data-mm-id=”_tr3oncbd1″>The New England Patriots and Miami Dolphins are making further history on the betting lines, each on complete opposite ends of the spectrum.This pair of AFC East rivals are each involved in games that are predicted to be decided by at least 20 points. The Patriots are 22.5-point home favorites against another East squad, the New York Jets, while the Dolphins are -21.5 point underdogs against the Cowboys in Dallas. This is the first time there have been multiple 20-point favorites in a weekly NFL slate since 1987.The 1986 season was marred by a player’s strike that forced replacement players to be utilized during Weeks 4-6. In Week 5, the San Francisco 49ers were the biggest road favorites in NFL history, as the Atlanta Falcons (limited to three regulars who crossed picket lines) were 23-point underdogs. Elsewhere that day, the Cowboys were 21.5-point favorites over Philadelphia. While both the 49ers and Cowboys won their games outright, each failed to cover.Each participating squad’s situation makes this gambling anomaly unsurprising. The Patriots have routinely defeated the Jets by sound margins in recent years, especially at Gillette Stadium. New York hasn’t won a regular season game in Massachusetts since 2008 and has scored a total of 12 points in their prior three visits.They’re also coming off a 23-3 home loss to the Cleveland Browns on Monday night. With franchise quarterback Sam Darnold battling mono, the Jets saw backup Trevor Siemian depart due to injury late in the first half, and will now miss the season. Second-year player Luke Falk is set to make his first career NFL start. Against Bill Belichick and the Patriots. In Foxboro.Meanwhile, Miami’s ridiculous season of rebuilding will continue in Arlington. The Dolphins were 18.5-point underdogs last week against the mighty Patriots, marking the fourth time in NFL history that a road team was favored by at least three touchdowns. Unlike the previous three occurrences, the Patriots covered to the tune of a 43-0 victory. Miami squares off against a strong Cowboys team (2-0 with a +28 point differential) without young cornerback Minkah Fitzpatrick, who was traded to Pittsburgh on Monday night.
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Liverpool signed defender Paul Konchesky from Fulham, while Sunderland smashed their transfer record to land Asamoah Gyan and Birmingham made a surprise swoop for Barcelona midfielder Alexander Hleb on the final day of the transfer window.
Reds boss Roy Hodgson had been keen to land left-back Konchesky from his former club since taking over at Anfield in the close-season and he finally got his man on a four-year contract once Finnish striker Lauri Dalla Valle and Swedish winger Alex Kacaniklic agreed their moves in the opposite direction.
That deal, Sunderland s signing of Rennes star Gyan and Birmingham s loan move for Hleb took centre-stage as Premier League clubs tried to beat the 1800BST (1700GMT) deadline for registering new signings.
Hleb s capture represe…
N Golo Kante has returned to training with Chelsea after serving a period of isolation following his positive coronavirus test.
The 30-year-old missed Chelsea s final two games before the international break – a 1-0 loss to Juventus and 3-1 win against Southampton – after contracting the virus.
Kante was also not included in France s Nations League squad, with Les Blues set to face Spain in Sunday s final after edging Belgium in a thrilling semi-final.
However, the midfielder – who has featured six times in all competitions this season – was cleared to return to Chelsea s Cobham training base on Friday after serving a 10-day isolation period.
Kante trained away from the main group as he is slowly integrated back into the fold ahead of the Blues s…
Veteran Juventus midfielder Andrea Pirlo is hoping to win more Serie A titles after prolonging his stay at the Italian champions.
Pirlo was set to come out of contract at the end of the month but the 35-year-old signed a new two-year deal with Juventus on Wednesday.
The Italy international, who will remain at the club until June 2016, is already targeting more silverware, having won three consecutive Scudetto titles since leaving rivals Milan in 2011.
I am very happy to have renewed my contract for another two years with Juventus, said Pirlo, who is away on international duty at the FIFA World Cup.
I hope to spend the next two years the same way as the last three.
It was my choice to continue with Juventus, as it is a successful club aiming to always improv…
Defender Alex Wilkinson believes that he has improved his game by playing against quality strikers with Australia at the FIFA World Cup.
The Jeonbuk Motors man was involved in a promising but ultimately fruitless campaign as Ange Postecoglou s side were eliminated from a group that also put paid to Spain s title defence.
