Today in Football – Things You May Have Missed

Football never sleeps. During any of the 86400 seconds in a 24-hour day, somewhere in the world someone is doing something related to the beautiful game, whether that’s scoring a last-minute winner in a high-profile match, posting their expert take on social media or simply booting a ball against a wall with their mates.

It’s therefore impossible for any human being to keep up with everything that’s going on in the game, and it’s often those little yet most intriguing moments, like a fan’s alternative viewpoint of a penalty save, or a three-second yet incredibly telling interaction between two arch-rivals, or thread on X explaining why N’Golo Kante is the nicest man in professional sport, which make football so great.

GIVEMESPORT have created our live blog to help solve that problem, providing the best social media has to offer and the greatest football mini-stories from the last 24 hours.

‘Just when we need him the most’

Liverpool supporters have been left heartbroken after footage of Trent Alexander-Arnold’s reaction to his injury has emerged. The Englishman, during the second half of his side’s eventual loss against Paris Saint-Germain, seemingly twisted his ankle.

While attempting to make a tackle, the right-back’s ankle twisted in an odd motion – and he was, as a result, replaced by Jarell Quansah. Footage of his reaction has been released, and it shows Alexander-Arnold cutting a distraught figure on the ground.

After wincing in pain, the Real Madrid-linked 26-year-old pulled his shirt over his head as he awaited medical assistance. Fans have taken to X (formerly Twitter) to share their disappointment. On Liverpool’s upcoming schedule, one fan insinuated that his crucial presence would be missed. They wrote:

“If this is the last we see of Trent, there should be riots to get Hughes out of that football club,” another commented as a final fan wished that it was not his final outing for the club amid concerns over his future. “Really do hope this isn’t the last time we see Trent in a Liverpool shirt.”

Peter Schmeichel filmed speaking with out-of-form striker outside Old Trafford

Manchester United fans have expressed their sympathy for Rasmus Hojlund after the out-of-sorts striker was filmed having a chat with club legend Peter Schmeichel outside Old Trafford following Sunday’s 1-1 draw against Arsenal. The 22-year-old centre-forward, who joined United in a £72 million deal from Atalanta in August 2023, has now gone 20 games without a goal after failing to score during Sunday’s Premier League encounter.

Named among the substitutes by Ruben Amorim, Hojlund came on for the final 15 minutes but was once again unable to find the back of the net. Schmeichel appeared to be offering the Denmark international some words of encouragement after the match. But United fans couldn’t help but notice how dejected he looked. One supporter wrote on X (Twitter): “I feel awful for him,” while another commented: “The lad looks shot.” A third added: “The guy is broken,” while a fourth said: “I feel for him, honestly.”

9th March: Mr Beast ‘Airs’ Emile Heskey

Awkward moment after Sidemen charity match causes a stir

​​​​​​YouTube superstar Mr Beast has been criticised for ‘airing’ former Premier League striker Emile Heskey while receiving his medal following Saturday’s Sidemen charity match at Wembley. The 26-year-old American, whose YouTube channel has the most subscribers (371 million) on the platform, shook hands with referee Mark Clattenburg and even handed the official one of his Feastables chocolates.

Heskey waited patiently to shake hands with the YouTube sensation, but was unexpectedly left hanging. As Mr Beast showed his medal to the crowd and walked off, Heskey’s reaction suggested he was left bemused by the incident. Heskey was part of the punditry channel for the Sidemen vs YouTube All-Stars match at Wembley, which ended in a 9-9 draw and raised over £4 million for charity.

8th March: Cristiano Ronaldo Absolutely Savages His Lookalike

The Portuguese star’s reaction went viral immediately

Cristiano Ronaldo is the most recognisable footballer in the world today. The Portuguese icon is known across the globe, with millions of loyal fans following his career. To class yourself as a Ronaldo ‘lookalike’ is a brave claim to make, and one that didn’t work out particularly well for one supporter.

Ahead of CR7 taking to the field for Al-Nassr in Saudi Pro League action vs Al-Shabab, footage captured his reaction to seeing said ‘lookalike’. During his warm-up before the game, Ronaldo was spotted shouting jokingly towards the fan: “You don’t look like me, you’re very ugly.” Brutal.

The age-defying superstar then proved there’s no one quite like him as he scored his 463rd goal since turning 30. He had managed as many strikes before reaching that landmark birthday.

