There is a conversation from a couple years ago that sticks in the mind — and the craw — of Sean O’Shea.

In an unprecedented development, it has been widely accepted the Premier League has returned at roughly the correct time.

Don’t ask how I’m feeling. You’re reading this, so I’m alive anyway. Weekly updates forthcoming.

This was the day when England and former Republic midfielder Declan Rice found out whether Dexit was really worth all the aggro and, unlike the current political shenanigans haunting London, his strategic exit turned out rather well.

It has been a busy week for the so-called footie idiot, writes Tommy Martin.

Wayne Rooney was arrested in the US accused of public intoxication, police have said.

Former Manchester United manager David Moyes believes Jose Mourinho retains the full backing of both the club and their supporters.

Luckily for Manchester City, the bloated Champions League format means that opening group games can hardly be regarded as critically important, never mind ‘must win’, but even if the competition couldn’t ever hope to hit the ground running the way the World Cup did in Russia, this week’s action did see some of football’s global superstars exhibiting varying degrees of luminosity — from dull to blinding — in their attempts to twist again like they did last summer.

Paul Pogba has hit back at spectators who booed France and Denmark players before, during and after the first goalless draw of the World Cup on Tuesday.

Paul Pogba has hit back at spectators who booed France and Denmark players before, during and after the first goalless draw of the World Cup on Tuesday.

It was a shameless act. Premeditated. Despicable, disgusting, dastardly. Did he mean it? Of course he did.

If there is one lesson to be taken from the football season almost gone, it’s that plans are not just for workshy scholars, writes Tommy Martin.

It’s been a weekend for saying goodbye. Not only to the 2017/18 Premier League season — good riddance, on the whole — but also to some characters who’ve marked the competition’s last 15 years or so.

Theo Walcott's second-half winner against Newcastle moved Everton up to eighth - their highest position in the Premier League table since August.

Here are our player ratings from the Merseyside derby stalemate.

Everton held Liverpool to a goalless draw at Goodison Park, although the hosts were left to rue a couple of golden late chances to snatch victory.

Manchester City haven’t become a bad team on the back of one bad night at the office, writes Liam Mackey

Our man inside the game says that Wayne Rooney has long been finished as a top player

Raheem Sterling wants to feel the love from England fans ahead of the World Cup as he sets his sights on replicating his Manchester City form on the international stage.

Rory McIlroy has revealed the part that Wayne Rooney played in his brilliant victory in the Arnold Palmer Invitational, a win which led to a surprisingly low-key celebration.

Bournemouth added to the pressure on West Brom manager Alan Pardew with a late comeback to win 2-1 at the Vitality Stadium.

Jose Mourinho offered a brutal riposte to Frank de Boer’s criticism over his handling of Marcus Rashford, with the Manchester United boss tearing into the “worst manager in Premier League history”.

He said that a move into coaching at United was "looking likely".

Fantasy Premier League managers everywhere love a good moan about the allocation of bonus points - usually when one of their players gets short-changed. This week was very different, though.

Everton missed their chance to climb to seventh in the Premier League after falling to a 1-0 defeat at Watford.

Jonny Evans is to be reinstated as West Brom captain, Baggies boss Alan Pardew has confirmed.

Liam Miller's former teammates have paid tribute to a "down to earth" man off the field and "model pro" on it, after the 36-year-old died from pancreatic cancer.

The January transfer window is often a let-down. 

Theo Walcott says he quit Arsenal to join Everton because he retains his desire to win trophies.

The star man, ratings and moment of the match.

In a fixture stepped in history, at a ground where legends watch not just from the stands but from the walls and the heavens, Liverpool’s latest hero stepped forward and put his mark on the occasion.

Do you remember who said: “That five years as an electrician probably just grounded myself”?

The January transfer window has not yet opened and already a huge deal has been agreed, with Virgil van Dijk heading from Southampton to Liverpool for what is understood to be £75million, the highest price ever paid for a defender.

The halfway point of the Premier League campaign dovetails nicely with Christmas so the time has come to provide a little festive cheer by handing out some imaginary mid-season awards

Antonio Conte is wary of Wayne Rooney ahead of Chelsea’s trip to Everton today.

There was a sense of Christmases past, present, and future coming into focus as Manchester City played Leicester City in the League Cup this week, says Liam Mackey.

Swansea manager Paul Clement insists his situation is no different from when he took over at the start of the year with the club in deep trouble.

Everton's Gylfi Sigurdsson piled the pressure on former manager Paul Clement with a brilliant strike in a 3-1 victory to leave Swansea rooted to the bottom of the Premier League.

Wayne Rooney has said his community service in a garden centre after admitting drink driving is "refreshing" and "relaxing".

Manchester United responded from the derby loss with a victory over Bournemouth.

A first ever Merseyside derby goal for Wayne Rooney earned a grizzly Everton side a dogged draw, but Liverpool fans were left wondering what might have been had Jurgen Klopp stuck with the ‘Fab Four’.

Wayne Rooney's first Merseyside derby goal earned Everton a draw at Anfield as Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp's selection gamble backfired.

He made up his mind on a cold, wet night at Stoke.