Top games to watch this week
Friday, November 11
Borussia Mönchengladbach vs Borussia Dortmund (Bundesliga)
Olympique Lyon vs Nice (Ligue 1)
América vs Tigres UANL (Liga MX Femenil)
Korea Republic vs Iceland (Friendly)
Bahrain vs Canada (Friendly)
England vs Japan (Women's Friendly)
Spain vs Argentina (Women's Friendly)
Australia vs Sweden (Women's Friendly)
Netherlands vs Costa Rica (Women's Friendly)
Saturday, November 12
Manchester City vs Brentford (English Premier League)
Napoli vs Udinese (English Premier League)
Liverpool vs Southampton (English Premier League)
Tottenham vs Leeds (English Premier League)
Newcastle vs Chelsea (English Premier League)
Wolves vs Arsenal (English Premier League)
Schalke 04 vs Bayern (Bundesliga)
Boavista vs Porto (Primeira Liga)
France vs South Africa (Friendly)
Ecuador vs Iraq (Friendly)
Sunday, November 13
Fulham vs Manchester United (English Premier League)
Atalanta vs Inter (Serie A)
Milan vs Fiorentina (Serie A)
Juventus vs Lazio (Serie A)
Benfica vs Gil Vicente (Primeira Liga)
Famalicao vs Sporting CP (Primeira Liga)
PSG vs Auxerre (Ligue 1)
Monaco vs Olympique Marseille (Ligue 1)
USA vs Germany (Women's Friendly)
Monday, November 14
Santa Clara vs Estoril (Primeira Liga)
Tigres UANL vs América (Liga MX Femenil)
Wednesday, November 16
Saudi Arabia vs Croatia (Friendly)
Oman vs Germany (Friendly)
Poland vs Chile (Friendly)
Mexico vs Sweden (Friendly)
Thursday, November 17
Ghana vs Switzerland (Friendly)
Japan vs Canada (Friendly)
Iraq vs Costa Rica (Friendly)
Jordan vs Spain (Friendly)
Morocco vs Georgia (Friendly)
Portugal vs Nigeria (Friendly)
Most-watched soccer games in the USA: October 31-Nov. 6, 2022
Once again, the battle for the top spot in the ratings has seen a historic week go by, as we have a new record holder for the most-watched game in the country.
This time, the game that earned the top spot was the MLS Cup final between Los Angeles FC and the Philadelphia Union. Over one million and four hundred thousand users were glued to their TV sets to watch the Black and Gold lift their first MLS title in dramatic fashion. Last week, the NWSL claimed the top spot and established a viewership record in the USA for this season, but the men's category stepped up this weekend to steal that milestone away from the ladies.
Once that match came to an end, the attention went to the English Premier League, much like it has been for quite a while. The most watched games for that league saw two away sides claiming victories last weekend, with Leicester's win over Everton being watched by over 600,000 fans, and Arsenal's triumph over Chelsea being witnessed by over 460,000 viewers.
Without further ado, let us have a look at all the football games that made it to the top spots in the battle for the ratings.
What are this week's must-watch games?
Manchester City vs Brentford live this Saturday at 7:30 a.m. ET on UNIVERSO, UNIVERSO NOW, USA Network, Telemundo Deportes En Vivo, fuboTV, Sling TV, and SiriusXM FC
The final Premier League Matchweek before the FIFA World Cup is upon us, with Manchester City gearing up for a tricky test before the six-week break. The defending champions will host Brentford this weekend knowing that a win could help them move top of the table should current league leaders Arsenal slip up at Wolves later that same day. The Bees are winless in their last four Premier League games and have triumphed only once in their last eight English top-flight outings. However, Thomas Frank's men have been a tough side for the top six since their promotion last season and should test Guardiola's men.
Newcastle vs Chelsea live this Saturday at 12:30 p.m. ET on NBC, Peacock, SiriusXM FC, UNIVERSO, UNIVERSO NOW, Telemundo Deportes En Vivo, fuboTV, and Sling TV
Chelsea will want to enter the six-week break on a positive note after suffering three consecutive defeats, two of which came in the Premier League. Unfortunately, their next game is a daunting trip to Newcastle, who sit ahead of them in the table. After the loss to Brighton, Arsenal, and Man City in the Carabao Cup, Potter's men cannot afford to fall further behind in the top-four race. The Magpies, on the other hand, can strengthen their grip on a UEFA Champions League slot with a victory this Saturday. Don't miss this clash.
