TIG Post

Tag: Premier League

  • Haaland silent as Guardiola makes ‘nine strikers’ joke

    Haaland silent as Guardiola makes ‘nine strikers’ joke

    Manager of Manchester City, Pep Guardiola, offered a novel solution to RB Leipzig’s struggles to score more after watching his team hold them to a second consecutive 1-1 draw, this time in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 match.

    “Maybe in the second leg I will be crazy and play with nine strikers,” he joked.

    Even though Guardiola seemed upbeat following the match in Germany, and a draw on the road in a European knockout match is certainly not a result to be sniffed at, he will likely still be frustrated that his team has not converted their recent dominance into more goals.

    The same thing happened at RB Leipzig as it did at the weekend, costing them two points in the Premier League title race after Manchester City’s first-half goal was cancelled out by Nottingham Forest’s equaliser.

    Riyad Mahrez’s goal was the only result of City’s complete dominance in the first half.

    “You expect us to come here and win 0-5? That is not a reality,” Guardiola told BT Sport after the game.

    “This is a competition where, in the group stage, many important teams are out. It is difficult. We are a good team, and we do many, many good things. We continued to do this.

    “People expect us to come here and win 4-0; I am sorry we are not able to do this.”

    A quiet night for Haaland

    City’s hopes of scoring more than one goal were not helped by a quiet display from Erling Haaland.

    The striker, who missed a number of chances at Forest, had just seven touches of the ball in the first half and none of those were in the opposition penalty box.

    Haaland, usually so deadly with the few chances he gets, had a real opportunity to add a second for City after the break but dragged his shot well wide.

    The Norway international has five goals in five Champions League games for Guardiola’s side this season and has 32 overall, so of course the odd quiet game is allowed, but this was a particularly anonymous one.

    By the end he had had 20 touches of the ball and just one shot on goal.

    Mahrez, who scored his 20th goal in the Champions League, defended the work of his team-mate.

    “He is a fast, powerful attacker and we know his qualities,” he said.

    “It’s not up to him to win, to go get the ball. He’s not there to have 70 touches every game.”

    Former Arsenal defender Matthew Upson, who was watching the game for BBC Radio 5 Live, said: “You can’t say he doesn’t do his job when you look at the numbers. I know he didn’t score tonight, but that’s his role; that’s how they play.

    “His manager seems happy with it and he seems happy that he’s scoring loads of goals and going to be breaking records in terms of that.”

    ‘Trust the process’ as Guardiola opts not to turn to his bench

    As the game wore on and a winner for City – who were unfortunate not to have been awarded a late penalty for handball – looked increasingly unlikely, it seemed unusual that Guardiola did not turn to his bench.

    It is the first time a side has not made any substitutions in a Champions League match since Manchester United against Juventus in October 2018 under Jose Mourinho.

    With a number of attacking options available to him including Phil Foden and Julian Alvarez, Guardiola had players who could make a difference, but he didn’t see the need to mix things up.

    “I saw the team was good, especially in the middle,” he added. “In the end I decided to continue with what I had.”

    Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand said on BT Sport: “You want to get on the pitch and play football, especially when you think you are the person who can affect this game, unlock this team.

    “But at the same time you have to respect Pep. All of the players, especially in the attacking areas of the pitch, have these moments – so you have to be patient, trust the process.”

    ‘We will adjust some things to try and go through’

    Haaland quiet as Guardiola makes 'nine strikers' joke
    Pep Guardiola debriefed his players on the pitch at full time

    Given City’s formidable record on home soil — they have won 17 of 19 games at the Etihad Stadium this season — they will rightly feel confident of getting the job done in the return leg on Tuesday, March 14.

    At full-time on Wednesday, Guardiola gathered his players in a huddle to remind them they had plenty to be positive about.

    “I said ‘why you have your heads down? Heads up, it was good’,” Guardiola said of that moment.

    “Hopefully, in three weeks, we will arrive in good condition. We can do better. We have to adjust some things and find a way to go through.”

  • I’m unsure of my future, I’m focused – Hudson-Odoi

    I’m unsure of my future, I’m focused – Hudson-Odoi

    Callum Hudson-Odoi, who is currently on loan from Chelsea to Bayer Leverkusen, is unsure of his future.

    He admits that he hasn’t spoken to the Blues’ top executives in a while.

    Callum Hudson-Odoi discusses his status and future with Chelsea, the Premier League team he plays for, and Bayer Leverkusen, the team he is on loan from.

    “I haven’t spoken to them much lately. I’m not there, so seeing all these players leave, there is nothing I can say or do,” he said.

    “At the end of the day, I’m focused on the club here and trying to help as much as possible here. Whatever happens in the future, I don’t know. All I can do is focus on what’s going on here,” he added.

    Callum Hudson-Odoi also stated that he is enjoying his newfound playing time in Germany.

    “I wanted to come here and have minutes in my legs and make the most of football.” I think that’s what happened. Now I focus more on increasing numbers with more assists and creating more chances for the team. I’m definitely excited about the future,”

  • Van Dijk’s return can spark Reds renaissance

    Van Dijk’s return can spark Reds renaissance

    It would be an understatement to say that Liverpool’s season has not gone as planned.

    Jurgen Klopp’s team is currently sitting in eighth place in the Premier League and has been eliminated from both domestic cups.

    With Real Madrid, whom they haven’t defeated in their last six European meetings, including two agonising final losses in 2018 and 2022, they now face a daunting two-legged Champions League knockout match.

    Although returning defender Virgil van Dijk suggested the Reds had turned a corner after Saturday’s impressive 2-0 win at Newcastle, expectations are appropriately muted ahead of tonight’s match at Anfield.

    We put the influential Dutchman under the microscope ahead of his latest battle with Los Blancos.

    Liverpool legend

    Alongside the attacking brilliance of Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk has been one of the leading figures of the Klopp era.

    Almost immediately after arriving from Southampton for £75million in 2018, his domineering presence in the Reds’ backline transformed an already exciting side into a well-oiled machine.

    With his crisp passing range, immense composure, and natural leadership, Van Dijk was the final piece of the jigsaw that helped Liverpool enjoy their most trophy-laden period for many decades.

    He has won it all on Merseyside. Premier League, Champions League, Super Cup, and Club World Cup medals are all in his trophy cabinet, while he has also lifted both domestic cups.

    If he was to leave this summer, the Netherlands international would already be assured iconic status at Liverpool — though the 31-year-old appears to have no intention of exiting Anfield.

    Virgil van Dijk tasted Champions League glory with Liverpool in 2019
    Virgil van Dijk tasted Champions League glory with Liverpool in 2019

    Injury woes

    However, injuries have undoubtedly hampered Van Dijk’s influence in recent years.

    Having started 94 straight Premier League games for the Reds in a stunning run between February 2018 and October 2020, the Dutch colossus sustained a catastrophic knee injury against Merseyside rivals Everton. 

    Challenging for a ball with England stopper Jordan Pickford, the resulting ACL rupture would sideline Van Dijk for the remainder of 2020-21.

    He impressively returned to play 51 times in all competitions last term as the Reds agonisingly missed out on the Premier League title by a point, while also losing the Champions League final to Real Madrid.

    Any fitness concerns appeared to have been banished, until a hamstring issue sustained against Brentford seven weeks ago prompted another stint on the sidelines.

    Having missed seven games across all competitions, Van Dijk made a timely return to action on Saturday as the Reds overcame high-flying Newcastle at St James’ Park.

    The 2-0 success keeps Liverpool within reach of a top-four spot and the influential defender was quick to point out how crucial the victory could be in kick-starting a frustrating campaign.

    Van Dijk said: “We’ve had results in the season where we have felt like this is the time to kick on. But this feels a little bit different.

    “Coming away from the big win against Everton, it was important to keep going and find a way to win. There is a reason why we are the only team to win here.

    “It feels very good [to be back from injury]. Being healthy is the most important thing in the world. 

    “It was a tough six weeks but I’m back, hopefully I will do everything in my power to recover and be ready for the Champions League game, it is massive for us.”

    Waning influence

    Former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy has been one of several pundits to suggest Van Dijk has been a different player since his ACL injury.

    Murphy, 45, told talkSPORT earlier this season: “He’s not up to his level. Before his injury, he was arguably looking like one of the best centre-halves we’ve ever seen.

    “The injury, which is a huge one and he’s come back from, although he’s not had problems in missing games, I think psychologically he’s not in the same place.”

    While there may be some credence to Murphy’s observation, the Reds undoubtedly remain a stronger team for their No4’s presence on the field.

    As well as his defensive nous, Van Dijk still ranks inside the Premier League’s top 10 centre-backs this term for touches, completed passes and aerial duels per 90 minutes.

    He is crucial to the Reds’ build-up play — while 18 shots and two goals show him to be a serious attacking threat in his own right.

    Virgil van Dijk offers far more to Liverpool than an average centre-half
    Virgil van Dijk offers far more to Liverpool than an average centre-half

    Silencing critics

    Liverpool’s issues have been widespread this season but with Van Dijk back in the heart of their defence, business could be about to pick up.

    Of the 24 games he has completed 90 minutes in this season in all competitions, the Meresysiders have won on 15 occasions, drawing four and losing five times.

    Conversely, the 10 games he has not featured or completed have resulted in only two wins, three draws and five defeats.

    Regardless of whether his very best days are behind him or not, Van Dijk is key to reviving a wretched Reds campaign.

  • Neville: Arsenal talk of the town due to ‘Sloppy’ City’s weak defence

    Neville: Arsenal talk of the town due to ‘Sloppy’ City’s weak defence

    Gary Neville thinks Arsenal has regained momentum in the title race as a result of Manchester City’s shoddy finishing and weak defence.

    Pep Guardiola’s Premier League champions dropped two crucial points at Nottingham Forest three days after defeating the Gunners 3-1 at the Emirates last Wednesday, when they could only manage a 1-1 draw.

    In the meantime, Mikel Arteta’s team recovered from that crushing defeat at home with a thrilling 4-2 victory at Aston Villa, propelling them back to the top of the standings.

    And 48-year-old Neville, a legend of Manchester United, thinks the North Londoners will win the trophy in May.

    Speaking on The Gary Neville Podcast, he said: “We’ve got an intriguing title race. Arsenal needed a good weekend. They’ve conceded 10 goals in the last six games. 

    “They need to stop conceding goals. One of the traits of a run-in is that if you’re conceding goals and teams feel they have a chance, it’s very difficult to win a league. They just need to watch that.

    “They can go five points clear again if they win their game in hand. Thomas Partey not playing is a miss but they just need to think about getting back to clean sheets in this next period.

    “But for City, they’re still giving Arsenal a big chance because they’re not playing at their best. They’re sloppy in front of goal and they still look vulnerable themselves at the back.

    Gary Neville, pictured with fellow Sky Sports pundits Micah Richards and Roy Keane, is worried for Pep Guardiola's men
    Gary Neville, pictured with fellow Sky Sports pundits Micah Richards and Roy Keane, is worried for Pep Guardiola’s men

    “There is such a long way to go and it will twist back and forward. 

    “I watched the highlights of the City game against Forest and they missed chance after chance and were sloppy in front of goal.”

    Neville has also questioned Guardiola’s decision to deploy playmaker Bernardo Silva as a makeshift defender. 

    He added: “I still can’t get my head around Silva in a left-back position. 

