Ron Walker
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⚽️ journalist & occasionally seen on TV @SkySportsPL.
Articles by Ron Walker
Liverpool: Andoni Iraola demands creativity over control to solve Premier League scoring problems
Liverpool must sacrifice control in games in order to fix their creativity problems, Andoni Iraola has demanded ahead of their weekend trip to Crystal Palace, live on Sky Sports. The Reds have created the second-fewest big chances in the Premier League this season and scored only four goals in five home games, their joint-fewest at this stage of a season in their history.
Pierre Sage under pressure: How Crystal Palace and last season's Ligue 1 manager of the year are both suffering
As Pierre Sage waited to receive the Coupe de France trophy as the victorious manager of RC Lens last May, he turned to his staff and said: "Do you realise where we are?" Sage had just led the club to a first French Cup title in its history while plotting a course to finish second in Ligue 1, its joint-best league position in over two decades - all in his first season in charge.
Renee Slegers exclusive: Going 'back to basics' has loosened Arsenal team following back-to-back wins
Five days. Two wins - much-needed ones. Arsenal head coach Renee Slegers is at pains to remind everyone this is just the start. But it is, at least, a start. The Gunners boss' tenure looked in a perilous position barely a week ago when their winless WSL run was extended to five games by salvaging only a draw against newly promoted Birmingham. That left them 10 points off the league summit six games in with the prospect of a North London derby away to a Spurs side four points closer on the horizon.
Sunderland vs Brentford; Carabao Cup Fourth Round
Three goals in 13 first-half minutes saw Sunderland blitz past Brentford and into the Carabao Cup quarter-finals with a 3-2 win at the Stadium of Light. The Black Cats owed much to 21-year-old Jocelin Ta Bi for his trio of assists to turn the game on its head after Brentford had dominated the early stages - and hit the post, bar and saw a shot cleared off the line in one move at 0-0.
Crystal Palace vs Newcastle United; Premier League
Newcastle heaped more pressure on Crystal Palace boss Pierre Sage as they took advantage of the Eagles' dreadful start to the second half to win 2-0 at Selhurst Park. Having been battered 5-0 by Brighton last weekend, Palace badly needed a response for their under-fire head coach but were soundly beaten by the Magpies - whose own manager Matthias Jaissle had also come into the game feeling the heat.
Lech Poznan vs Sunderland; UEFA Europa League
Timur Tutierov's first Sunderland goal was not enough to earn them the victory they deserved in Poland as their wastefulness was punished in a 1-1 draw at lowly Lech Poznan. The 21-year-old got the Black Cats' - and his own - night off to the perfect start with the fastest goal in this season's Europa League, nodding home Nilson Angulo's cross with barely a minute gone after Mateusz Lis' poor clearance was picked off.
Anthony Gordon: England and Barcelona winger shrugs off consistency concerns to become key figure for club and country
It feels a long time ago that Anthony Gordon's place in the England line-up was not assured. It took until the final pre-World Cup warm-up with Costa Rica, where Gordon scored one and set up another, for him to really nail down his spot for the tournament opener with Croatia. Even then, many of the Sky Sports writers were yet to be totally convinced. But barely three months on, he has become an integral name on Thomas Tuchel's team-sheet and one of his most valued attacking players.
Man Utd 1-0 Liverpool: Julia Zigiotti’s early chip earns Eva Olid back-to-back WSL wins
Man Utd kept up their resurgence under new boss Eva Olid as Julia Zigiotti's early chip secured back-to-back victories with a 1-0 win over Liverpool. After a difficult start to life with the Red Devils, losing her opening two games before being thrashed 5-0 by Chelsea, Olid appears to have turned a corner, with seven points from her last three games and an in-form Liverpool deservedly dispatched in Leigh.