Juventus vs Lazio live this Sunday at 2:45 p.m. ET exclusively on Paramount+
One of the top games taking place this weekend is a Serie A clash between Juventus and Lazio, two teams that are currently in the top four. The Old Lady have picked up form in the Italian top flight, winning their last four games in a row to leapfrog Inter, Atalanta, and Roma in the table. Lazio, on the other hand, have beaten Roma and Monza in their last two fixtures and are now the closest team to league leaders Napoli, trailing Spalletti's side by eight points. Defeat for I Biancocelesti could see Osimhen and Co. distance themselves at the top while Allegri's side will want to maintain their grip on a top four spot. Make sure to catch this showdown.
Portugal vs Nigeria live this Thursday at 1:45 p.m. ET on ESPN+, TUDN USA, and fuboTV
Once the weekend ends, the focus will quickly shift to the FIFA World Cup, with several of the tournament's participants playing friendly matches in preparation. Portugal, led by the iconic Cristiano Ronaldo, will take on Nigeria in what should be an interesting tie. The Euro 2016 winners have shown rust under Fernando Santos recently and will be without influential Liverpool attacker Diogo Jota due to injury. Their showdown with the Super Eagles should get them up and running for their opening 2022 FIFA World Cup match against Ghana on November 24.
An interesting week is ahead for women's soccer fans, with cup competitions being included in the mix of the defining moments in one of the most entertaining and competitive leagues in America.
If that was not enough to keep fans glued to their seats, the upcoming friendly matches for national teams will certainly add a special flavor to the activity we will have in the next seven days. Teams such as Germany, the USWNT, Portugal, England, the Netherlands, and Spain will all be playing this week with nothing but defending their reputation on the pitch.
Join us to see what will come in the next week in terms of women's soccer matches.
Liga MX Femenil
The Mexican top-flight will see the end of the 2022 Apertura tournament with a clash between two well-known rivals: América and Tigres UANL. The team from Mexico City returns to the title clash with nothing to lose and everything to win, following their triumph in the Clásico Nacional. Their rivals will be the most-winning team in Liga MX Femenil history, who will also enter this game in high spirits after beating their bitter rivals Monterrey in the semifinals.
This tie will give Tigres a chance for redemption, as América won their only title to date by beating them in the 2018 Apertura 2018 final. That clash concluded in a 3-3 draw after 210 minutes, and América took the title home via a penalty shootout where Tigres were only able to score once. A long time has passed since then, and most of the players from both sides have already left their clubs. Will Tigres get their payback this time, or will América extend their dominance in title matches over the team from the North side of Mexico?
FA Women's Cup
The cup competition in the women's category kicks off with games featuring teams from the lower tiers in England's women's soccer system. Clubs such as Derby County, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Stoke City, and Watford will battle for a spot in the second round of the competition, where they will keep eliminating themselves among lower-ranked teams before clubs from the UEFA Women's Championship and the FA Women's Super League join the competition in subsequent rounds.
Women's Friendlies
With the FIFA World Cup coming to steal all the attention, it is time for the women to play their international matches for November. There will be no qualifiers around the globe, but there will be some interesting friendly clashes taking place.
The game between the USMNT and Germany will be of interest, but if that is not enough to raise awareness among fans, how about watching the Netherlands against Denmark on Tuesday, or Spain vs Argentina on Friday? Several teams from all regions of the world will go at it in what could be some interesting matches to catch up.
Interested in more leagues? Visit our dedicated women's soccer page at LiveSoccerTV.com.
Biggest stories of the week
USMNT dealt blow ahead of FIFA World Cup with key defender ruled out
The latest installment of the FIFA World Cup is nearly here, with fans set to watch the tournament taking part during the autumn and winter months for the first time in history.
Several of the 32 teams taking part have already announced their squads, with many more expected to make their final decisions in the next few days. However, some players, unfortunately, will not be able to take part due to suffering heart-breaking injuries at the last minute.
One player that falls into this category is Chris Richards. The 22-year-old has featured for the USMNT youth teams at various levels and was looking forward to being part of Gregg Berhalter's squad that headed to Qatar.