    “I think you’ll concede goals there potentially if that continues to happen and Guardiola is taking a risk if he has him there. 

    “When they went ahead against Arsenal and started to look comfortable was when they went to a proper back four.”

    Leaders Arsenal travel to Leicester on Saturday while City are at Bournemouth in the evening kick-off. 

  • Paintsil encourages finer CHAN team scouting

    Paintsil encourages finer CHAN team scouting

    John Paintsil, a former defender for the Black Stars, has urged the managers of the Black Galaxies to expand their search for players for the local national team.

    He pointed out that the overabundance of players, particularly in the Premier League, was not advantageous and recommended that the Division One League and Division Two League, the second- and third-tier divisions, be included in the search for players.

    Paintsil gave Ghana’s poor showing at the recent African Nations Championship (CHAN), which was played in Algeria last month, a lower grade than Coach Annor Walker’s team’s lack of quality players. Ghana was eliminated in the quarterfinals, which Paintsil attributed to bad luck rather than the team’s performance being subpar.

    He told Graphic Sports in an interview last Saturday that it was wrong for the Black Galaxies players to be scouted mainly from the premiership when there are very talented players also in the lower tier side who could be given the chance to play for the national team.

    “It shouldn’t be; for me, the Black Galaxies should have given the opportunity to the third division, second division, and first division players so that the Black Stars would be given to the premiership players in order to have a fair balance,” he advised.

    He admitted that the players who were selected were the best quality we had on the local scene, but their inability to perform wasn’t because they were bad; rather, they all had a bad tournament.

    “The players the coach took to the tournament are not bad at all, nobody can question that but like I said they didn’t have their day but he went with a great squad,” he said.

    Paintsil, who played the role of a summariser for the TV commentary, was reluctant to finger any official or player for Ghana’s failure at the CHAN, insisting that sometimes a team can have the best of players at a tournament but could still crash out early.

    According to him, the late withdrawal of Morocco from the tournament also impacted negatively on Ghana because the presence of the North African side could have motivated the Black Galaxies to play their hearts out against players who performed well at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

    “So for them to go there and play just two matches in the group or one match to qualify to the next stage, even the players themselves may think that they didn’t work hard enough to get there, and psychologically, it may affect their performance,” he said.

  • Chelsea has still not sacked Graham Potter yet? Find out why

    Chelsea has still not sacked Graham Potter yet? Find out why

    Chelsea, under Graham Potter, is having a terrible run in the English Premier League.

    Graham Potter is under pressure as Chelsea’s manager after a stretch of just two victories in his previous 14 Premier League games. However, why hasn’t he been fired?

    James Ward-Prowse’s kick on Saturday was all it took to prevent Chelsea from winning for a fifth straight game, adding to the pressure on Potter as a very difficult stretch continues. After a frenetic January shopping spree, the former Brighton manager took over for Thomas Tuchel in September of last year. However, since taking over, Chelsea has not improved under his leadership.

    Naturally, his struggle has resulted in many calling for his dismissal, but a new report from The Telegraph has outlined exactly why Chelsea are yet to sack Potter.

    The report claims that Chelsea co-owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali are not yet convinced he is the problem and instead have a list of reasons why they shouldn’t sack him. Injuries behind the scenes are one reason, as is his poker face in the public eye; Potter is described as being “intense” around the Cobham training ground, and the owners have no fears over his mentality, but are instead happy they have a coach who will not throw players under the bus in front of the media.

    Point three claims the owners recognise that Potter took a risk in joining the club from Brighton mid-season, something they believe not many top coaches and managers are always willing to do. They also understand he left a very safe environment at Brighton and put his reputation on the line in doing so, and they believe he needs a considerable amount of time to work with new players and develop a relationship with sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart in order to create sustainable success, similar to Pep Guardiola and Txiki Begiristain at Manchester City.

    A severe loss of form sees Chelsea languishing in 10th in the Premier League, behind the likes of Liverpool, Fulham and Potter’s former club Brighton. They also find themselves 11 points behind fourth-placed Newcastle, and are at serious risk of not qualifying for the Champions League next season.

    The Blues travel across London to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday in a bid to kickstart their season once again, but will also have one eye on their Champions League last-16 tie on March 7, where they must turn around a first-leg defeat against Borussia Dortmund.

  • Gabby meets Partey and Eddie Nketiah After Arsenal’s loss to Man City

    Gabby meets Partey and Eddie Nketiah After Arsenal’s loss to Man City

    Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, executive director of the Danquah Institute, saw Manchester City defeat Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium in the English Premier League.

    On February 15, 2023, Manchester City defeated Arsenal 3-1 in their standout game of the current campaign to take the top spot in the Premier League standings.

    Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko after the game met the two Ghanaians in the Arsenal squad, Black Stars midfielder Thomas Partey and striker Eddie Nketiah who is yet to decide on his possible nationality switch from England to Ghana.

    “Had lunch today with my good friend @Thomaspartey22 and the young man who calls me “Uncle”, @EddieNketiah9 after their training session. They are both in very high spirit and determined to see @Arsenal returning to winning ways, starting from Saturday against @AVFCOfficial,” Gabby Otchere-Darko wrote on his Twitter post with a picture of the meeting sighted by GhanaWeb.

    Eddie Nketiah lasted the entire duration of the game in the defeat to Manchester City while Thomas Partey couldn’t feature because of an injury.

    Manchester City are now on top of the ongoing 2022/2023 English Premier League table on goal difference as they are tied on 51 points with Arsenal having played a game more than the Gunners.

  • Tottenham suffer fresh injury blow as Bentancur is ruled out for rest of season

    Tottenham suffer fresh injury blow as Bentancur is ruled out for rest of season

    Tottenham midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur has been ruled out for the rest of the season after suffering knee ligament damage.

    The Uruguay international opened the scoring for Spurs in their eventual 4-1 Premier League loss to Leicester on Saturday before limping off.

    Bentancur collided with Leicester counterpart Nampalys Mendy shortly after the hour mark and required oxygen on the pitch.

    Tottenham confirmed on their official website on Monday that the 25-year-old “ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee and will be out of action for the remainder of the campaign.” He will undergo surgery before beginning his rehabilitation.

    Bentancur has played in 26 of Tottenham’s 32 games this season, forming a strong midfield partnership with Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.

    The former Juventus man’s lay-off has come at a bad time for Spurs, with fellow midfielder Yves Bissouma out indefinitely after undergoing ankle surgery on Friday.

    Captain Hugo Lloris is also out for two months, while Hojbjerg is suspended for Tuesday’s Champions League last-16 first leg away at Milan.

    Tottenham’s defeat to Leicester leaves them two points behind fourth-placed Newcastle United, who also have a game in hand.

    Antonio Conte’s side are still in the FA Cup, with a last-16 tie against Sheffield United to come at the start of March.

  • Premier League: Kamaldeen Sulemana becomes the first player this season to finish 8 dribbles

    Premier League: Kamaldeen Sulemana becomes the first player this season to finish 8 dribbles

    Black Stars winger, Kamaldeen Sulemana made his first Premier League start for Southampton at St. Mary’s and impressed with his performance, even though the team lost 2-1 to Wolverhampton Wanderers.

    Despite the defeat, Sulemana shone as he made 8 successful dribbles out of 13 attempts during the game.

    This impressive feat made him the first player this season in the Premier League to complete eight dribbles in a single match.

    The 20-year-old Ghanaian has been making waves in the football world and has caught the eye of many European clubs.

    His debut in the Premier League came during a half-time substitution in the match against Brentford, where he showed flashes of brilliance, leading to his start against Wolves.

    Head coach Nathan Jones was convinced of Sulemana’s potential and started him upfront in a 3-5-2 formation alongside Paul Onuachu.

    Although Wolves attacker Adama Traore had the second-most dribbles in the game, he was still four successful dribbles behind Sulemana’s impressive performance.

    The Ghanaian’s energy and hunger on the field were evident and his display has only added to the growing hype surrounding him.

    The former Rennes attacker’s 8 dribbles was the most completed by a player in their first Premier League start since Paul Pogba in 2016 (9 v Southampton).

  • I am’innocent until proven guilty!’ – Pep Guardiola speaks on charges against Man City

    I am’innocent until proven guilty!’ – Pep Guardiola speaks on charges against Man City

    Pep Guardiola was defiant in Friday’s press conference when asked about the financial charges handed to Manchester City earlier this week.

    WHAT HAPPENED? City were charged with 101 breaches of financial regulations since the takeover by the Abu Dhabi United Group in 2008, with the punishment a long way from being decided.

    When Guardiola was inevitably questioned on the situation by reporters, he insisted that the club were “innocent until proven guilty”.

    WHAT THEY SAID: “My thought is that we have already been condemned,” the City manager argued. “Since Monday it is like what happened with UEFA. The club proved that they were completely innocent, why should I think right now, with just charges of suggestions… You have to understand that the 19 teams of the Premier League are accusing us without opportunity to defend ourselves. You know exactly on what side I am.

    “We are lucky we live in a society where everybody is innocent until proven guilty. We didn’t have this opportunity. (People say) we are already guilty. I think we have good lawyers but the Premier League – supported by 19 teams – are going to take good lawyers too.”

    “If we are not innocent we will accept what the judge or Premier League decide, but what happens if it’s the same as UEFA and we are innocent? What happens to restore our damage?”

    THE BIGGER PICTURE: After Guardiola had previously claimed he would walk if he found out the club had lied to him about their expenses, speculation had already begun regarding his successor.

    However, the Catalan tactician committed his future to the club in the same press conference, while also blaming City’s charges on the actions of the other 19 Premier League clubs.

  • Daniel Levy: Only a few Premier League clubs have the power to “distort the market

    Daniel Levy: Only a few Premier League clubs have the power to “distort the market

    Daniel Levy, chairman of Tottenham, has acknowledged that supporters want to see more money spent, but he has cautioned that some Premier League clubs now have the “ability to distort the market.”

    Levy claimed that the level of spending in the top division is “unsustainable” for the majority of clubs in a statement accompanying Spurs’ most recent financial results.

    He also acknowledged that some recent hires did not pan out as expected.

    “The landscape of the Premier League has changed significantly,” said Levy.

    “It is understandable that some fans call for more spending, much of which is unsustainable for many clubs.

    “We are competing in a league in which we have seen increased sovereign wealth ownership and consortia finance; and in a league where the spending power is now vested in the hands of a few who dominate and have the ability to distort the market.”

    Manchester City were taken over by the Abu Dhabi United Group in 2008 while the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund (PIF) backed a £305m takeover of Newcastle in October 2021.

    Meanwhile, Chelsea was sold for £4.25 billion to a consortium led by American investor Todd Boehly and private equity firm Clearlake Capital in May.

    Levy said he welcomes changes to football governance, financial sustainability, and Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations.

    Last month, Tottenham fans protested against club owners ENIC and Levy at the club’s training ground over a lack of investment.

    At that point, Spurs were yet to make a signing in the winter transfer window, but they later completed loan deals for Arnaut Danjuma from Villarreal and Pedro Porro from Sporting Lisbon.

    According to the club’s latest financial report, Tottenham have invested more than £500 million in the men’s first team squad since April 2019—less than double what Chelsea spent (£288 million) this January alone.

    “We walk a fine line between long-term investment and short-termism,” said Levy.

    “This is why our recruitment must be first class as mistakes at this level have a financial and sporting impact for future seasons.