Lyon 0-0 Chelsea: Lauren James sees penalty overturned by VAR as Blues draw with eight-time Women's Champions League winners
Lauren James saw a late penalty decision overturned by VAR as Chelsea played out a goalless draw away to last season's Women's Champions League finalists and eight-time winners Lyon. James initially appeared to have been brought down by Damaris Egurrola inside the Lyon box with only minutes remaining, but having initially given the penalty, referee Marta Huerta de Aza overturned her decision after consulting the VAR review monitor.
Czech Republic vs England; UEFA Nations League Group A3
Pavel Sulc's first-half red card helped England recover from a nervy start to register an Anthony Gordon-inspired 2-0 Nations League win over the Czech Republic in Prague. While the Three Lions toiled in the early stages and nearly fell behind twice to presentable chances wasted by Sulc, Barcelona winger Gordon, supported by former team-mate Lewis Hall, was a threat throughout.
Renee Slegers: Put pressure on me, not Arsenal players, after poor start to season, says Gunners boss
Renee Slegers is calmer than she might be about Arsenal's start to the season. Not only have the Gunners already been off the pace after just three games into the Women's Super League season, an old kryptonite has begun to rear its head again at the Emirates Stadium.
Tottenham bottom of Premier League despite £300m summer spend - where do they go from here?
This time it was supposed to be different. After multiple false dawns for Tottenham Hotspur, the club had a manager with proven Premier League experience, and had handed him a £300m+ war chest - easily the biggest in its entire history. Instead, Spurs find themselves bottom of the table after five games for the first time in 18 years, with their only goals a pair of consolation strikes on another dismal afternoon against Aston Villa at the weekend.
Eva Olid exclusive: Manchester United Women head coach 'surprised' by manner of London City defeat
Eva Olid has learned more about her new Manchester United side in the past week than in the whole of the previous month since she took over from Marc Skinner. Even with some difficult pre-season results and a summer of transition hinting at teething problems, her methods had been sufficiently implemented on the Carrington training pitches to be confident going into last Friday's curtain raiser at London City Lionesses.
Fulham vs AFC Wimbledon; Carabao Cup Second Round
Rodrigo Muniz was finally all smiles again as he ended a year-long goal drought to help earn Alvaro Arbeloa his first win and see Fulham breeze past AFC Wimbledon 3-0 in the Carabao Cup. The Brazilian netted his first goal since August 16, 2025 with a fine header back across goal from Kenny Tete's cross after Emile Smith Rowe had nodded the Cottagers in front to all-but secure a third-round trip to West Ham even before half-time. Teams | Stats Carabao Cup third round draw in full Got Sky?
Should Liverpool be worried? Pre-season form, injuries and squad depth concerns for Andoni Iraola ahead of season opener
How much does pre-season mean? It depends who you ask. Fans itching for the return of football after a summer forced into other past-times are left yearning to see new players in action and the tangible feel of momentum building ahead of the new season. But at Anfield, that pre-season buzz has come to a crunching halt both on and off the pitch. There is no empirical formula to the importance of pre-season results.
Chelsea 3-0 AC Milan: Joao Pedro nets double as much-improved Blues bounce back to beat Ruben Amorim's side
Chelsea bounced back from back-to-back pre-season defeats with their best performance under Xabi Alonso so far as Joao Pedro's double helped them to a convincing 3-0 win over AC Milan in Jakarta. The Blues' previous hybrid between 4-2-3-1 and Alonso's patented 3-4-3 was ditched in favour of the latter and paid off against the Serie A heavyweights, with Marco Palestra shining at left wing-back and the impact of new set-piece coach Austin McPhee already evident.
WSL transfer latest: Barcelona closing in on deal for Man City forward Kerolin in move worth £1.28m
Barcelona are close to signing Brazilian forward Kerolin from Manchester City for a fee of €1.5m (£1.28m). The deal would represent the largest fee ever received by a WSL club, eclipsing Olivia Smith's £1m move to Arsenal from Liverpool last summer. Kerolin only joined City in January last year and had another two years left on her contract, but Barca are sufficiently determined to sign her to smash their own transfer record by more than 200 per cent.