But the quality of Australia s performances, particularly against the Netherlands and Chile, offered cause for optimism.
And, having come up against the likes of Robin van Persie, Alexis Sanchez and David Villa, Wilkinson feels the experience will stand the team in good stead.
You learn that you ve got to be switched on for the whole 90 minutes, and that you can t mentally switch off for one second against those teams and players, he tol…
that Romelu Lukaku could be a target for a number of Europe’s elite clubs this summer.
The striker’s agent has talked up potentional interest from Juventus, Real Madrid and Paris Saint Germain all are likely to be able to offer Champions League football something the Belgium international longs for.
Lukaku was strongly linked with a move away last summer but opted to remain with the Toffee’s, who he joined from Chelsea in the summer of 2013, having spent the previous year on loan at West Bromwich Albion.
Since arriving at Goodison Park, the twenty-two year old has racked up one hundred and twenty-eight appearnces in all competitions, scoring sixty-one goals.
He is set to lead the line as Roberto Martinez’s side take on Manchester United on…
Danny Welbeck helped end Manchester United s 25-match unbeaten run in the Premier League, scoring Arsenal s second in a 2-0 win over his former team which handed Arsene Wenger a first top-flight triumph over Jose Mourinho.
The Portuguese coach tempted fate by making eight changes from Thursday s Europa League win over Celta Vigo and it ultimately backfired, with the hosts consigning them to their first league defeat since losing 4-0 to Chelsea in October.
After a particularly frenetic start which saw each side waste good opportunities, Arsenal looked the more purposeful going forward and spent long periods probing a stubborn United defence which included Premier League debutant Axel Tuanzebe.
But the best chance of the half fell to Wayne Rooney, who pounced on …
Erik ten Hag is not concerning himself about contract talks with key Manchester United players including Cristiano Ronaldo and is instead focused on performances on the pitch.
United have a host of players out of contract at the end of the season, although some have options in their existing deals for a further season.
Ronaldo is one of those, along with David de Gea and Marcus Rashford, but Diogo Dalot – who has started all nine Premier League matches at right-back this season – could be free to leave.
Those situations will need addressing, but Ten Hag is happy to park them for now.
At this moment we only think about performing, the manager said. We have a lot of games to go, so I don t want to get that interfered by talks.
We have to focus…
Granit Xhaka s volley ensured Arsenal secured qualification for the Europa League s knockout stages with two games to spare, firing the Gunners to a 1-0 home win over PSV.
Mikel Arteta selected a strong side as Arsenal looked to ensure their progression from Group A on Thursday, but PSV appeared likely to make them wait after producing a resolute defensive display.
Walter Benitez kept Arsenal at bay until the 70th minute, but Xhaka expertly diverted a right-wing delivery into the bottom-left corner to seal the hosts progress.
While Arsenal are now assured of a place in the Europa League s knockout stages, a point in next week s return fixture will guarantee them top spot and a bye to the competition s round of 16.
3 Granit Xhaka has scored as many goals t…
Napoli are keeping close tabs on Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Sandro, .
The Azzurri plan to sign a strong and powerful midfielder and while they are still in talks to recruit Maxime Gonalons from Lyon, the club officials are also considering other targets.
And with Javier Mascherano unlikely to arrive at Stadio San Paolo, Napoli seem to have turned their attention to Tottenham s Sandro.
The Brazilian has lost his place in the side at White Hart Lane and he is reportedly ready to leave the club in the summer transfer window.
Sandro joined Spurs from Internacional in the summer of 2010, but numerous injuries have since prevented him from showing all he s got.
The 25-year-old has made 81 Premier League appearances during the four years at White Hart…
Paris Saint-Germain coach Antoine Kombouare has signed a 12-month contract extension, tying him to the Ligue 1 club until 2013.
Kombouare has guided PSG to fourth in the table with five matches of the current campaign remaining, level on points with third-placed Lyon and vying for a Champions League qualification berth.
Paris Saint-Germain is pleased to announce the extension of an additional season for coach Antoine Kombouare, the club said in a statement.
Considering our satisfaction with the work undertaken, and for the sake of continuity, the club has decided to exercise the option for an additional year on the contract of Antoine Kombouare.
Kombouare, 47, took over at the Parc des Princes in 2009, replacing Paul Le Guen.
PSG finished a d…