Unfortunately for Richards, who is now on the books at Crystal Palace, he will not be on the plane. Injuries have really affected him all season, and so far, he has only been able to make a handful of appearances for the Eagles after signing with his new team this past July. Prior to coming to the Premier League, Richards played for Bayern Munich (both the reserves and the senior team), where he failed to really nail down a consistent spot in the first team before moving on loan to Hoffenheim.
While Richards is still young - at just 22 years of age - this means that he will have to wait until 2026, when the USMNT will be one of three hosts for the 2026 edition in order to finally make his debut at a World Cup.
Meanwhile, the USMNT will be kicking off their campaign against Wales on November 21st. The Yanks face a tough battle to get out of Group B, as they will also have to overcome EURO 2020 runners-up England in addition to a Wales side led by superstar Gareth Bale.
Speaking of the Stars and Stripes and their Qatar 2022 roster…
FIFA World Cup: Steffen, Pepi and Tillman OUT for the USMNT
The Stars and Stripes have named their squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup… and it is not away from controversy as usual.
Coach Gregg Berhalter has named a talented and young squad, but it seems that some fans will be missing some of the names that helped them return to the top football tournament in the world. Players such as Ricardo Pepi, Zack Steffen, Jordan Pefok, and Malik Tillman were left out of the 26-man roster, raising a few eyebrows after the full list of names was revealed.
The team will benefit from the talent of players such as Weston McKennie, Sergiño Dest, DeAndre Yedlin, and Christian Pulisic, who will finally play in his first FIFA World Cup after missing out on the 2018 edition. Other standout names include Tim Weah and Matt Turner, Arsenal's goalkeeper who was also key for the USMNT in recent games.
Here is Berhalter's list of names for the upcoming FIFA World Cup:
Goalkeepers: Ethan Horvath, Sean Johnson, Matt Turner
Defenders: Cameron Carter-Vickers, Sergiño Dest, Aaron Long, Shaq Moore, Tim Ream, Antonee Robinson, Joe Scally, DeAndre Yedlin, Walker Zimmerman
Midfielders: Brenden Aaronson, Kellyn Acosta, Tyler Adams, Luca de la Torre, Weston McKennie, Yunus Musah, Cristian Roldan
Forwards: Jesús Ferreira, Jordan Morris, Christian Pulisic, Gio Reyna, Josh Sargent, Tim Weah, Haji Wright
Official: Southgate names final England squad for 2022 FIFA World Cup with a few notable omissions
Gareth Southgate has announced his final squad for the upcoming FIFA World Cup, and due to the number of talented players available at his disposal, there were bound to be a few surprise omissions.
The obvious names were there, with Harry Kane, Raheem Sterling, Declan Rice, Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka, John Stones, and Jordan Pickford all making the plane to Qatar. However, beyond that is where the debates began.
In goal, Arsenal's Aaron Ramsdale and Newcastle's Nick Pope will offer cover and competition for the aforementioned Everton shot-stopper. Additionally, Southgate has stuck with the maligned Harry Maguire, calling up the Manchester United skipper alongside Eric Dier, Luke Shaw, Kyle Walker, and Kieran Trippier.
Ben Chilwell and Reece James were ruled out due to injury, thus opening up slots for in-form Arsenal defender Ben White and Liverpool star Trent Alexander-Arnold, a player that garners polarizing opinions online.
In midfield, Rice and Bellingham are joined by Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson and Chelsea duo Mason Mount and Conor Gallagher. Meanwhile, Kalvin Phillips has recovered from injury in time to make the cut while James Ward-Prowse sadly missed out.
The attack is where things get interesting. After varying reports regarding James Maddison, England have decided to call up the in-form Leicester star, a decision which has been celebrated by the public. Meanwhile, Marcus Rashford's lovely form has earned him a spot in the 2022 FIFA World Cup while Callum Wilson has beaten out competition from Ivan Toney and Tammy Abraham to be Kane's deputy.
There was no room for Manchester United ace Jadon Sancho, who despite all his talent, is struggling to perform at Old Trafford. Dan Burn and Lewis Dunk will also watch the tournament from home while the omission of Brentford's Ivan Toney has sparked some controversy.
Meanwhile, AC Milan sensation Fikayo Tomori was met with heartbreaking news while Everton's Conor Coady was given the nod instead. Check out England's complete 26-man squad in complete below.
Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford (Everton), Nick Pope (Newcastle United), Aaron Ramsdale (Arsenal)
Defenders: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Conor Coady (Everton, loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers), Eric Dier (Tottenham Hotspur), Harry Maguire (Manchester United), Luke Shaw (Manchester United), John Stones (Manchester City), Kieran Trippier (Newcastle United), Kyle Walker (Manchester City), Ben White (Arsenal)
Midfielders: Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund), Conor Gallagher (Chelsea), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Mason Mount (Chelsea), Kalvin Phillips (Manchester City), Declan Rice (West Ham United),
Forwards: Phil Foden (Manchester City), Jack Grealish (Manchester City), Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur), James Maddison (Leicester City), Marcus Rashford (Manchester United), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Raheem Sterling (Chelsea), Callum Wilson (Newcastle United)
Bale and McCarthy inspire LAFC to historic first MLS Cup win
Los Angeles have written their names in the history books of Major League Soccer following Saturday night's victory over Philadelphia Union. It took penalty shootouts for LAFC to secure the historic berth after a thrilling 120-minute of action ended in a 3-3 draw.
LAFC leveraged the massive support they received from their own packed stadium to set themselves on course to a win. The hosts opened the scoring inside the 28th minute through Kellyn Acosta. However, their lead was canceled out after Daniel Gazdag fired Philly level in the 59th minute. It looked certain that Steven Cherundolo's men had finally snatched it after Jesus Murrilo scored in the 83rd minute. However, Jack Elliot also had a clutch moment and leveled the playing ground once more.
The game was ushered into extra-time and there was still so much left for LAFC to do as goalkeeper Maxim Crepeau was subsequently sent off for a professional last-man foul in the 116th minute. Moments later, Philadelphia assumed the driver's seat through another Jack Elliot strike. Another twist to the tale presented itself when Gareth Bale leaped to put away Diego Palacios' cross in the ninth minute of stoppage time.
The John McCarthy show followed shortly after, with the backup goalkeeper saving two penalties after Daniel Gazdag had missed by blasting the ball over the bar. On the side of the hosts, Denis Bouanga, Ryan Hollingshead, and Ilie Sanchez had scored after Cristian Tello had missed the first kick of the night.
With that result, LAFC became the first MLS side since Toronto FC in 2017 to win both the Supporters' Shield (best regular season record) and the MLS Cup.
Roberto Firmino responds to Brazil World Cup squad omission with lengthy Instagram post
Liverpool star Roberto Firmino has finally issued a public response after being left out of the Brazil squad. The 31-year-old striker had his name omitted from the Selecao's 26-man roster for the upcoming World Cup in Qatar and took to Instagram to express his devastation.
Having featured for the Seleccao at Russia 2018, a mixture of injuries and ill fortune has hampered the Liverpool star's progression in recent years. This season, he has seemingly been able to get a part of his mojo back and has been crucial for the Reds despite their poor start. However, that has not been enough to earn him a call-up with Brazil incredibly stacked in the attacking position.
The likes of Antony, Gabriel Jesus, Martinelli, Neymar, Pedro, Raphinha, Richarlison, Rodrygo, and Vinicius Jr, were all given the nod ahead of Firmino. The forward, who will now spend the World Cup period at Liverpool, took to Instagram to express his devastation at his omission from the final squad list.
"Passing by to say thank you for all the lovely messages. The World Cup is a dream for every player and with me it wouldn't be any different," Firmino stated.
"Yesterday things didn't go the way I imagined or dreamed for my life but I can look back and have a grateful heart to God that he has already allowed me to live that dream as well as so many others. You, Lord, will keep in perfect peace him whose purpose is firm, because he trusts in you.
"(Isaiah 26:3) I take this opportunity here to pay my respect and congratulate all the summoned. It was, is, and will always be an honour to defend my country especially with the gift the Lord gave me. I stay here confident that God has the best for me and hoping that hexa comes.
"For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11) #Jesusisenough."
UCL draw: Liverpool get Real Madrid in repeat of last season's final, PSG face Bayern in round of 16
The draw for the UEFA Champions League round of 16 is complete and what a mouthwatering round of soccer this promises to be!
Given that the likes of Liverpool, PSG, Inter Milan, and AC Milan all failed to win their groups, stellar showdowns were guaranteed to take place, and this year's draw did not disappoint.