Anthony Taylor retires: Premier League referee steps down after 16 years in top flight following World Cup
Long-serving Premier League referee Anthony Taylor is standing down after 16 years in England's top flight at the conclusion of the World Cup. The 47-year-old hangs up his whistle following 831 games in the English, European and international game, with his final match the World Cup last-16 clash between Portugal and tournament winners Spain.
All 3 Co-Hosts USA, Mexico, Canada Eliminated in Last 16; Belgium Beat US 4-1; Spain Beat Ronaldo’s Portugal; England Drub Mexico 3-2
World Cup 2026: USA 1-4 Belgium – Folarin Balogun’s Red Card Reprieve Little Help as Co-hosts Dumped Out After Defensive Howlers By Ron Walker, Football Journalist Match report as USA’s World Cup dreams deservedly ended by Belgium in Seattle, with Charles De Ketelaere scoring twice before half-time and Hans Vanaken and Romelu Lukaku adding second-half goals to seal a quarter-final date with Spain.
World Cup 2026: Is the penalty stutter run-up that cost Germany and Netherlands at the end of its lifespan?
The stutter. Like it or loathe it, it's a technique that has been increasingly adopted by penalty takers since the time of Pele in the 1960s. But after some faltering spot-kicks at this World Cup - might it be time up for one of football's most polarising tricks? Stutterers have enjoyed a boost of as much as 10 per cent compared to traditional run-ups according to analysis of five years' worth of Premier League penalties by leading football psychology professor Geir Jordet.
England defensive issues: Thomas Tuchel must iron out backline problems before tougher tests await in World Cup knock-outs
England were stifled creatively against Ghana as the Three Lions' second-game curse struck again in perhaps its most frustrating iteration - but do Thomas Tuchel's biggest worries lie at the other end of the pitch? England have given away just 0.87xG across their opening two games and faced only a solitary shot on target against Ghana on Tuesday night.
Championship 2026/27 season fixtures, dates, schedule and how to watch
West Ham and Burnley will go head to head on the opening weekend of the new Championship season after Wolves kick off the new campaign at home to Blackburn - live on Sky Sports+. The relegated Premier League duo will reunite their rivalry at Turf Moor on Sunday August 16, kick-off 4pm, with the Hammers having completed a league double in the top flight last season.
World Cup 2026: Panama 0-1 Croatia - Ante Budimir scores from bench to kickstart 2018 finalists' tournament
Ante Budimir came off the bench to ignite Croatia's World Cup and eliminate Panama as the 2018 finalists won 1-0 in Toronto. The half-time change settled a game of few clear-cut chances as he bundled home Josip Stanisic's excellent cross at the back post nine minutes after coming on, as Croatia bounced back from their opening-game defeat to England.
World Cup 2026: Ivory Coast 1-0 Ecuador - Amad Diallo nets 90th-minute winner to end Ecuador's 19-game unbeaten streak
Man Utd winger Amad Diallo came off the bench to net a 90th-minute strike to get Ivory Coast's World Cup off to the perfect start with a 1-0 win over Ecuador in Group E. The forward was a surprise absentee from Emerse Fae's starting line-up but channeled any frustration in the best way possible after replacing Bazoumana Toure 10 minutes into the second half, sidefooting the winner smartly beyond Hernan Galindez after a lung-busting run down from Wilfried Singo down the right flank.
How the USA fell in love with football: World Cup 1994, the Premier League and the outspoken vision of Alan Rothenberg
Alan Rothenberg had a vision: A World Cup so enticing it could convince the USA - and the world - that the country could fall in love with football. A vision to use the greatest sporting show on earth to win over a culture which had never shied away from the spotlight, but had never taken to the beautiful game. A vision which was certainly bold for a man sat in a portable cabin in Colorado Springs alongside all six of his full-time staff.
