Joe Allen on Monday completed a permanent transfer from Liverpool FC to Stoke City. The midfielder, who joined the club from Swansea City in the summer of 2012, moves to the Premier League club after four years with the Reds. The Wales international made his debut in an opening-day defeat at West Bromwich Albion and clocked up 37 appearances that season. He went on to play 24 league games in 2013-14 as the team finished second to Manchester City and secured a return to UEFA Champions League soccer. Last term, Allen converted the winning penalty against his new side as Liverpool reached the League Cup final, and was brought on as a substitu... NESN.com
Tag: city
Five questions after City v Madrid first leg
In many ways, Tuesday's UEFA Champions League semi-final first leg between Manchester City and Real Madrid threw up more questions than answers. UEFA.com investigates.Who will blink first?Joe Hart, arguably City's saviour on Tuesday, described the first leg as nothing more than "a sparring session" when speaking to UEFA.com afterwards. "Now we go again and it'll be a ding-dong at the Bernabéu," he added. "That's the beauty of it – we love being here and we love being part of this competition."
City want passion and poise against Real Madrid
Manuel Pellegrini, up against former club, says City "need our emotions under control" City unbeaten in seven; Real Madrid on five-game winning streakCristiano Ronaldo expected to play after missing weekend matchYaya Touré the only significant absentee for CityZinédine Zidane says Madrid could be in best form of 2015/16Possible lineupsMan. City: Hart; Sagna, Otamendi, Kompany, Clichy; Fernando, Fernandinho; Navas, De Bruyne, Silva; Agüero. Out: Touré (muscular pro...
Three points for Madrid, Atlético, Bayern and City
Manchester City 4-0 Stoke City (Fernando 35, Agüero 43p, Iheanacho 64 74) City are unbeaten in seven following a rout in Saturday's early game. Fernando headed Manuel Pellegrini's side in front, and Sergio Agüero made it 2-0 from the penalty spot following a foul on Kelechi Iheanacho. The 19-year-old went on to steal the show, scoring City's third from close range before rounding the goalkeeper to make it 4-0.Rayo Vallecano 2-3 Real Madrid (Embarba 7, Miku 14; Bale 35 81, Lucas Vázquez 52)Real Madrid recovered from going 2-0 down inside 15 minutes to earn a fifth successive victory in all competitions. Embarba and ...
Ronaldo v Manchester City, Agüero v Real Madrid
The UEFA Champions League semi-finals have stirred up memories for Manchester City and Real Madrid's star strikers, both of whom know their last-four rivals very well indeed. With Manchester United, Ronaldo played City in 11 derby matches, while Sergio Agüero represented Atlético in 11 such games with Real Madrid. UEFA.com picks out the key statistics.Ronaldo's English meetings with CityP11 W7 D1 L3 (W4 D1 L1 at home, W3 D0 L2 away), goals: 4Goals-per-game ratio for United: 0.43 (234 domestic league and cup games, 101 goals)Goals-per-game ratio against City: 0.36 (11 domestic league and cup games, 4 goals)
Real Madrid, City and Bayern all flex their muscles
Chelsea 0-3 Manchester City (Agüero 33 54 80pen)Sergio Agüero struck his seventh hat-trick for City but had to share the plaudits with architect-in-chief Kevin De Bruyne after what Yaya Touré reckoned to be one of the club's best displays of the season. De Bruyne played a part in Agüero's first two goals and then, when Thibaut Courtois brought down Fernandinho (receiving a red card for his troubles), the Argentinian completed his haul. It moved City up to third ahead of Arsenal's home game with Crystal Palace on Sunday.Getafe 1-5 Real Madrid (Sarabia 83; Benzema 29, Isco 40, Bale 50, James 88, Ronaldo 90+2)Real Madrid kept the pressu...
De Bruyne demonstrates his importance to City
The Paris Saint-Germain fans expecting a midweek stroll were clearly looking at the wrong set of Manchester City results. The English club may have wobbled of late, but their recent woes coincided with the absence of Kevin De Bruyne – and the Belgian schemer underlined the point on a frenetic night that left the visitors favourites to reach the semi-finals.This was football to quicken the pulse, a rollercoaster game strewn with twists, turns and telling lapses that ended in a 2-2 draw neither coach could quibble with. Laurent Blanc and Manuel Pellegrini rued mistakes in the aftermath, but there was quality too, and the moment of purest expertise was delivered by a fit-again De Br...