Two fixtures, in particular, stand out, the first being Liverpool's clash with Real Madrid. These two European powerhouses were pitted against each other in a repeat of last season's final as the Merseyside giants continue their search for revenge over Los Blancos after losing the 2022 and 2018 finals to the Spanish side.
The other blockbuster tie will see the champions of France and Germany battle it out for a spot in the quarterfinals. Yes, PSG will face Bayern Munich in the round of 16, having locked horns in two of the last three seasons. Lionel Messi, who has both inflicted and endured heartbreak against the Bundesliga heavyweights, will cross paths with Muller and Neuer once more, but this time around, he will have Neymar and Kylian Mbappe on his side.
Manchester City, one of the favorites to win the UEFA Champions League title, will take on RB Leipzig in the knockout stage. While things could have been worse for Guardiola's men, Nkunku and Co. are not to be underestimated after putting in stellar performances against Real Madrid, Shakhtar Donetsk, and Celtic in the group stage.
Meanwhile, Tottenham, who secured their round of 16 ticket on the final day, will face reigning Serie A champions AC Milan, meaning a return to Italy for Conte, while Antonio's former club Inter Milan will face Primeira Liga holders Porto in the next round.
And lastly, we have Dortmund vs Chelsea as highly-rated Englishman Jude Bellingham is set for another European battle with a Premier League giant looking to sign him up this summer. Check out the draw in complete below.
Other key headlines from the world of soccer
Arsenal set new Premier League record with Chelsea win
Arsenal have earned another Premier League record after deservedly beating Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday afternoon. Thanks to Gabriel's goal, the Gunners have become the first club in the history of the competition to register 10 away wins against the Blues.
Mikel Arteta's men entered the day's encounter knowing that a win would restore them to the top spot in the league table. On Saturday, they were demoted to second after 10-man Manchester City beat Fulham 2-1 inside the Etihad. A rather cagey affair ensued at Stamford Bridge, with chances being at a minimum.
With the result, Arsenal re-established a two-point lead above Man City after 13 Premier League outings. The victory took the club's away win tally over Chelsea to 10, making the Emirates outfit the first club to triumph in 10 Premier League away games against Chelsea. Also, they are just the second visiting side to win three in a row at Stamford Bridge after Blackburn Rovers (1993-94 to 1995-96).
Major concern for Senegal as star player sustains injury just ahead of upcoming World Cup
In January, Senegal won their first AFCON tournament, with star man Sadio Mane playing his part by scoring the final spot-kick. Now, the Lions of Teranga, after securing their spot at the World Cup by beating Egypt in a play-off, do look like they could have a shot at making the round of 16 as they are in a relatively comfortable quartet alongside Netherlands (who are expected to top the group) as well as hosts Qatar and Latin American side Ecuador.
However, Senegal's preparations for the upcoming event in less than a fortnight have hit a snag. During the first half of Bayern Munich's match against Werder Bremen, new signing Mane had to be subbed off early following what appears to be a nasty knock to his calf.
Although the former Liverpool ace was able to leave the pitch on his own two feet after receiving treatment, any sort of injury this close to the tournament will surely be a major source of worry for his national side.
Senegalese fans both in the country and around the world will definitely be on tenterhooks waiting to hear updates regarding Mane's condition as they prepare to support their team, who will kick off their fourth World Cup against the Netherlands on November 21st.
Guardiola gives honest assessment of Graham Potter ahead of Man City vs Chelsea Carabao Cup clash
Pep Guardiola is not a manager that shies away from praising his rivals, and ahead of Wednesday's highly-anticipated showdown with Chelsea, the Spaniard did just that with Graham Potter.
Manchester City hosted Sterling and Co. in the third round of the Carabao Cup, with Guardiola both hailing the Englishman as one of the best tacticians in the game and insisted that the Blues should afford their brilliant head coach some patience.
"If Chelsea accept my humble advice, give him time and he will do well," said the Cityzens boss.
"They got good results but the way they play, when I saw the game against Brighton that they lost, I saw many things I remember from his period in Brighton. But he needs time, everybody needs time.
"No one has success from day one or two, I have a lot of admiration for his work. What he did at Brighton was beyond exceptional and I'm pretty sure with time he will do a good job, I don't have any doubts.
"He is one of the best managers, from my point of view, we have in this league."