    “We have felt, and continue to feel, the financial impact of supporting player purchases which have not worked out as planned.”

    Tottenham, who are fifth in the Premier League, have only won one major trophy, the 2007-08 League Cup, since Levy became chairman of the club in 2001.

    He said: “We share our supporters’ frustrations at so many ‘near misses’ resulting in a lack of trophies.

    “Over the last two decades we have been in 14 semi-finals, made it to six finals and only won one of them. It must be our hope that we are soon celebrating a trophy win.”

    Tottenham record increase in revenue

    Tottenham were recently listed ninth in Deloitte’s Money League study from the 2021-22 season, which ranks the world’s richest clubs by revenue.

    In their new financial report, Spurs announced a 22.7% increase in revenue to £444m for the year ending June 2022, up from £361.9m in the previous 12 months.

    The club recorded a rise in match receipts from £1.9m to £106.1m in their first full season in the new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

    It was also the first complete season that full-capacity crowds were allowed back into football grounds after two seasons of disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, which Tottenham say resulted in the loss of approximately £200m in revenue.

    Commercial revenue grew by 20.7% to £31.5m but they received less Uefa prize money following an early exit from the Europa Conference League – having reached the Europa League last 16 in 2020-21.

    Tottenham’s finances were also boosted by majority shareholder ENIC Sports Inc. agreeing in May to put an extra £150 million into the club.

  • Finance expert warns Man City probe may lead to rivals facing scrutiny

    Finance expert warns Man City probe may lead to rivals facing scrutiny

    Premier League clubs have become “incentivised to sometimes push the rules to the limit, if not beyond” and Manchester City may not be the only team to face an investigation into their affairs, according to a leading football finance expert.

    The Premier League announced on Monday it had referred a number of alleged breaches of the competition’s rules to an independent commission, with some of those dating back as far at the 2009-10 season.

    In response, City said they had “irrefutable evidence” that would be presented in their defence against the accusations.

    Kieran Maguire, author of the book The Price of Football, said isolating City could be seen as making a “scapegoat” of the Premier League champions, and he suspects investigators will also look closely at the finances of other clubs.

    Speaking to Stats Perform, Maguire said: “Certainly we have seen some clubs, in terms of the financial submissions that they’ve made, make fairly significant claims as to the impact, for example, that COVID had on their finances, and they’ve claimed that COVID cost them money in a myriad of ways, some of which have certainly raised eyebrows as far as observers are concerned.

    “So if Manchester City are charged, you would think that Manchester City would say to the Premier League, ‘well, you’ve investigated us and charged us, then surely you have a responsibility to do this for other clubs as well’.

    “If the Premier League don’t do that, it could be seen that they’re trying to make a scapegoat of Manchester City, who are unpopular with certain other elements of the English football establishment because they represent new money, and old money doesn’t like new money in all aspects of life, it doesn’t have to be sport.

    “Therefore you can understand why there’s likely to perhaps be enthusiasm for this to move on. And that’s going to be bad news for football as a whole because then it becomes who’s got the best lawyers, and the best accountants, as opposed to who’s got the best strikers and centre-halves and midfield players.”

    If the independent commission finds City to have breached financial guidelines, they could face a variety of punishments, ranging from fines to points penalties, or even expulsion from the league.

    City are controlled by the City Football Group, which is owned by Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Since a 2008 takeover, the club have invested heavily in infrastructure and players to develop the dominant team in England.

    It remains to be seen how City come out of this saga, if found to have transgressed.

    “There’s a lot of politics in English football,” said Maguire. “I think that the preferred punishment would be a points deduction, because the argument would be that if it was just a financial punishment, given the wealth of the owners, given that it is effectively a sovereign wealth fund which is the benefactors of Manchester City, that a financial penalty would not actually particularly harm the club.

    “Therefore, you need to do something which would be seen within football itself as being a punishment, and also acting as a deterrent should any other clubs with equally benevolent owners decide to take or consider a similar action.”

    Maguire said City face jealousy and “resentment” from rival clubs, and he believes there would not be such interest if a smaller Premier League club came under the microscope.

    “It’s because it is Manchester City who have won the Premier League for four years out of the last five, who have reached the Champions League final, who have spent around about $1.3billion in building their squad, that we’re having this conversation,” Maguire said.

    “There is jealousy, there is resentment, there is envy. And there’s not a lot of admiration, because football doesn’t operate like that. Football is a very, very snarky business, where everybody’s trying to put each put other clubs down.

    “Changing the culture of football into one of ethics, morality, sustainability, is very difficult because of the nature of the people that own the clubs. They tend to be very successful in their own right. And therefore, they are used to getting their own way.

    “And in the world of sport, you can’t have 20 Premier League clubs all being successful at the same time. Therefore, they’re incentivised to outmanoeuvre each other, and they’re incentivised to sometimes push the rules to the limit, if not beyond the limit.”

    Maguire said world governing body FIFA, having been tarnished by scandal itself in recent years, was “unlikely to be in a position to take a moral high ground”.

    “And it then just simply becomes a game of whack-a-mole, as the authorities find one loophole, they bring a sticking plaster to solve it,” Maguire said. “And then you’re always in a room with a smarter accountant and a smarter lawyer who will come up with yet another scheme.”

  • Man City charged for breaching financial rules by Premier League

    Man City charged for breaching financial rules by Premier League

    Manchester City claims they are “surprised” to be facing multiple alleged financial rule violations from the Premier League.

    The alleged violations are said to have occurred between the 2009–10 season and the 2017–18 season.

    The club are alleged to have breached league rules requiring provision “in utmost good faith” of “accurate financial information that gives a true and fair view of the club’s financial position”.

    The league says the accurate financial information required related to “revenue (including sponsorship revenue), its related parties and its operating costs”.

    The second set of breaches listed refers to alleged breaking of rules “requiring a member club to include full details of manager remuneration in its relevant contracts with its manager” related to seasons 2009-10 to 2012-13 inclusive.

    The club’s failure to adhere to UEFA’s Club Licensing and Financial Fair Play Regulations between 2013 and 2018 prompted the Premier League to send City to the independent commission.

    The Court of Arbitration for Sport overturned City’s two-year ban from playing in European football in 2020 as a result of these violations. Despite refusing to comply, the team was only fined €10 million and was still permitted to participate in UEFA’s international club competitions.

    Additionally, it is alleged that City broke Premier League rules pertaining to sustainability and profitability in the 2015–16, 2016–17, and 2017–18 seasons.

    The fourth set of alleged breaches relates to the Premier League’s profitability and sustainability rules in seasons 2015-16 to 2017-18 inclusive.

    Finally, the club are alleged to have breached league rules requiring member clubs to co-operate with and assist the Premier League with its investigations, from December 2018 to date.

    The Premier League – which opened its investigation in March 2019 – has referred the alleged offences to an independent commission.

    In a statement, the Premier League said: “In accordance with Premier League rule W.82.1, the Premier League confirms that it has today [February 6 2023] referred a number of alleged breaches of the Premier League rules by Manchester City Football Club to a commission under Premier League rule W.3.4.

  • The first interview Andre Ayew gave after joining Nottingham Forest in the Premier League(Video)

    The first interview Andre Ayew gave after joining Nottingham Forest in the Premier League(Video)

    The captain of the Black Stars, Andre Dede Ayew, has given his first interview since joining Premier League team Nottingham Forest.

    Andre Ayew joined Nottingham Forest as a free agent after mutually terminating his contract with Qatari side, Al-Sadd.

    Speaking in his first interview, the 33-year-old admitted it has always been difficult playing against his new club anytime they meet.

    He also stated that he knows what Nottingham Forest means to the city and is ready to give his best to ensure they remain in the Premier League.

    Andre Ayew, who is reuniting with his former coach, Steve Cooper also spoke about their relationship on and off the pitch.

    Andre Ayew, who has played for Swansea City and West Ham in the Premier League, will be looking to bring his experience to the party as Forest fights to stay in the English top flight.

    According to him, it is only right for him to return to the Premier League which is the best league in the world after playing at his 3rd World Cup with the Black Stars.

    Watch Andre Ayew’s interview below:

  • Ancelotti admits European clubs are unable keep up with Premier League spending

    Ancelotti admits European clubs are unable keep up with Premier League spending

    When it comes to transfers, the Premier League will always be ahead in Europe, but Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti promises his team won’t give up lightly.

    The January transfer window saw clubs in the English top division spend over a record-breaking £800 million, with a number of high-profile deals coming from Chelsea, who broke the competition’s transfer record by bringing in Enzo Fernandez.

    The Premier League spent more money on player acquisition than the combined budgets of LaLiga, Ligue 1, Serie A, and the Bundesliga.

    Ancelotti stated that European clubs will always lag behind those across the English Channel when it comes to spending sprees in his remarks prior to his team’s match against Valencia on Thursday. However, he added that Premier League teams will not necessarily dominate in UEFA events.

    “We know what happens there,” he said. “With the television rights, they can spend higher amounts. It will continue like this.

    “Europe will follow the Premier League, it gives them an advantage.

    “Even so, the competition against them, in Europe, it will not end.”

    Ancelotti’s side are preparing for a busy four-week period that will see them juggle matches across four competitions, including the Club World Cup.

    Though Madrid are ready to rise to the challenge, Ancelotti said the congested schedule laid out by UEFA and FIFA is a pressing concern for big clubs.

    “We’re in the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey, the last 16 of the Champions League and the Club World Cup,” he added. “We don’t throw away competitions.

    “It is a [tough] calendar. LaLiga wants to do its thing, FIFA wants to do its thing, UEFA wants to do its thing. It doesn’t let us have days off.

    “The calendar is a very serious issue. We are excited to fight in all these competitions, but the calendar limit is being exceeded. We have to do something to avoid this.”

  • Why Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool is struggling

    Why Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool is struggling

    Liverpool is living in very unfamiliar times. Barely eight months ago, they were chasing an unprecedented quadruple.

    They ended up with two domestic trophies, took Manchester City to within a point of the Premier League title and narrowly lost the Champions League title to a Thibaut Courtois-inspired Real Madrid.

    Fast forward, things are looking bleak in the red side of Merseyside. Not that the blue side has better fortunes anyway. Sunday’s loss to Brighton saw Liverpool exit the FA Cup.

    They were knocked out of the Carabao Cup by Manchester City immediately after the World Cup break and are currently 9th on the EPL table. Their only realistic chance at a trophy and redemption this season remains in the Champions League. But first, they will have to dispatch the defending champions in the round of 16.

    So poor were Liverpool against Brighton that the Seagulls skipper Lewis Dunk admitted that his side didn’t have to be at their absolute best to beat them.

    Klopp has struggled to answer questions about Liverpool’s form this season. Sports Brief attempts to put meaning into what has gone wrong.

    1. Injuries to key players

    This is the go-to logical and straightforward reason. Virgil Van Dijk, Diogo Jota, Luis Diaz and Roberto Firmino are some of the key players who Liverpool have terribly missed this season. There is no telling the kind of impact any of the aforementioned players would have on the team if fit.

    2. Sadio Mane’s exit

    By Klopp’s own admission, Liverpool didn’t realise how big of a loss it would be to sell the Senegalese talisman to Bayern Munich.

    Mane’s lung-bursting runs, quick feet and a keen eye for goal have been missed in the Premier League this season. And Liverpool have borne the full brunt.

