Lion Links: 1/2/26

Welcome to the first Friday of 2026, Mane Landers! Hopefully your first day of the new year went well as we now get ready for the weekend. It’s been a fairly nice week for me so far, and I’ve already finished a book this year, making short work of James Patterson’s The Picasso Heist. Let’s get to the links!

Keeping Up With Americans Abroad

American forward Josh Sargent got his year off on the right foot by scoring for Norwich City in a 2-1 win over Queens Park Rangers. This was Sargent’s seventh goal of the season and he did well to get on the end of a nice cross by Matej Jurasek. It was a solid result for a Norwich side that is trying to climb out of the relegation zone.

Defender Chris Richards may miss Crystal Palace’s next three games according to Head Coach Oliver Glasner. Crystal Palace was without him in its 1-1 draw at home against Fulham, with fellow American Antonee Robinson starting for the visitors. Former Lion Daryl Dike once again came off the bench for West Brom as a late substitute but wasn’t able to provide an equalizer in a 1-0 loss to Swansea City.

What to Watch For in Soccer This Year

It’s a World Cup year and there will be plenty of eyes on how the U.S. does as one of the three hosts, both on and off the field. The United States Men’s National Team finished 2025 strongly under Mauricio Pochettino and making a deep run in the tournament could be in the cards. From the summer heat to the controversial ticket pricing and everything in between, there will be plenty of attention on how the U.S. hosts one of the biggest sporting events in the world.

As for other broad storylines to keep an eye on this year, the English Premier League title race should be a good one. Arsenal finds itself in familiar territory atop the standings at the midpoint of the season, but Manchester City is in striking distance. It may come down to which team brings in the right player this winter. The La Liga title race could also be tight down the stretch, with the internal strife within Real Madrid regarding Xabi Alonso’s style as something to keep an eye on.

Chelsea and Enzo Maresca Part Ways

Enzo Maresca is no longer Chelsea’s head coach, with the two sides parting ways after 18 months of him at the helm. While the club has only won once in its past seven EPL matches, the split is reportedly primarily due to issues between Maresca and the club’s ownership. In his time with Chelsea, Maresca helped the team lift both the Club World Cup and Europa Conference League trophies. Liam Rosenior, who currently coaches at fellow BlueCo-owned club Strasbourg, is reportedly a candidate to fill the vacancy. Chelsea is currently fifth in the league standings and in a good position to qualify for the knockout stage of the Champions League.

Gabon Suspends National Team After AFCON Exit

Gabon decided to take the “new year, new me” mantra to the next level following its national team’s exit in the group stage of the Africa Cup of Nations. It suspended the national team until further notice, dismissed coach Thierry Mouyouma and his staff, and excluded players Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Bruno Ecuele Manga. Gabon lost all three of its group stage games, including blowing a two-goal lead in a 3-2 loss to the Ivory Coast.

Free Kicks

• Christian Benteke has joined Al Wahda in the United Arab Emirates Pro League. The 35-year-old was a free agent after his contract was declined by D.C. United following this past season.
• The Portland Timbers are reportedly close to signing Australian defender Alex Bonetig.

• Tottenham winger Brennan Johnson has reportedly agreed to join Crystal Palace. It’s reportedly a $47.2 million deal between the two clubs for Johnson, who has only started in six games under Frank Thomas this season.
• Rodri’s return from injury after two months on the sidelines was a silver lining for Manchester City in its scoreless draw against Sunderland.

That’s all I have for you all this time around. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your weekend!