6th March: Jamie Carragher Races YouTuber Speed

Liverpool legend, 47, faced 20-year-old YouTube sensation

Jamie Carragher went head-to-head in a sprint against YouTuber Speed inside the CBS Studio after Wednesday night’s Champions League matches. Speed, real name Darren Watkins who only turned 20 in January, was the clear favourite against former Liverpool star Carragher, who celebrated his 47th birthday in the same month.

Carragher cheated by shoving Speed at the start of the race, but the YouTube sensation recovered and still managed to cross the line first. “You cheated and you still lost!” Speed shouted at the retired defender-turned-pundit. “I’m disappointed, I thought I had him,” Carragher told Micah Richards. “The race was too long!” Watch the funny clip in full below:

4th March: Tyrone Mings’ Incredible Goal-Line Clearance

The Aston Villa man denied Club Brugge with an incredible stop

Aston Villa overcame Club Brugge in the first leg of their Champions League round of 16 tie, winning 3-1 via goals from Leon Bailey, Marco Asensio and an own goal from Brandon Mechele. It’s Tyrone Mings they’ll be crediting for the result, though, after he pulled off a remarkable goal-line clearance to keep his side in the contest. With the score tied at 1-1 in the second half, Hans Vanaken looked destined to give Brugge the lead, but the defender denied him with an incredible lunge and the slightest deflection which took the ball just inches past the post.

From there, Unai Emery’s men scored twice and they have taken a solid two-goal advantage into the second leg when the two sides meet again at Villa Park next week.

4th March: Besiktas Change Badge

The changes are so subtle that fans are struggling to see the difference

​​​​Turkish giants Besiktas have released a new club badge ahead of their 122nd anniversary, but the changes are so subtle that many fans are struggling to spot the difference between the new and previous versions. How many can you spot on first glance?

Still struggling? Well, the red in the logo has been adjusted to match the exact shade of red found on the Turkish flag. Secondly, the black outline is now the same thickness as the white one for stronger contrast. And finally, the ‘B’, ‘J’ and ‘K’ letters, along with the 1, 9, 0 and 3 numbers, have been aligned to the same thickness. Why change a winning formula, eh?

3rd March: Vinicius Junior Reveals Whose Decision It Was to Snub Ballon d’Or

The Brazilian missed the event after finding out he wasn’t going to win the award

Vinicius Junior has claimed it was Real Madrid’s decision for him to snub the Ballon d’Or ceremony after finding out he wasn’t going to win the award, not his own. The Brazilian winger was the heavy favourite to win the award, but it was revealed hours before the gala that Manchester City midfielder Rodri had instead been voted for by journalists to take the prize.

Despite having already arranged a celebratory party on the basis that he was winning, Vinicius, nor any Real Madrid representatives, appeared in protest of the decision and the perceived treatment the club has received by the French Football Federation.

“I didn’t feel betrayed [by not winning],” the winger stated as per GOAL. “There are people who vote for what they believe. I have my thoughts, my teammates too.

“I have never dreamed of winning the Ballon d’Or. Of course, when you’re close to winning it, you want to win it, but I’ll have options to win other awards. I’ve already won two Champions Leagues and I’m here to win a lot more.”

When asked who made the call to snub the ceremony, the 24-year-old replied:

“Always the club’s [decision]. I do what the club tells me to do. They asked me to stay in Madrid and I did it calmly.”

3rd March: Fowler Refuses to Sign Young Fan’s Man Utd Shirt

Fans have called him out for his ‘petty’ behaviour

Liverpool legend Robbie Fowler has been called out by fans after refusing to sign a young Manchester United fan’s shirt. On the weekend, a number of the beautiful game’s top stars of yesteryear gathered in Bangkok to participate in the Reignwood Icons of Football golf tournament.

Fans turned up in their droves to watch Fowler – alongside Paul Scholes and John Terry – form Team England who were taking on Team World, two teams captained by two Ryder Cup giants.

Fowler, during a period where players met fans, took time to sign a plethora of hats and went to approach an eagerly waiting youngster before realising that he was holding a Manchester United shirt – he quickly ignored him and continued to greet others.

“I think he is being petty here.” one fan said as another supporter wrote: “Pathetic, it’s a kid. Come on, what’s wrong with him?” A third said: “Very poor on his part… grow up!”

2nd March: Dango Ouattara’s Ice-Cold Penalty

Bournemouth star scored audacious spot-kick in FA Cup shootout

Take a bow, Dango Ouattara. The Bournemouth winger scored one of the coldest penalties we’ll see all season during his side’s penalty shootout victory over Wolves in the FA Cup on Saturday.