    3. New signings struggles

    The FSG ownership, despite their modest approach to the transfer market, responded to Manchester City’s acquisition of Erling Haaland by signing Darwin Nunez.

    In all fairness, Nunez’s 10 goals so far in all competitions isn’t a bad return but it is the big chances that he has missed that have been his major undoing.

    FSG dug deep once again and bought one of Qatar World Cup 2022 brightest prospects Cody Gakpo. The Dutch forward was having a blistering season with PSV Eindhoven but so far, the Kop is yet to see what he is made of.

    4. Mohamed Salah’s loss of form

    The Egyptian King has always dug out Klopp during his stickiest times. But this season, Salah has struggled to turn in even the simplest of chances.

    Perhaps he has joined the list of the big players who lost their form after being handed a new bumper contract. His clear lack of understanding with his new strike partners has been a major issue for Klopp.

    The reigning Golden Boot winner will be counting the days to when he can have either Firmino, Jota or Diaz back by his side; now that Mane is gone forever.

    5. Lethargic midfield

    We might not be professional scouts or managers, but no way FSG and Klopp saw the deep underlying issues in Liverpool’s midfield but still decided that Gakpo was the answer to their problems.

    Fabinho, Jordan Henderson and Naby Keita have all struggled this season. Thiago Alcantara has had his good days and has been forced to anchor the midfield alongside the young Harvey Elliot.

    Jurgen Klopp, Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah, why Liverpool is struggling, Darwin Nunez, Cody Gakpo, Trent Alexander-Arnold, EPL, Roberto Firmino
    Harvey Elliot has been one of Liverpool’s better players this season. Photo by Andrew Powell.
    Source: Getty Images

    Arthur, who wasn’t a regular starter at Juventus, was supposed to be the saviour, but a knee injury has kept him out of the squad. Talks of Jude Bellingham and Moises Caicedo have been rife but as it stands, Klopp will finish the season with the same crop of midfield he has.

    Apart from the midfield, Trent Alexander-Arnold hasn’t shown his creative side this season. That, compounded with his known defensive frailties, has really exposed Liverpool’s creativity, or lack thereof.

    6. Klopp’s tactics

    In football jargon, Klopp plays heavy metal football called the gegenpressing. What if his energy-sapping tactics have finally gotten to his players?

    In a busy football schedule, running all over the pitch might have an effect on your players. In contrast with Manchester City who keep passing the ball around, Liverpool relies heavily on pressing down the opponent. And with the hectic programs come the rampant injuries the side has witnessed this season. Or maybe, it’s Jurgen Klopp’s seventh-season curse.

    It doesn’t bode well for you when your best player is your goalkeeper. Klopp needs answers and he needs them soon. Otherwise even the Europa Conference League will be a tall order.

  • Gunners reaping rewards of patience placed in Arteta – Guardiola

    Gunners reaping rewards of patience placed in Arteta – Guardiola

    Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola believes Premier League leaders Arsenal are benefitting from the patience showed to Mikel Arteta in his early years in charge of the Gunners.

    Arteta worked as Guardiola’s assistant at City for three-and-a-half years before taking his first senior managerial role in London in 2019. The Spaniard had immediate success in winning the 2020 FA Cup, but failed to break into the Premier League’s top four in any of his first three seasons. Now Arsenal are well on course to end a 19-year wait to win a league title as they lead City by five points and have a game in hand on Guardiola’s men.

    The two clubs go head to head for the first of three games in the next few months in the FA Cup fourth round this Friday. “I had the feeling. We knew it when he was here,” said Guardiola on Arteta’s coaching ability. “The biggest compliment for Arsenal as well, is for backing him in the bad moments and trusting him, and keeping him and relying on him. “At the end, you need time, you need investment and the results are there. It is a challenge for us to challenge them.”

    During Guardiola’s reign in Manchester, City have dominated English football, winning four Premier League titles among nine major trophies. But he has tried to light a fire under his players in recent weeks to revive the hunger that has brought so much success. Guardiola has even used Arsenal’s desire during the first half of the season as the example for his side to match.

    “A team with 50 points in one leg (half of the season) is the best. We have to prove how far away or how close we are,” added Guardiola on Friday’s cup clash. “I encourage them to look themselves. When they are not happy for many reasons, the only way is to perform better. “Think in the past is the past. What happened in the past is the past. We get the salary for what we will do in the future. Extend the contract, what we’re going to do in the future. The past is done.”

  • Burnley announce new signing with a scene from Shrek

    Burnley announce new signing with a scene from Shrek

    Burnley confirmed on social media the signing of South African international Lyle Foster, who came from Westerlo. However, what caught the eye most was the way it was announced, as the club used a scene from Shrek to get the message out.

    The English sides are the ones who are leading this January transfer market. After big spenders from the Premier League, with Chelsea leading the way, this has also encouraged deals to be done in the Championship.

    Now, leaders Burnley have announced the arrival of South African international Lyle Foster. The footballer left Belgian football and his Westerlo side to join the British outfit. However, what was the most interesting was the way they announced it.

    The club posted a video in which they edited a dialogue from Shrek, which shows three players lined up in mirrors, with one about to be picked. Apart from Foster, the one who ended up being chosen, Messi and Ronaldo were also there but the film’s character rejected them.

    “From the moment I heard Burnley were interested, my head and heart were here at the club. I’m so happy to be here now. It’s a dream for me“, the player said in an official club statement.

  • Transfer Talk: Toon and Toffees eye Moroccan star Ziyech

    Transfer Talk: Toon and Toffees eye Moroccan star Ziyech

    Hakim Ziyech is on the radar of both Newcastle and Everton as Premier League giants Chelsea look to trim their squad in the final days of the January transfer window.

    The West Londoners were reportedly keen on bringing Anthony Gordon in as a potential replacement for the Morocco ace, but have since dropped their interest after the Toffees requested upwards of £40million for the 21-year-old attacker.

    Reports from both The Telegraph and Sky Sports have linked Ziyech with a switch to the north of England, with Chelsea’s asking price somewhere close to £25m.

    The 50-cap international was a key player for his country in last year’s World Cup, scoring once in the Atlas Lions’ run to the semi-finals.

    However, Ziycech has only made 10 league appearances this term and has not scored a Premier League goal for the Blues since last February.

    His role as an inverted right-winger has not been as effective as Graham Potter will have hoped and the ex-Ajax trickster has only been involved in one league win in his last seven outings.

    The arrival of Mykhailo Mudryk and Raheem Sterling’s recovery from injury makes it increasingly likely that Ziyech will depart Stamford Bridge.

    Should he have the choice of Newcastle or Everton, he is likely to pick the former with their upwards trajectory a more appealing project for the Champions League winner.

  • Mark Clattenburg quits role as Egypt referees boss after five months

    Mark Clattenburg quits role as Egypt referees boss after five months

    Former Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg has resigned from his position as president of the Egyptian Referees Committee after only five months in charge.

    The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) confirmed on Wednesday it had agreed that the 47-year-old could leave the role.

    “The board of directors of the Egyptian Football Association decided, in its emergency meeting today, Wednesday, to accept the resignation of Mr Mark Clattenburg,” the EFA tweeted.

    It added that the EFA would be seeking to “preserve the rights of the federation and the consequences of his resignation in accordance with the terms of the concluded contract”.

    Clattenburg was this week the subject of criticism from the president of the Zamalek club, Mortada Mansour, on Zamalek’s own TV channel.

    Clattenburg was promoted to refereeing Premier League matches in 2004 after three seasons in the Football League.

    His final game was in April 2017 as Leicester City won 1-0 at West Brom.

    He also took charge of the Euro 2016 final as Portugal beat France 1-0 and the Champions League final, when Real Madrid beat local rivals Atletico, the same year.

  • Tariq Lamptey’s Brighton continue to shine in the Premier League

    Tariq Lamptey’s Brighton continue to shine in the Premier League

    One of the Premier League’s surprise packages this season has been Brighton & Hove Albion. As the second half of England’s top flight campaign continues, the Seagulls are currently flying high in eighth place. And with a whole host of winnable fixtures on the horizon, their campaign could be set to get even better. 

    Things got off to the perfect start for the South Coast club when they defeated Manchester United on the first weekend of the 2022/23 season. That result ruined new manager Erik Ten Hag’s unveiling, and Brighton have shown no signs of letting up.

    Since the European season got back underway following the World Cup, Brighton have won two of their three Premier League games, scoring nine goals in the process. Their only defeat was a 4-2 reverse against league leaders Arsenal.

    The Gunners are also in fine fettle this season, and OddsChecker, which compares odds and offers, predict that their title fight with Manchester City will go down to the wire.

    The stars of the show 

    Ghana’s Tariq Lamptey has been a star for his club for a number of years already. Despite being just 22 years of age, the pacey fullback has already made 69 appearances for the Seagulls, including 14 appearances this term.

    The star in the Brighton crown however is Alexis Mac Allister. The 24-year-old midfielder burst onto the scene at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, helping Argentina to the final and subsequently on to lift the trophy for the first time since the days of Diego Maradona.

    His club gave him a memorable return following his exploits in Qatar, and he rewarded them with two goals in the recent 5-1 drubbing against Middlesbrough in the FA Cup.

    Leandro Trossard is another player that has impressed this term. The Belgian has seven goals and three assists already in the Premier League and the Seagulls are fighting off a host of clubs to ensure that the winger remains on the South Coast for the foreseeable future.

    They will have no such issues with Mac Allister, who signed a new contract with the club prior to the World Cup getting underway.

    Should Brighton continue in the same kind of form that we have seen from them already this season, there’s no reason why they shouldn’t be aiming for European qualification for the first time in the club’s history.

  • Premier League’s all-time top scorers as Harry Kane chases record 

    Premier League’s all-time top scorers as Harry Kane chases record 

    Harry Kane is the only active striker in the Premier League‘s top five goalscorers of all time.

    The Tottenham assassin has been terrorising top-flight defences since his breakthrough season in 2014-15.

    But despite maintaining an incredible strike rate and winning three Golden Boots, he still has a way to go to topple the current leader in the rankings, Alan Shearer.

    Read on as we run through the Premier League’s five greatest goalscorers.

    5. Sergio Aguero (184 goals)

    Sergio Aguero will forever be a legend in the blue half of Manchester after he scored one of the most iconic goals in English footballing history against QPR to seal the title on a dramatic final day in 2012.

    Before heading to Barcelona, where a heart condition unfortunately forced an early retirement, Aguero managed 184 strikes in just 275 Premier League matches.

    The Argentine won five league titles during his time at the Etihad and became City’s all-time leading goalscorer.

    The diminutive forward holds the Premier League record for most hat-tricks, having netted 12, and is the only foreign player on this esteemed list.

    Sergio Aguero will always be a legend in one half of Manchester
    Sergio Aguero will always be a legend in one half of Manchester

    4. Andy Cole (187 goals)

    Andy Cole was no stranger to a bit of club-hopping and enjoyed goal-laden spells at the majority of his seven Premier League clubs.

    In fact, if the ex-Manchester United and Newcastle hitman had been a regular penalty taker, he may even have snuck to the top of the pile.

    Cole racked up 187 strikes across 414 top-flight appearances with the majority coming as he won five titles in eight seasons with the Red Devils.

    Andy Cole was one of the most lethal finishers in Premier League history
    Andy Cole was one of the most lethal finishers in Premier League history

    3. Harry Kane (198 goals)

    Kane has been the focal point of Tottenham’s attack for most of the last decade and has scored at least 15 goals in each of the last nine seasons.