Roberto De Zerbi saves Tottenham: How head coach revitalised Spurs to secure Premier League survival
There was meant to be no way back for Tottenham. A failed manager, a failed replacement, no wins in almost half a season and only two at home all year. But Roberto De Zerbi has saved Spurs, by the finest of margins. There were question marks whether the fiery Italian's unorthodox, even eccentric methods would transfer across to his new players with only seven games to keep them afloat.
Kylian Mbappe: Booed Real Madrid striker claims to be 'fourth forward' after substitute appearance on injury return
Kylian Mbappe has claimed he is Real Madrid's "fourth-choice forward" after coming off the bench to a chorus of boos during the club's 2-0 win over Real Oviedo on Thursday evening. Mbappe was returning from a hamstring injury after missing the Clasico defeat on Sunday which ultimately for arch-rivals Barcelona, and came off the bench midway through the second period for homegrown forward Gonzalo Garcia, who had started - and scored - alongside Vinicus Junior and Franco Mastantuono.
Roberto De Zerbi at Tottenham: How new head coach has revitalised Spurs in four matches to turn fortunes around
It was meant to be over for Tottenham. No Premier League wins in 2026, and no immediate new-manager bounce under Roberto De Zerbi. The biggest question was whether he would stay around for the first Championship game next season. But now Spurs are out of the relegation zone and finally have some momentum behind them for the first time in half a season. De Zerbi arrived promising to keep things pragmatic, knowing he had only seven games to save his new side.
Leicester City Women vs Chelsea Women; Barclays Women's Super League
Sam Kerr's early header set Chelsea on their way to a 3-1 win at Leicester that secured their Women's Champions League spot for next season, and made the Australian the Blues' all-time WSL top goalscorer. Kerr, who has been reported to be leaving the club this summer and join NWSL expansion team Denver Summit, gave Chelsea the perfect start at the King Power Stadium as she rose to nod home Niamh Charles' cross after 13 minutes for her 64th goal in the top flight.
Lindsey Heaps: USWNT captain dreaming of legacy at Lyonnes ahead of Arsenal Champions League semi-final showdown
"I hope I'm a role model. It's been very unusual for Americans to stay so long at a European club - I've seen so many in the past who found it hard." Lindsey Heaps will depart the south of France this summer and return to her homeland to join newly formed Denver Summit midway through their debut season, leaving a very different player and person from the one who arrived in January 2022.
Erling Haaland: Man City have 'nothing to lose' in Arsenal clash after playing catch-up in Premier League title race all season
Manchester City forward Erling Haaland says he is not feeling the pressure ahead of a potential title decider with Arsenal on Sunday because his side have "nothing to lose" after playing catch-up for most of the season. City come into the crunch game, live on Sky Sports, knowing seven wins from as many games will almost certainly return the Premier League trophy to the Etihad after a year's sabbatical in Liverpool.
Lisandro Martinez red: Michael Carrick slams 'shocking' decision as 'one of worst I've seen' after VAR overturn vs Leeds
Michael Carrick hit out at "one of the worst" refereeing decisions he had seen to send off Lisandro Martinez in Man Utd's defeat to Leeds, with Sky Sports' Jamie Carragher sympathetic with the Man Utd head coach. Martinez saw red after VAR noticed a momentary hair pull on Dominic Calvert-Lewin in Man Utd's 2-1 defeat at Old Trafford, and after referee Paul Tierney was sent to the review monitor he was dismissed - and now faces a three-match ban.
Wrexham vs Chelsea, Mansfield vs Arsenal y Newcastle vs Man City y más: puntos de conversación de la quinta ronda de la Copa FA | noticias de futbol
Mansfield vs Arsenal, sábado, inicio a las 12:15 p.m. Hay 54 plazas en la liga entre Arsenal y Mansfield Town. Si alguna vez hubo una oportunidad para que Mikel Arteta se pusiera de lado, sin duda es esta. Los Gunners tienen cuatro partidos en los próximos 12 días después de su viaje al Field Mill el sábado, incluida la final de la Copa Carabao. Imagen: Max Dowman espera jugar contra Mansfield este fin de semana Hay una larga lista de jugadores marginales que buscarán ansiosamente oportunidades.
