Laurent Koscielny says the France players will be unaffected by external factors as they prepare to try and win Euro 2016 on home soil.

Former France international Eric Cantona caused an unwanted stir when he suggested the exclusion of Karim Benzema and Hatem Ben Arfa from the squad by head coach Didier Deschamps was racially motivated.

Deschamps rejected the claims and has threatened to sue Cantona, in a flare-up of the animosity that has simmered between the two men since their time together in the national team during the late 1980s and 1990s.

Benzema was not considered by Deschamps under orders from the French Football Federation due to his alleged involvement in an attempt to blackmail international team-mate Mathieu Valbuena.

An impressive season w…

David Moyes believes Jarrod Bowen should be back in the England squad this week after his fifth goal of the season helped sink Sheffield United 2-0.

Gareth Southgate names his next squad on Thursday ahead of a friendly against Australia and the Euro 2024 qualifier with Italy.

Bowen, who earned four caps last year, was overlooked for the September internationals but Moyes feels his current form makes him hard to ignore.

“I would say Jarrod is as close now as he has ever been,” said Moyes.

“He’s in really good form, quick, sharp and looks like he can do a lot of things.

“I’m not going to pick the England team, but to play for England you have to be able to score in big games. Jarrod’s doing great for us.”

Bowen grabbed his go…

Prediction: Armenia to win 2-0

Best Odds:

Bookmaker:

Latvia and Armenia will lock horns with each other in UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying Group D this week. The match between Dainis Kazakevičs’s side and Oleksandr Petrakov’s team will be held at Skonto Stadium in Riga and will kick off at 5pm UK time on Thursday.

Latvia

Latvia are one of the smallest footballing nations in Europe and do not tend to do well. Not one expects them to go qualify for any major international competitions or even come close to qualifying.

Dainis Kazakevičs’s side are not going to qualify for the UEFA Euro 2024 finals. Latvia are at the foot of UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying Group D with no point from five matches. Latvia have lost all five of their qualifiers.

…

Hernan Crespo believes truly important player Paulo Dybala can force his way back into Jorge Sampaoli s plans and earn a place in Argentina s World Cup squad.

Juventus forward Dybala was among the surprise omissions from the Argentina squad for March friendlies against Italy and Spain, with Inter captain Mauro Icardi also missing out.

Sampaoli has suggested it is not too late for both strikers to seal a spot on the plane to Russia although there is fierce competition, with Argentina boasting strong forward options including Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero and Dybala s Juve team-mate Gonzalo Higuain.

Dybala has hit 17 Serie A goals in a season disrupted by injury and a loss of form, but former Argentina striker Crespo believes the 24-year-old has what it takes to make…

Luka Jovic is adamant playing in the European Under-21 Championship with Serbia will not impact negatively on his pre-season preparations for new club Real Madrid.

Jovic enjoyed a stellar campaign on loan at Eintracht Frankfurt from Benfica in 2018-19, scoring 27 goals across all competitions as the German side finished seventh in the Bundesliga and reached the Europa League semi-finals.

The striker s form attracted interest from a host of major European clubs, but Madrid were the ones to take the plunge, shelling out a reported €60million on the 21-year-old less than two months after Frankfurt triggered their apparent €7m purchase option on him.

Jovic is one of the most notable stars at the European Under-21 Championship in Italy, which began on Sunday.

Dutch youngster Memphis Depay has struggled to make an impact at Manchester United.

Manchester United forward Memphis Depay was omitted from the first-team squad in the Red Devils’ 1-0 win against Hull City, and has made just a handful of minutes under new manager Jose Mourinho in all competitions this season.

The 22-year-old has been dropped from the Dutch national team as a result of a poor 2016, and as deadline day approaches in the summer transfer window, could Depay be put up for sale?

Lack of games and goals in 2016

Memphis Depay had a forgettable debut season with Manchester United, scoring just two goals in the Premier League in 29 games. There have been question marks about his attitude throughout his time at Old Trafford, and he’s fallen do…

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers wants to keep Stefan Johansen, but admits the midfielder will likely have to leave unless he re-signs.

Johansen, 25, is reportedly a target for Turkish giants Galatasaray, with his contract set to expire in mid-2017.

While Rodgers would prefer to keep the Norway international, the former Liverpool boss said the club may have no choice.

I always look at players and gauge whether they are happy and want to play for the club or not, he said via Herald Scotland.

I have only known Stefan this last week and a half and he has been excellent. He has a smile on his face, enjoying being with the team, is working hard in training and I can see his qualities.

We shall see what happens. It is speculation but he is a player I d…

Chelsea striker Fernando Torres has insisted that everything is returning to normal following a poor debut season with Chelsea.

The 29-year-old joined the London club in 2011 from Liverpool and failed to make an immediate impact, scoring just one goal in his 11 starts across all competitions.

However, the Spain international began to put himself firmly back on the radar towards the end of last season and his four goals against Tahiti in the FIFA Confederations Cup further underlined his return to form.

Torres will need to impress new manager Jose Mourinho if he wants a starting place in the coming campaign and he believes he will do just that.

I think that everyone has in their heads my first year at Chelsea, which was not good, more than reality itself, he said…

Ten-man Bayer Leverkusen failed to capitalise on Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund dropping Bundesliga points when they visited Wolfsburg.

Leverkusen had the chance to return to the top of the league on Sunday with a win after Bayern were held to a goalless draw by Hamburg and Jurgen Klopp s Dortmund were defeated by his former club Mainz on Saturday.

But Giulio Donati s sending off after just seven minutes forced Roger Schmidt s side to play at a man disadvantage for much of the match.

That clumsy challenge also afforded Ricardo Rodriguez the opportunity to put the hosts in front from the spot, which he duly accepted, adding to the goal he scored in Thursday s 4-1 UEFA Europa League loss to Everton, when he also netted at the wrong end.

Josip Drmic pul…

Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas insists Jermain Defoe is just as good as Atletico Madrid superstar Ramadel Falcao.

And Villas-Boas added that the 30-year-old forward s moments of brilliance can turn games.

The English striker scored two goals as Spurs beat West Ham 3-1 in their London derby on Sunday, and the striker now has 10 goals in 19 total appearances this season.

And despite the attention surrounding Chelsea s possible move for Falcao in January, the 35-year-old manager praised Defoe s finishing instincts and believes his own striker is on top form.

Jermain knows how to score goals. (His) hunger for goal is extreme, he told reporters.

He has been doing it for all of his life. I certainly put him alongside Falcao.

I don t hav…