    But despite his exploits in the penalty area, he has not been able to lift any silverware with Spurs and is being linked with an exit.

    Also his country’s joint-top scorer with 53 strikes, the No10 will surely move up this list unless he is tempted abroad.

    2. Wayne Rooney (208 goals)

    Wayne Rooney's haul features some spectacular strikes, including this acrobatic Manchester derby effort
    Wayne Rooney’s haul features some spectacular strikes, including this acrobatic Manchester derby effort

    Wayne Rooney surpassed the great Bobby Charlton as United and England’s all-time leading goalscorer, although Kane is one away from eclipsing him for the Three Lions.

    Across 491 appearances, the Old Trafford legend racked up 208 goals and 103 assists for Everton and the Red Devils.

    A five-time Premier League champion, Rooney enjoyed a glittering career but is some way short of the leading marksman on this list.

    1. Alan Shearer (260 goals)

    Alan Shearer was arguably the best goalscorer of his generation
    Alan Shearer was arguably the best goalscorer of his generation

    You cannot mention Premier League goalscorers without bringing up the great Shearer.

    A huge 52 strikes clear of the next name on the list, the English striker’s record will take some beating.

    Scoring 260 times in 441 games over 14 seasons with Blackburn and Newcastle, it is a minor miracle that the No9 won just one title and four Player of the Month awards.

    Shearer is the fastest player to hit a century in the Premier League — taking just 124 games — and remains the only player to hit more than 30 in multiple top-flight campaigns.

  • Potter confident Chelsea are back to being a force as Blues ‘buzz’ returns

    Potter confident Chelsea are back to being a force as Blues ‘buzz’ returns

    Graham Potter is confident Chelsea have turned a corner ahead of Saturday’s crucial Premier League clash against Liverpool.

    The Blues travel to Anfield to face Jurgen Klopp’s side, also recently out of form, with both clubs hovering in mid-table and facing a tall order to secure a top-four finish and Champions League football.

    Victory against Crystal Palace last Sunday brought an end to a three-game losing streak across all competitions for Chelsea and represented only their second Premier League win since mid-October.

    The club have continued to spend heavily in the transfer market in a bid to improve their position and head coach Potter feels better times are on the horizon, though they need to make an impression on their trip to Merseyside.

    “The win has been important for us, but it’s just a win. We have to go to Liverpool next and back it up,” Potter said.

    “I’m confident, but I respect Liverpool and Anfield. It’s a tough place to go at any point, a fantastic football club. Jurgen [Klopp] is a top manager and [they are] a top team, but we’ve come through a tough spell.

    “Players are coming back, new players are arriving. There is a buzz at the training ground.”

    With the Blues having suffered an early exit from the FA Cup, Potter will have a fortnight after the Liverpool game to work with his squad ahead of their next fixture against Fulham, which he feels can make a big difference.

    “We have two weeks, it’s an important period for us when you consider we have new faces and players coming back from injury,” Potter said. “It’s an important period. We’ll use the time as best as we can.”

  • In Focus: Manchester United whizkid Alejandro Garnacho showing maturity at Old Trafford

    In Focus: Manchester United whizkid Alejandro Garnacho showing maturity at Old Trafford

    Alejandro Garnacho is enjoying a breakthrough season at Manchester United under Erik ten Hag. 

    After making his debut for the club last term, the winger has amassed 15 appearances this campaign, scoring twice. 

    Last Saturday, Garnacho became the youngest player to provide a Premier League assist in a Manchester derby when he set up Marcus Rashford’s winner aged 18 years and 197 days. 

    Ahead of United’s trip to Crystal Palace tonight, we turn the spotlight on the talented youngster and take a look at what the future might hold for Garnacho. 

    Star on the rise

    Garnacho has been in demand from an early age. Starting his youth career at Getafe, he was poached by Atletico Madrid in 2015, when he was just 11 years old. 

    Five years later, United paid £420,000 to bring the Madrid native to England, despite the fact that he was not a regular in Atleti’s youth setup. 

    In his second season at the club, Garnacho won the Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year award and scored twice in a 3-1 win over Nottingham Forest in the FA Youth Cup final. 

    Even before he had received that prestigious Under-18s accolade — following in the footsteps of the likes of Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Marcus Rashford — the starlet had made his first-team debut against Chelsea in April 2022.

    Hard work pays off

    Erik ten Hag saw a turnaround in Alejandro Garnacho's attitude
    Erik ten Hag saw a turnaround in Alejandro Garnacho’s attitude

    Ten Hag’s arrival last May has certainly accelerated Garnacho’s development.

    However, the Dutch boss was not immediately impressed with the Argentina U-20s international.

    After giving Garnacho his full debut against FC Sheriff last October, Ten Hag said: “I was not happy with him.

    “The last weeks I was happy with him, a better attitude, more resilience.”

    Such comments can often have much to do with a manager trying to keep a youngster from becoming complacent, but they were later echoed by a senior player. 

    After Garnacho scored the winning goal in United’s 1-0 Europa League success at Real Sociedad, playmaker Bruno Fernandes gave his thoughts on the tricky forward’s development. 

    Fernandes said: “At the beginning of the season, he was not at his best.

    “In the tour, he didn’t have the best attitude that he should’ve had. He’s getting his chances because he’s training better, he’s having a different attitude and he’s deserving his chances.”

    At the races in derby win

    It is a positive for any club to have both a manager and leaders in the changing room demanding the highest standards are met by young players that are entering the first-team squad. 

    When that club is United, thoughts immediately turn to their most successful manager Alex Ferguson, who was always ready to give the next generation an opportunity but had high expectations. 

    Getting the balance right between tough love and positivity is a challenge for any manager. Though Ten Hag has clearly tried to keep Garnacho’s feet on the ground, he was quick to give praise after the 2-1 win against fierce local rivals City. 

    Ten Hag said: “He has a skill that I don’t see many players in the Premier League having — he beats players one on one. 

    “He’s learnt in the last months about how to play in a team, how to live, how to do the right things in the week, how to have the right attitude on the training ground and you see how he’s acting as a team player and with his individual skills that can make the difference.”

    Alejandro Garnacho has exhibited his talents for Manchester United this season
    Alejandro Garnacho has exhibited his talents for Manchester United this season

    Key cameo role

    The future looks bright for Garnacho at Old Trafford, but with Marcus Rashford generally playing in his favoured left-wing position, he may have to be content with cameo appearances and starts in cup competitions for now. 

    With the highly-skilled talent still being so young, there is plenty of time for him to grow into a regular starter in a United squad where competition for places is growing. 

    Already, he seems to have leapfrogged older players such as Anthony Elanga and Facundo Pellistri in the pecking order, with a fresh challenge coming in the form of the returning Jadon Sancho. 

    The Red Devils are now on the fringes of the title race and look assured of Champions League football next season, which will enable them to further improve their options in attack. 

    The good news for Garnacho is that his many attributes mean Ten Hag will continue to give him opportunities from the bench against tiring defences.

    Right now, he is making the most of those chances.

  • Torres discloses Arsenal contact before World Cup

    Torres discloses Arsenal contact before World Cup

    Prior to the World Cup, Arsenal reportedly made touch with Orlando City over Facundo Torres.

    Since joining the league in January 2022, the 22-year-old has drawn attention, making 33 appearances while tallying nine goals and eight assists.

    Ever since his days playing for Penarol in his native Uruguay, the Uruguayan international has been linked to a move to Europe, with Arsenal reportedly having a long-term interest in his talents.

    The Gunners continue to look for players to boost their squad but missed out on Mykhaylo Mudryk to London rivals Chelsea, who swooped in to beat the Premier League leaders in the chase for the Ukraine winger.

    Torres has opened the door for a fresh approach, expressing his desire to play in the Premier League.

    http://backend.theindependentghana.com/tottenham-fan-attacks-arsenals-ramsdale/

    “Orlando City confirmed to me that there was contact with Arsenal, but then I left for the World Cup and I didn’t want to hear about a potential transfer at that point,” he told 90Min.

    “So, the conversation stayed there but now that I am back with the team, we will see where the conversation goes.

    “I would love to play in Europe. It’s a dream I’ve had since I was a kid. At the moment I am focused on Orlando City.

    “But La Liga or Premier League would be my targets, and that’s where the rumours are coming from. But yeah, I would absolutely love that.”

  • Arsenal extend lead to eight points after beating Tottenham

    Arsenal extend lead to eight points after beating Tottenham

    With a 2-0 derby victory at Tottenham, Arsenal extended their lead to eight points atop the Premier League.

    Hugo Lloris’s own goal and Martin Odegaard’s 25-yard screamer were the two goals scored by Mikel Arteta’s team in the opening period.

    Leaders Arsenal took advantage of the fact that defending champions Manchester City lost at Old Trafford on Saturday by defeating their North London rivals twice for the first time since 2014, giving them even more reason to believe they can win the championship for the first time in 19 years.

    In-form Manchester United are Arsenal’s next opponents and they will now hope for a favour from Antonio Conte’s side, who travel to City on Thursday struggling to stay in the top four race and with Harry Kane still one goal short of Jimmy Greaves’ club scoring record.

    There were unsavoury scenes at full-time with Aaron Ramsdale appearing to be kicked by a Tottenham supporter who jumped onto the advertising hoarding behind the goal of the South Stand before Arteta was able to lead his players away to celebrate with their own fans.

    Both teams had injury concerns ahead of the match and while Dejan Kulusevski returned for Spurs, Rodrigo Bentancur missed out and Bukayo Saka was able to shake off his minor hamstring issue to start for the visitors.

    Results elsewhere this weekend only heightened the importance of the match and it did not take long for the leaders to get into their groove with in-form Eddie Nketiah denied by Lloris in the seventh minute.

    http://backend.theindependentghana.com/transfer-talk-how-arsenals-title-defense-can-benefit-from-barcelona-star-alejandro-balde/

    Lloris’ hesitancy in possession proved the catalyst for the chance and his next involvement produced the opener after another error.

    Saka created space by the byline and his cross, which took a slight deflection off Ryan Sessegnon, fooled Lloris, who could only parry the ball into his own net.

    It was not the first mistake by the Spurs captain in a big game this season but Tottenham almost levelled instantly when Sessegnon found Son Heung-min inside the area, only for Ramsdale to make a fine low stop with his legs.

    It was a fleeting moment of attacking intent from Conte’s side who quickly found themselves back on the ropes.

    Lloris saved from Odegaard soon after before Thomas Partey was denied another North London stunner by the woodwork.

    Partey, who scored a superb curled effort in the 3-1 win in October, let fly with a volley from 25 yards that thundered against the base of the post after pin-ball in the Spurs area.

    A second goal for Arsenal felt inevitable and it arrived eight minutes before the break.

    William Saliba won the first ball before Partey and Saka combined to release Odegaard in space and the Gunners captain rifled into the bottom corner from range for his eighth goal this season.

    It was fully deserved for the visitors and while Spurs improved, with Kane denied by Ramsdale, it remained 2-0 at the break.

    The traditional second-half team were true to their word after the restart with Kulusevski firing over before Kane was denied by another fine Ramsdale save.

    Even better was to follow from the Arsenal goalkeeper, who stuck out a boot to deflect a Sessegnon effort wide after a slick one-two with Kane.

