday night.

Ten Hag is keen to increase the quality of United’s midfield ahead of next season, with Sabitzer considered a potential bargain to do so on a permanent deal.

Sabitzer had been out of favour at Bayern under Julian Nagelsmann, and it is understood the situation remains the same under new coach Thomas Tuchel, who was only recently appointed. Bayern will not stand in the player’s way of a permanent exit and are prepared to sell for a sum similar to what they initially paid RB Leipzig in August 2021 – around €16m (£13.7m).

A number of clubs around Europe are interested in Sabitzer themselves but he is understood to be happy at United, having settled well since arriving. United are the player’s first choice.

READ MORE FROM THE 90MIN TALKING TRANSFERS TEAM

United, who are targeting a new first choice striker as top priority, would also like an additional starting ‘number 8’ to join before next season, with Sabitzer offering additional support should he arrive too. 90min has reported repeatedly on Ten Hag’s interest in Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong, although other targets are also being considered.

The club are looking to raise funds through the sales of squad players in order to create room for manoeuvre in the transfer market, with Scott McTominay attracting interest from a number of Premier League sides – including Newcastle. As previously stated, United are hopeful they can raise around £30m for the Scottish international given the interest in him.

Fred is also not in the club’s longer term planning, and while he could be sold for the right price in the summer, McTominay stands to command a higher fee. It’s likely that one of the pair leaves before next season. Fred is out of contract in 2024.

United are hopeful they will be able to sign Sabitzer and offload an unwanted midfielder for net profit, before also signing a new first choice ball-playing midfielder.

On this edition of The Promised Land, part of the 90min podcast network, Scott Saunders & Rob Blanchette discuss Man Utd’s win over Brentford and which former United stars should make the Premier League Hall of Fame.

If you can’t see this embed, click here to listen to the podcast!