Erling Haaland smashes 100th Premier League goal record in fastest ever time - with Alan Shearer's top goalscorer spot in his sights
The unstoppable Norway forward hammered home his landmark goal with a powerful strike 17 minutes into Man City's trip to Fulham on December 2. Haaland becomes the 35th player to achieve the feat and the first since Heung-Min Son in 2023, but by far the quickest - obliterating Alan Shearer's previous record which had stood for almost 30 years.
Rangers 1-1 Braga: Gabri Martinez all but ends Rangers' qualification hopes despite visitors playing last half hour with 10 men
12 hours ago Cristiano Ronaldo is making a move into MMA, with the Portugal icon announcing a new job in a link-up with UFC legend Ilia Topuria. At 40 years of age, and with his glittering football career entering its final chapters, Ronaldo has made one of the clearest statements yet about life after football. …
Fulham 1-0 Leeds: Gabriel Gudmundsson suffers own goal heartbreak as super-sub Kevin inspires Cottagers to victory on debut
Late debutant Kevin inspired a previously insipid Fulham performance to a last-gasp victory as Gabriel Gudmundsson's own goal gave the Cottagers a 1-0 win over Leeds. The Brazilian was introduced with 14 minutes to go in a match where the hosts had mustered only two shots all game, and brought an energy to Craven Cottage which had been notably lacking to that point. As it happened | Teams | Match stats Live Premier League table | Watch PL highlights for free Got Sky?
Renee Slegers Arsenal exclusive: How WSL title can be won by keeping calm and channeling Champions League final win
"We said at the start of the season - I don't even think all of our Euros groups were back - we want to go and win things this season. But that's it. That's the only time I'll say it." Arsenal head coach Renee Slegers has been a picture of serenity since taking on the top job at the Emirates Stadium 11 months ago.
Aston Villa: Why have goals dried up with Villa failing to score in opening Premier League games for first time since 2002
It is never advisable to read too much into a narrative two games into a season, especially with the Premier League transfer window still open and Deadline Day set to be one of the busiest in history on Monday afternoon. But there are still stories of note even this early in a campaign. Aston Villa's defeat at Brentford last Saturday is one of them. The backs-to-the-wall performance of Keith Andrews' side overshadowed perhaps deeper-lying concerns within the Villa ranks.
Thomas Frank says Tottenham can take on 'anyone in the world' after narrow Super Cup defeat to PSG
Thomas Frank vowed Spurs showed they can take on "anyone in the world" after their penalty shoot-out defeat to PSG in the Super Cup. Spurs had led the Champions League winners 2-0 with five minutes remaining before a painful late collapse which culminated in Nuno Mendes' winner from 12 yards after Micky Van de Ven and Mathys Tel had missed their spot kicks.
West Ham 2-1 Everton: Niclas Fullkrug nets well-placed winner as Hammers come from behind in Premier League Summer Series
Niclas Fullkrug came off the bench to net a well-placed winner as West Ham came from behind to beat Everton 2-1 in the Premier League Summer Series. West Ham had the better of the play almost throughout against an Everton side still struggling with defensive absences, and eventually got their just reward for their possessional dominance.
Lionesses' victory parade: Scale of growth laid bare as more than 50,000 celebrate Euro 2025 winners in London
As the Lionesses' parade bus turned off The Mall onto the forecourt of Buckingham Palace, the sun broke through the clouds and onto the tens of thousands of adoring fans. Just in time, right at the last minute - perhaps it'd been taking notes over the last month. It illuminated a crowd which looked to the untrained eye well in excess of the 50,000 anticipated by the FA. Men, women, boys, girls, grandparents, babies.