    Tempers started to boil over when substitute Richarlison had words with Brazil team-mate Gabriel Martinelli and Kulusevski collided with Arteta in the technical area.

    Yet those incidents and a flurry of yellow cards only proved to take the sting out of Spurs’ attempted comeback.

    Nketiah squandered the chance to seal the points with 21 minutes left when Lloris raced out quickly to save his effort following Granit Xhaka’s pass to keep Tottenham’s faint hopes alive.

    Despite Richarlison and Ivan Perisic coming on and Kulusevski testing the excellent Ramsdale late on, Arsenal comfortable saw out the final exchanges to move 14 points clear of their rivals.

    However, there were ugly scenes after the final whistle.

    After an apparent exchange of words with Richarlison, Ramsdale was on the receiving end of a kick from a supporter. Xhaka appeared to be frustrated by developments, with Arteta stepping in and the Arsenal contingent moving to the other end of the stadium to celebrate with their fans.

    Source: Livescore

  • In Focus: The stars of an FA Cup third round full of upsets 

    In Focus: The stars of an FA Cup third round full of upsets 

    A thrilling FA Cup third round saw eight Premier League sides dumped out — the most at this stage for 15 years.

    League Two Stevenage toppled Aston Villa, Newcastle were sent packing by Sheffield Wednesday of League One, while Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth lost to Championship opposition.

    National League Wrexham also handed an upset to second-tier Coventry as Manchester City piled more misery on Chelsea by beating them 4-0.

    With Premier League leaders Arsenal hoping to avoid slipping up against third-tier Oxford tonight, we pick out the stars of the FA Cup third round so far.

    Anass Zaroury (Burnley)

    Perhaps the least surprising upset of the weekend saw Championship high-flyers Burnley knock out Bournemouth, who are struggling badly in the top fight.

    Vincent Kompany’s men were the better team throughout the clash at the Vitality Stadium, with Moroccan winger Anass Zaroury’s display a real standout.

    After Ryan Christie cancelled out Manuel Benson’s opener, Zaroury was on hand to finish off a fine team move and put the Clarets 2-1 up in the first half.

    His second of the afternoon was all his own making as he cleverly combined with Josh Brownhill inside the box before lashing in the finish before the break.

    The highly-rated 22-year-old could easily have completed his hat-trick in the second half but for a fine stop from Mark Travers, but Benson netted his second moments later to complete an impressive 4-2 victory.

    Anass Zaroury was in sensational form as Burnley dispatched Bournemouth 4-2
    Anass Zaroury was in sensational form as Burnley dispatched Bournemouth 4-2

    Ian Poveda (Blackpool)

    Blackpool were the next to deal out a humbling for the top flight as they dismantled a much-changed Nottingham Forest 4-1 at Bloomfield Road. 

    In a Tangerines display with plenty of positives, it is Ian Poveda who earns a place in this list for his influential showing.

    The Leeds loanee thrived in a No10 role against Steve Coooper’s men, firing home his side’s second of the afternoon — and his first since arriving at the Seasiders.

    Later teeing up Jerry Yates to score Blackpool’s fourth, pundit Stephen Warnock was left purring at the 22-year-old’s performance.

    Warnock said on Match of the Day: “His footwork for the goal, the calmness, outstanding. The speed with which he attacks, weight of pass, hungry to win the ball back. 

    “He is that type of player where he can frustrate you one game, and the next — everything can go right.”

    Josh Windass (Sheffield Wednesday)

    An inspired display by League One promotion contenders Sheffield Wednesday saw them claim the scalp of high-flying Premier League side Newcastle.

    A Magpies XI boasting the likes of Alexander Isak, Sven Botman and Joelinton were turned over by the Owls thanks to two strikes from Josh Windass.

    After a goalless but eventful first half, Windass got the final touch of a lovely move early in the second half before clinically finishing past Martin Dubravka for the second time 13 minutes later.

    Substitute Bruno Guimaraes halved the deficit to set up a nervy finish but Darren Moore’s men held on for a memorable victory.

    Struggling to hear the question during his post-match interview inside a raucous Hillsborough, Windass remarked: “I honestly don’t know what you just said.

    “It was enjoyable. We’ve been on a good run of form so, yeah, tonight was no different. It’s always nice to score, I’ve been in good form, so it’s nice to score.”

    Thomas O’Connor (Wrexham)

    The Saturday thrills continued as Wrexham came out on top of a Hollywood-worthy seven-goal thriller at Coventry.

    Efforts from Sam Dalby, Elliot Lee, Thomas O’Connor and Paul Mullin saw the National League’s second-placed side extraordinarily race into a 4-1 lead.

    Viktor Gyokeres and Kasey Palmer scored for the Sky Blues to set up a nervy finish despite Jonathan Panzo’s red card, but the North Wales outfit held on for a superb win in front of owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenny.

    Again, it seems harsh to single out just one individual display but it was Irish midfielder O’Connor who takes a place on this list.

    The ex-Southampton youngster ensured the Red Dragons went into the break with a two-goal advantage, leaping to put his side 3-1 up in the sixth minute of stoppage time during a lively display in the West Midlands.

    Dean Campbell (Stevenage)

    Perhaps the biggest shock of the round was saved until late in the weekend as Stevenage scored two goals in the final three minutes to stun a side 59 places above them in the English football pyramid in Aston Villa.

    Unai Emery’s side looked to be cruising at Villa Park despite enjoying a slender advantage through Morgan Sanson’s effort, but substitute Dean Campbell’s crucial contribution off the bench stunned the home crowd.

    Introduced with less than half an hour to play, the 21-year-old stole the ball from Leander Dendoncker before forcing a foul inside the box — allowing fellow subsitute Jamie Reid to equalise in the 88th minute.

    Boro’s tails were up from that point and some quick thinking from a corner caught Villa out again, allowing Campbell the opportunity to find the winner which he took in emphatic style with a fierce strike past Robin Olsen.

    Sparking bedlam among the 3,000-strong travelling support, Campbell’s first ever goal for the Hertfordshire side was one that wrote his name into the club’s history.

    League Two Stevenage enjoyed a memorable FA Cup night at Villa Park
    League Two Stevenage enjoyed a memorable FA Cup night at Villa Park

    Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City)

    It is a more established player who rounds things off as Manchester City’s Riyad Mahrez put Chelsea to the sword for the second time within a week.

    The Algerian had already scored the winner off the bench at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League last Thursday, before doing the damage from the start this time with two goals.

    His stunning free-kick to put City 1-0 up was undoubtedly one of the goals of the round and he also netted his side’s fourth from the spot late on to pile the pressure on Blues boss Graham Potter.

    Citizens manager Pep Guardiola said: “The quality of Riyad is everything. He loves to play football, he helped us to play the game.

    “It was really good. It was a fantastic free-kick. He played an outstanding game.”

  • 2022/23 Ghana Premier League Week 11: Match Report- Bechem 1-1 King Faisal

    2022/23 Ghana Premier League Week 11: Match Report- Bechem 1-1 King Faisal

    Sergio Agüero is now just one hat-trick away from Alan Shearer’s all-time Premier League record after his treble against Arsenal last weekend.

    The Argentine netted all three goals in a comfortable 3-1 victory over the Gunners to bring up his 10th Premier League hat-trick.

    Agüero’s first treble came against Wigan Athletic in 2011 with his 10th coming on his 227th appearance.

    A hat-trick against Chelsea on Sunday [February 10] would take him level with Shearer but who else is on the list of Premier League hat-trick heroes?

    The England star already has eight hat-tricks to his name, just two behind Agüero.

    Kane’s first hat-trick came against Leicester in a thrilling 4-3 victory in March 2015.

    The striker also scored an incredible six trebles in 2017.

    <a href=”https://dugout.com/fcbarcelona/hat-trick-heroes-luis-suarez-helps-to-clobber-cordoba”>Luis Suárez</a>: Now an FC Barcelona hero, Suárez made his name at Liverpool, scoring hat-tricks at will during his four years at the club.

    Suárez made a habit of scoring against Norwich, netting three of his six hat-tricks against the Canaries.

    The Uruguayan currently sits eighth in the Premier League hat-tricks standings and also has 10 hat-tricks in LaLiga for Barça.

    <a href=”https://dugout.com/fcbarcelona/hat-trick-heroes-thierry-henry-haunts-valencia”>Thierry Henry</a>: Tied with Kane and Michael Owen, Theirry Henry was devastating in front of goal for Arsenal.

    The Frenchman spent eight years at the Gunners, scoring eight hat-tricks and winning two league titles.

    His final treble came in the last match at Highbury as Arsenal won 4-2 against Wigan in 2006.

    <a href=”https://dugout.com/liverpoolfc/dream-transfers-robbie-fowler”>Robbie Fowler</a>: A cult hero at Liverpool, Robbie Fowler netted 128 Premier League goals for the Reds.

    That included eight hat-tricks as well as one treble for Leeds United.

    Fowler also scored 21 league goals in 80 appearances for Manchester City.

  • Two Premier League clubs sought after defender Gideon Mensah

    Two Premier League clubs sought after defender Gideon Mensah

    According to rumors, Leeds United and Wolverhampton Wanderers are interested in Ghanaian defender Gideon Mensah.

    To strengthen their defense, the two Premier League clubs are competing to sign the Auxerre left-back.

    After a productive loan with Girondins Bordeaux, Gideon Mensah agreed to a permanent transfer to Auxerre on 12 August 2022. The 24-year-old signed a three-year deal with the French Ligue 1 side.

    If Leeds or Wolverhampton Wanderers agree to pay Mensah’s 12-million-euro asking price, he could finally realize his ambition of playing in England.

    Jesse Marsch, the manager of Leeds United at the moment, is keen to reunite with Mensah after their time together at Red Bull Salzburg.

    Wolves manager Julen Lopetegui is searching for a left-back backup for defender Hugo Bueno, who has been forced to adapt.

    Mensah has been an important player for Auxerre this season, appearing in nine games in Ligue 1.

    Gideon Mensah was a member of the Black Stars team that placed bottom in Group H at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

    Source: footballghana

  • Merson confidently backs Gunners for title after Brighton win

    Merson confidently backs Gunners for title after Brighton win

    According to their former midfielder Paul Merson, Arsenal are unlikely to be stopped in their quest to win a shocking Premier League championship.

    With a convincing 4-2 victory over Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday, the Gunners impressively increased their lead at the top of the standings to seven points.

    On New Year’s Eve, Manchester City and Newcastle United’s draws provided the Gunners a chance to extend their lead atop the standings.

    At the Amex Stadium, they seized the opportunity with both hands when Bukayo Saka’s goal in just 66 seconds set them on their course.

    Eddie Nketiah added a third goal, and inspirational skipper Martin Odegaard added two more. Gabriel Martinelli scored either side of goals from Kaoru Mitoma and Evan Ferguson of Brighton.

    After five straight victories in the Premier League, Arsenal is in fine form and hosts third-place Newcastle on Tuesday in a key match.

    Merson predicts a two-horse race for the championship between Arsenal and City, and he will support the Gunners even though Pep Guardiola’s champions are still the odds-on favorite.

    “I think they’ll beat Newcastle,” Merson said to Sky Sports. “They’ve just won two games, scored seven goals, confidence is high. 

    “They’ve won every game at home this season in the league – that’s some doing.