The second-half substitute took no run up at all before calmly slotting the ball past goalkeeper Sam Johnstone, who was beaten before he could even react. Ouattara’s penalty stunned the co-commentator, who said: “Wow. That is something I don’t remember ever seeing before.’ Most players wouldn’t have the nerve to try that in training, but Burkina Faso international Ouattara backed himself and executed the unusual technique to perfection.

2nd March: Lionel Messi Absence Sparks Free Ticket Giveaway

Houston Dynamo issue statement to club’s fans

Houston Dynamo have offered fans free tickets after Inter Miami left Lionel Messi out of their squad for Sunday’s Major League Soccer clash between the two clubs. Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano had handed the 37-year-old a rest – reportedly due to fixture congestion – which means Dynamo fans won’t have the opportunity to watch the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner in action.

As a result, Dynamo have taken the surprising step of offering supporters complimentary tickets for a game later this season. Their statement reads: “The Houston Dynamo are excited to host Inter Miami CF at Shell Energy Stadium on Sunday evening. The recently shared player status report for the match did not include forward Lionel Messi, but it has been reported he did not make the trip to Houston. Unfortunately, we have no control over who plays for our opponent.

“We look forward to hosting everyone tomorrow for what will be an incredible atmosphere and celebration of soccer for the city of Houston. To show our appreciation, fans who attend tomorrow night’s match can claim a complimentary ticket to a future Dynamo match this season. Additional details will be provided early next week.”

1st March: Chido Obi Fires Shots at Arsenal After FA Youth Cup Win

His current employers triumphed in a five-goal thriller

Manchester United phenom Chido Obi’s not-so-subtle dig at former club, Arsenal, has got fans talking online. It came after his current employers’ Under-18 outfit beat the Gunners 3-2 in the quarter-final of the FA Youth Cup on Friday night when he re-posted Arsenal’s announcement of their premature exit on his Instagram page.

Jaydan Kamason, who scored the Red Devils’ second of the five-goal thriller, also posted on Instagram to commemorate his goal and the victory on away soil. In response, Chido Obi – who recently made his first team debut under Ruben Amorim – left a comment saying “THANK YOU SO MUCH” accompanied by several laughing emojis.

The 17-year-old Dane, who is famous for scoring bucketloads of goals at youth level, made the move from north London to Manchester in the summer after his contract came to an end – and it seems like he’s got the last laugh.

Referencing his comment, one fan said: “Bro’s got no chill.” while another insinuated that he is a Robin van Persie regen after the Dutchman completed the same move back in the day. “He is in his Van Persie era.” A third supporter wrote: “The amount of abuse he got from Arsenal fans I’m happy for him.”

28th February: Garnacho to Pay for Dinner After Substitution Reaction

Amorim: ‘I told him that, at Manchester United, everything is important’

Much was made of Alejandro Garnacho’s reaction to being substituted in Manchester United’s 3-2 victory over Ipswich Town – and Ruben Amorim has now revealed that the tricky winger, 20, has offered to buy his teammates dinner as a means of apologising.

Speaking ahead of their FA Cup tie, the 40-year-old tactician explained Garnacho’s actions: “He came to me, to my office. I did some investigation. He [Garnacho] went to the dressing room, watched the game, then went home.

Ahead of the Red Devils’ encounter against Fulham, the Argentine – regarded as one of the best young players in world football – will be available for selection after coming off prior to the half-time interval following Patrick Dorgu’s sending-off.

26th February: Didier Drogba Defends Jose Mourinho

Chelsea legend posts passionate tweet in defence of his former manager

Didier Drogba has posted a passionate tweet in defence of his former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho after the current Fenerbahce head coach was accused by Galatasaray of making racist remarks in the aftermath of Monday’s 0-0 draw between th Turkish giants.

Drogba, who spent a season with Galatasaray, posted: “Dear GalatasaraySK. You know how proud I was to wear the yellow and red jersey and my love for the most decorated club in Turkey!! We all know how passionate and heated rivalries can be, and I’ve been lucky enough to experience it.

“I’ve seen the recent comments about Jose Mourinho. Trust me when I tell you I have known Jose for xx years and he is not a racist and history (past and recent ) is there to prove it. Let’s focus on our games, support our brilliant lions and let’s win the league to get close to our 5. How can my ‘Dad’ be a racist. Come on guys.”

Related

10 Richest Sports Presenters on British TV Revealed

Laura Woods, Alex Scott, and Mark Chapman all feature on a list of British TV’s highest-earning sports pundits.