Eberechi Eze to Arsenal: Crystal Palace talisman can solve Mikel Arteta's left-wing problem
Eberechi Eze has been linked with a move across London to Tottenham for much of the summer. But now Arsenal have taken an interest in the 26-year-old, could a couple of stops further up the Victoria Line on the London Underground be the better option? Real Madrid's Rodrygo had been the main line of interest for the Gunners all summer with separate reports Gabriel Martinelli could be on his way out of the Emirates Stadium.
Roy Keane says 'something missing' from 'unhappy' England after Senegal loss concludes underwhelming June international camp
Roy Keane hit out at England after a miserable end to an underwhelming June international camp by saying "something is missing" from Thomas Tuchel's side. Having laboured to a 1-0 win over 173rd-ranked Andorra on Saturday, the Three Lions were beaten by African opposition for the first time in their history at the City Ground on Tuesday night.
Inter Milan: Simone Inzaghi could make Champions League win parting gift with victory over Paris Saint-Germain in Munich
Days out from arguably the biggest game in club football, Inter boss Simone Inzaghi would prefer full focus to be on beating PSG in the Champions League final on Saturday. But it is not. "It's crazy to talk about my future," he told his pre-final press conference this week. He might not be discussing it yet, but everyone else is.
Crystal Palace 4-2 Wolves: Eddie Nketiah double gives FA Cup winners hope of top-half finish
Crystal Palace shook off any FA Cup final hangovers to keep their top-half hopes alive as Eddie Nketiah netted a double in a 4-2 win over Wolves. Oliver Glasner rested most of his Wembley heroes but faced a Wolves side also featuring sweeping changes following back-to-back defeats.
Brentford 2-3 Fulham: Harry Wilson steps up to net winner again as Fulham keep European bid alive
Harry Wilson stepped off the Fulham bench to net the winner against Brentford for the second time this season as their 3-2 victory kept their narrow European hopes alive. The winger's stunning 20-yard curler left Mark Flekken motionless to move Fulham a point behind their west London rivals in eighth spot - which may be enough for a Europa Conference League place - two minutes after Tom Cairney had pulled them level.
Tomas Soucek: West Ham have lacked character but it was back for Tottenham and Man Utd performances
Tomas Soucek is not the most obvious Graham Potter midfielder. Towering at 6ft 4ins, a physical presence more than a technical one, he does not entirely embody the pass-and-move philosophy the West Ham head coach has become known for. Try telling that to the Czech Republic captain. Or his manager. While results have faltered under the Hammers' third head coach in 12 months, the 30-year-old has not been far from his effective best.
Manchester United: Ten more shocking stats for Ruben Amorim and his team as Premier League struggles continue
Manchester United slumped to yet another new low on Sunday with defeat at home to West Ham. The result left United just two places above the relegation zone and Ruben Amorim questioning his own future at Old Trafford. A glance at some of the unwanted records United have set this season may explain why... Man Utd's defeat to West Ham leaves them on 39 points with two games to play. Even if they were to win their final two matches, they can finish no higher than 13th.
Bristol City vs Sheff Utd preview: Liam Manning's purpose over passing vision may prove key for Robins' hopes
At half-time of Saturday's game with Preston, Bristol City boss Liam Manning prepared the biggest team-talk of his career with his side trailing 2-0 and their promotion house of cards on the verge of collapse. He wasn't to know at the time that any score would be enough for the Robins to secure a play-off spot, and if results elsewhere had turned against them defeat would have signalled the ultimate anti-climax with a first top-six Championship finish since 2008 on the line.
Should Man City have kept Kevin De Bruyne on 'one more year'? Jamie Carragher and Micah Richards disagree
After Kevin De Bruyne rolled back the years with a match-winning performance to see Man City past Wolves on Friday Night Football, Jamie Carragher and Micah Richards had different viewpoints on whether the Belgian should have been kept on at the Etihad for another year.
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