    “Arsenal are good to watch, it’s not a fluke. You’ve got to look at Man City, they’ve lost at home to Brentford and drawn at home to Everton who are on a bad run. 

    “They are two games City are expected to win. That’s five points dropped. I don’t see anyone stopping Arsenal at the moment.”

    Wins over West Ham and Brighton since the World Cup break have delighted Merson, as Arsenal bid to win a first league crown since their ‘Invincibles’ team tasted success in 2004.

    He added: “When we stopped for the World Cup you thought this could only harm Arsenal. They were flying. They’ve come back and scored seven goals in two games.

    “They’ve got a platform, it’s in their hands. I know there’s a long way to go, but there are big teams in this league who can’t win it – Chelsea, Liverpool, Tottenham, probably Man United.

    “It’s out of Arsenal and Man City unless the other teams go on the most extraordinary run you’ve ever seen in Premier League history.

    “Who goes to Brighton and scores four goals? Arsenal are playing great football and at the moment, they’re the best team in the country and the number one team.

    “They’ve given themselves a little gap where they can afford to lose a few games. Man City are not going to win every game, so Arsenal are right in this, I couldn’t talk highly enough about them.

    “This is not a fluke, they are where they are because they are a very good football team.

    “They went to Old Trafford and got beat, and I didn’t think they deserved to. There are ways of losing matches and they bounced back.

    “The other night, they went 1-0 down to West Ham and they came back and brushed them aside.”

  • I’m really happy for Eddie Nketiah – Arsenal midfielder Martin Odegaard

    Arsenal skipper Martin Odegaard is delighted for Eddie Nketiah after scoring in their 3-1 win over West Ham in the Premier League on Monday.

    The 23-year-old, who has been tipped to the replace injured Gabriel Jesus put up an impressive display to help the Gunners extend their lead at the top of the league table.

    West Ham took the lead against the run of play through Said Benrahma who smashed a confident penalty down the middle. Bukayo Saka bagged the equaliser. Gabriel Martinelli put the hosts ahead before Nketiah sealed the points for Mikel Arteta’s side

    .

    “It was a great goal. I think the whole build up was good and the way he turns in the box and the finish,” Odegaard said in his post-match interview

    “I’m really, really happy for him to come in and do a performance like this. So, so happy for him.”

    Nketiah lasted the entire duration of the game at the Emirates stadium.

    He has made 20 appearances across all competitions for Arsenal this season, scored four goals and provided one assist.

  • Harry Kane strikes as Tottenham launch another comeback to draw at Brentford 

    Harry Kane was on target on his return to Premier League action as Tottenham came from two goals down to snatch a 2-2 draw with Brentford.

    Just 16 days after his penalty miss in the World Cup quarter-final against France, England skipper Kane scored with a towering header to drag Spurs back from the brink of defeat.

    Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg then grabbed an equaliser as Tottenham cancelled out goals from Vitaly Janelt and Ivan Toney.

    Their second-half display was a far cry from a lethargic first 45 minutes, with Kane’s only opportunity coming from an early free-kick which clipped the wall.

    Brentford went ahead in the 15th minute when Toney flicked the ball on to Bryan Mbeumo, who swept it diagonally to Mathias Jensen in the penalty area.

    Fraser Forster, making his first Premier League appearance for Spurs as deputy for World Cup finalist Hugo Lloris, kept out Jensen’s first-time shot but the ball fell at the feet of Janelt for a tap-in

    .

    It was a familiarly slow start from the visitors, the sixth game in a row in which they had slipped behind.

    Toney was back in action for the first time since it emerged he had been charged by the Football Association for alleged breaches of betting rules.

    The striker, who missed out on a place in England’s World Cup squad despite his hot form, had the ball in the net after rounding Forster but an offside flag belatedly ruled out the goal.

    Toney was not to be denied after the interval, however, as he showed the Bees what they will be missing if he is hit with a ban by the FA.

    Mbeumo swung in a near-post corner, Christian Norgaard flicked the ball on and the 26-year-old struck at the far post for his 12th goal of the season.

    Kane hauled Spurs back into the match just after the hour when he met a sweeping Clement Lenglet cross with a superb header back across goal.

    It was the striker’s 10th Boxing Day goal for Spurs, a Premier League record.

    Mbeumo had a chance to restore Brentford’s two-goal lead but he blazed over and moments later Tottenham were level.

    The dangerous Dejan Kulusevski pulled the ball back from the byline into the path of Hojbjerg, who lashed it home from 12 yards.

    Back came the Bees and Mbeumo was booked for a blatant dive as he looked for a penalty after Forster came racing out of his goal.

    Toney had a chance to win it for Brentford but hooked his effort over the crossbar before David Raya’s late save denied Son Heung-Min a stoppage-time winner.

  • Fantasy football returns ahead of a packed Premier League schedule

    Fantasy football is set to return on Boxing Day as the Premier League season resumes.

    Arsenal will continue their bid to become champions while Manchester City will look to reclaim top spot courtesy of some Erling Haaland magic.

    Players have been given free rein to make changes to their squad with unlimited transfers authorised until the 11am deadline on December 26.

    We go over everything you need to know ahead of Gameweek 17.

    Check for injuries

    With a World Cup sandwiched in the middle of a domestic season, it is no surprise that a number of players have picked up injuries in Qatar.

    Fantasy football sites will tell you if one of your squad is likely to be a doubt or confirmed injury but it is worth checking anyway.

    Players such as Rodrigo Bentancur and Tyler Adams already have suspensions in place so will miss the festive fun but the former picked up an injury on duty for Uruguay and could be sidelined for more than one match.

    Furthermore, there are high-value stars who were injured before the break and are still set to miss a significant amount of game time, including Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota.

    Those that made it to the latter stages of the winter tournament are also likely to be missing, with clubs granting extended time off to recover from the heavy workload they have endured.

    This will include players such as Cristian Romero, Ivan Perisic, Alexis Mac Allister and Raphael Varane, who all featured in the semi-finals or final.

    Fixture congestion

    Tottenham's Richarlison picked up an injury on duty for Brazil
    Tottenham’s Richarlison picked up an injury on duty for Brazil

    The Christmas period is always hectic and 2022 will be no different.

    With the first Premier League match set to kick off just over a week after the conclusion of the World Cup final, there is no rest for some of Europe’s top athletes.

    Teams will play three times in nine days and managers will have to utilise squad depth to prevent further fatigue and injuries.

    There are some heavyweight clashes also set to take place in the upcoming Gameweeks — Arsenal take on West Ham and Newcastle, while Chelsea face Liverpool and Manchester City in January.

    Some clubs who saw games postponed or moved earlier in the season are set to fulfil their unplayed fixtures, including Chelsea, Fulham, Tottenham and City.

    As always, there is an air of unpredictability around England’s top flight on its return — a big break always gives the lower-level clubs a chance to cause an upset before teams hit full flow.

    Top scorers so far

    Harry Kane will hope to bounce back from his penalty miss in the World Cup quarter-final
    Harry Kane will hope to bounce back from his penalty miss in the World Cup quarter-final

    It is worth reminding ourselves who hit the ground running in the early parts of the season, so players can decide whether they want to make any changes to their current crop.

    Haaland sits comfortably at the top of the list with 123 points, with Harry Kane perched in second on 96 — both of these players have favourable ties on Boxing Day as City travel to Leeds and Spurs face Brentford.

    Newcastle duo of Kieran Trippier and Miguel Almiron slot in at third and fourth — they will likely both feature when the Magpies travel to Leicester on the 26th.

    Nick Pope is the highest-scoring goalkeeper with 70 points but Dean Henderson provides a cheaper option and has just three fewer.

    If you are tight on a budget, it may be worth avoiding expensive signings such as Bruno Fernandes, Raheem Sterling and Darwin Nunez, who all have less than 50 points.

    Chelsea, Liverpool and West Ham all struggled at the start of the 2022-23 campaign and it may be worth holding back on any of their high-value players in case they fail to flourish in the new year.

    Who has the easiest run?

    Arsenal will have to make do without Gabriel Jesus after the forward was injured for Brazil
    Arsenal will have to make do without Gabriel Jesus after the forward was injured for Brazil

    The City’s and Arsenal’s of the world will fancy themselves against any Premier League opponent, but it would be unwise for players to head into the hectic schedule without being aware of the tough upcoming fixtures.

    Fantasy football ranks each team’s fixtures from one to five based on their difficulty, with five being the hardest it can get.

    Across the next five Gameweeks, Fulham have the toughest run, including games against Chelsea, Newcastle and Spurs.

    Southampton have the easier fixtures on paper, with four of the next five matches marked in green and their home clash against Brighton ranked as a three.

    For the rest, it is a kind mixture of contests against top and bottom-half teams, with Arsenal the top-six side with the toughest run.

    Nonetheless, there are no easy games in the Premier League and it is very likely that a few surprises will pop up when it returns.

    Source: Livescore

  • 2022/23 GPL: Nsoatreman FC will defeat Hearts of Oak – Samuel Ofori

    Nsoatreman Football Club forward, Samuel Ofori is confident his side will secure all three points against Hearts of Oak on match week nine of the Ghana Premier League.

    The Phobians will look to to continue their upward trajectory at Nana Kronmansah Park. Hearts are currently 6th on the league table with 13 points, three points behind leaders Bibiani Gold Stars who have played a game more after beating Real Tamale United 1-0 on Monday.

    Nsoatreman FC lie 7th on the log, same points as the former Premier League winners after eight matches played so far.

    “I really respect Hearts of Oak but then I’m pretty sure we will beat them and I do have a goal tomorrow by God’s grace.”

    The game will kick off at 3:00pm.

    Ofori has made eight appearances for Nsoatreman Football Club so far this season and scored one goal in the process.

    He has been one of the standout players for his side this campaign.

  • Brighton relaxed amidst high demand for Mac Allister after Argentina heroics

    Paul Barber, the chief executive of Brighton and Hove Albion, is sure that his team can hold onto Alexis Mac Allister despite the midfielder’s high demand following his significant contribution to Argentina’s World Cup victory.

    Mac Allister started six of Argentina’s seven games in Qatar, including Sunday’s exciting 3-3 extra-time penalty shootout victory over France at Lusail Stadium.

    The 23-year-old, who had already started the scoring in his country’s crucial final group match against Poland, assisted Angel Di Maria’s shot at the conclusion of an excellent team play that gave Argentina a two-goal lead in the first half.

    “We were working on a new contract for Alexis in the build-up to the World Cup,” Barber told talkSPORT. “We met Alexis’ father [Carlos] several times. He himself played for Argentina with [Diego] Maradona no less, so there’s a fantastic family history to playing for their country.

    “As we’ve always said, when players do well, when their profile increases, there’s always going to be interest in them. This will be no different; Alexis is no different. There was interest in him before the World Cup and I’m sure there will be more interest in him afterwards.

    “All we can do in situations where you’ve got a great asset is to try and protect yourself as best as possible. We’ve done that with several of our players and staff over the last several years, and that’s all you can do in these situations. We hope Alexis will continue to be playing for us for some time to come.”

    Mac Allister is due to fly back to Argentina with the rest of his team-mates to celebrate their first World Cup success in 36 years, something Barber says he has no issue with despite a packed fixture list coming up.

    “We would be a very poor club [to deny him the chance to return to Argentina],” Barber told BBC Sport. “On the other hand, we’ve got games coming up thick and fast and one of the downsides of the Qatar World Cup is that we haven’t yet even completed half a season.

    “We’ve actually got a lot of work to do now and Alexis will be a big part of that. We’re all looking forward to it very much.”

  • 2022/23 GPL: Lord Martey and Lawrence Ansah win Goalkeeper of the Month Awards

    Lord Bawa of Dreams FC and Lawrence Ansah of FC Samartex 1996 have won the titles of Premier League Goalkeeper of the Month for September and November, respectively.

    Before the league was suspended for the World Cup, the FC Samartex 1996 goalkeeper played two games in November without giving up a goal.

     

    The Danish stopper made his name at Manchester United, winning five league titles and the UEFA Champions League in his final season with the Red Devils in 1999.

     

    In a brief ceremony at the GFA Secretariat, former Ghana international Ali Jaara presented a goalkeepers glove and a goalkeeper’s jersey to the Dreams FC goalkeeper.

    Dreams FC’s Bawa Lord Martey has also received a glove and goalkeeper’s jersey after emerging as Most Outstanding Goalkeeper for the month of September.

    Martey emerged as winner after keeping two clean sheets out of three matches played in September.

    It will be recalled that the national ex-goalkeepers Union of Ghana recently announced a monthly reward system  acknowledge the outstanding goalkeepers during the 2022/2023 Premier League season.

    Meanwhile, the Premier League season will resume on Monday, December 19 to Thursday, December, 22, 2022 across league centres.

    The competition is on a one month break due to the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

  • Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool interested in Valencia midfielder Yunus Musah

    Three Premier League clubs Arsenal, Chelsea, and Liverpool are interested in Valencia and USA international Yunus Musah.

    The 20-year-old made an impression with his outstanding performance against England in their Group B match, but the USA’s loss to the Netherlands prevented him from advancing with his country through the round of 16.

    In 2012, at age nine, he moved to London and joined Arsenal’s Academy. In the summer of 2019, Musah joined Valencia, at the age of 16, and was assigned to the reserves in Segunda División B. He made his debut with the B-team at the age of 16 on September 15, 2019, starting in a 0–0 home draw against CF La Nucía.

    According to 90Min, Valencia is trying to extend Musah’s contract in an effort to beat off interest from the Premier League. Musah has two assists in 11 appearances for his team so far this season. His current contract, which already expires in 2026, contains a release clause of €100 million (£86 million).

  • Eddie Nketiah scores in Arsenal’s friendly win against Lyon

    Striker Eddie Nketiah scored in Arsenal’s first friendly game against Ligue 1 side Lyon in the Dubai Super Cup on Thursday.

    The Gunners impressed the crowd in Dubai as Gabriel jumped highest from a corner to give Arteta’s men the lead 19 minutes in.

    Striker Eddie Nketiah kicked off his spell as the club’s leading man up top in Gabriel Jesus’ absence with a great first-half performance that ended in Arsenal’s second just after the 30-minute mark before Fabio Vieira completed a near-perfect half of play.

    \

    At the start of the second half, Arteta replaced the excellent Vieira with Marquinhos, who came close to adding a fourth goal for the north Londoners on several occasions.

    Eddie Nketiah spent his World Cup break in Ghana, he was hosted by Ghana Women’s Premier League side Ridge City. He was spotted training with the newly promoted side in Ghana.

    The 23-year-old has made twelve appearances this season in the Premier League.

  • Diaz suffers setback in Liverpool training

    Jurgen Klopp has announced that Liverpool winger Luis Diaz will undergo testing after encountering a setback in his effort to recover from a knee injury.

    Diaz has been sidelined ever since the injury he suffered in Liverpool’s 3-2 loss to Premier League champions Arsenal in October, but he was recently added to their team for a training camp in Dubai.

    The Colombian winger, who has made 12 appearances for Liverpool this season and has contributed two assists and four goals, wasn’t initially anticipated to take part fully in team practice before to the start of the Premier League later this month.

    However, according to a statement issued by Liverpool on Friday, Diaz had to skip two training sessions and will also be absent for the Reds’ friendly match against Lyon on Sunday.

    The 25-year-old Diaz would reportedly return to England after feeling pain in the same knee, and the club stated that Diaz’s ailment would need additional evaluation.

    “It’s all good with the boys who are here,” manager Jurgen Klopp said. “What’s not good is we have to see with Lucho.

    “He felt something and we need to have further assessment there, but apart from that they all look really, really good.”

    Before returning to competitive play on December 22 against Manchester City in the EFL Cup last-16, Liverpool will play friendlies against Lyon and Milan.

    Prior to their next match in the top flight against Aston Villa on December 26, the Reds are now sixth in the Premier League, seven points outside of the Champions League spots.


  • Show us what you have to offer – Ten Hag challenges United’s youngsters

    Erik ten Hag has thrown a challenge to Manchester United’s young players, telling them they have a “fantastic” opportunity to make a mark at the team’s training camp in Spain.

    A number of Ten Hag’s players are still competing for their countries at the World Cup, and United is one of several Premier League teams that have gone abroad for midseason training camps.

    Twelve United players are still present in Qatar going into the quarterfinals, and Ten Hag will probably make lineup adjustments due to the short turnaround before the Premier League season resumes later this month.

    “We have a lot of young players with us and they have to support us – they can show us what they have to offer, what their capabilities are and what their potential is and if you can use them, if they have a future,” he told MUTV.

    “I think it’s a great opportunity for them. Normally we don’t have this break and now we have this break.

    “Many players are at the World Cup, so there are positions available and they can get used in these positions.

    “They can show themselves and they can challenge players who play in the Premier League [games], so it’s fantastic for them.”

    On December 21, United will play Burnley in the EFL Cup, and six days later, they will play Nottingham Forest in the Premier League.


  • Mohammed Kudus open to Premier League move despite Barcelona interest

    Ghana forward, Kudus Mohammed is open to the Premier League despite strong interest from Barcelona.

    The 22-year-old was a delight to watch at the World Cup in Qatar despite Ghana’s early exit.

    Kudus scored two goals and grabbed an assist.

    Barcelona director, Jordi Cruyff confirmed that the Catalan Club have been chasing the Ajax attacker for years.

    “We’ve been tracking Mohammed Kudus for more than one year. We can’t say now that Barça want Kudus,” the Barca Sporting Director told RAC 1, as quoted by Fabrizio Romano.

    “But he’s attracting interest. He’s scoring goals and in Holland, they discuss a lot about his position, so yes – I know him well.”

    With Tottenham, Arsenal, Liverpool, and Chelsea interested in the promising forward, the former FC Nordsjaelland is open to the Premier League according to reports.

    The report add that Ajax are likely to ask for around £40million to part with their attacking midfielder who scored twice in the World Cup group stage.

    Source: Ghanaweb

  • Ghana star Kudus Mohammed open to Premier League move despite Barcelona interest

    Ghana forward, Kudus Mohammed is open to the Premier League despite strong interest from Barcelona.

    The 22-year-old was a delight to watch at the World Cup in Qatar despite Ghana’s early exit.

    Kudus scored two goals and grabbed an assist.

    Barcelona director, Jordi Cruyff confirmed that the Catalan Club have been chasing the Ajax attacker for years.

    “We’ve been tracking Mohammed Kudus for more than one year. We can’t say now that Barça want Kudus,” the Barca Sporting Director told RAC 1, as quoted by Fabrizio Romano.

    “But he’s attracting interest. He’s scoring goals and in Holland, they discuss a lot about his position, so yes – I know him well.”

    With Tottenham, Arsenal, Liverpool, and Chelsea interested in the promising forward, the former FC Nordsjaelland is open to the Premier League according to reports.

    The report add that Ajax are likely to ask for around £40million to part with their attacking midfielder who scored twice in the World Cup group stage.

  • Arsenal-Manchester City Premier League clash to be in February

    Arsenal and Manchester City will now play on February 15, 2023, in the Premier League.

    On October 19, the two clubs were scheduled to square off in a key game as both squads were engaged in an early-season title fight.

    However, the match had to be moved to make room for the Arsenal’s Europa League match against PSV Eindhoven, which had been postponed following the passing of HM Queen Elizabeth II.

    The team led by Mikel Arteta is looking to maintain their lead going into their match as a result of the club’s confirmation of a new date.

    “Our home Premier League clash with Manchester City has been rearranged for Wednesday, February 15,” read a club statement.

    “The game was previously arranged for October 19 but was postponed to allow us to fulfil our Europa League commitments.”

    The title race between Arsenal and City this year has produced an intriguing picture of the two teams, especially since Arteta, Pep Guardiola’s assistant before returning to north London, has raided his old squad for fresh players.

    The Gunners have added two players who have been among their top performers this season in Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko, who will help them face difficulties both at home and in Europe.

  • FA: Ronaldo suspended for two matches and fined £50,000

    Cristiano Ronaldo has been suspended for two matches and fined £50,000 by the Football Association.

    Ronaldo, who was recently let go by Manchester United, was being investigated for breaking a fan’s phone last season.

    The striker, who sparked outrage with a recent interview in which he harshly criticised the club, is currently in Qatar, awaiting Portugal’s opening match against Ghana tomorrow.

    A statement form the FA said: “Cristiano Ronaldo has been suspended for two matches, fined £50,000 and warned as to his future conduct for a breach of FA Rule E3.

    “The forward admitted that his conduct after the final whistle of the Premier League game between Manchester United FC and Everton FC on Saturday 9 April 2022 was improper.

    “An independent Regulatory Commission found that his conduct was both improper and violent during a subsequent hearing, and imposed these sanctions.”

  • Garnacho grateful to attentive Ten Hag after Man Utd breakthrough

    Manchester United winger Alejandro Garnacho is grateful to manager Erik ten Hag after being given the opportunity to make his senior breakthrough.

    The 18-year-old made a couple of first-team cameos under Ralf Rangnick last season but only really cemented his place as a genuine option for the senior side in the past few weeks.

    Garnacho looked lively in pre-season and appeared set for a prominent role in the squad, but Ten Hag revealed after his full debut against Sheriff in October that he had held him back because he was “not happy with him” at the start of the season.

    Ten Hag was relatively vague when explaining why Garnacho had been left out for so long, saying “[young players] have to know the demands in top football, it’s not only about a trick or scoring one goal”.

    Nevertheless, Garnacho quickly built on his impressive performance against Sheriff, going on to score winning goals against Real Sociedad and Fulham, the latter a fine finish after an explosive run and clever link-up with Christian Eriksen.

    He went into the World Cup break with eight first-team appearances under his belt for this season, and despite Ten Hag’s restrictive use of him earlier in the campaign, he was appreciative of the Dutchman’s man-management.

    “Erik Ten Hag is a very good manager and, above all, he’s a great person,” Garnacho, who was named United’s Player of the Month for last week, told the club’s website.

    “He always pays very close attention to us all, and helps us a great deal, especially the young players.

    “I’ve had to keep working hard until that moment came where I was given my opportunity. For the moment, I’m making the most of the opportunities he’s giving me.

    “I don’t want to take a backward step from here, I’d like to appear regularly in the team and keep going in the same way.”

    That goal against Fulham made Garnacho, aged 18 years and 135 days at the time, the youngest player to net a 90th-minute Premier League winner since Federico Macheda for United against Aston Villa in April 2009.

    United are next in action against Burnley in the EFL Cup fourth round on December 19, before hosting Nottingham Forest in the league eight days later.

    Source: Livescore

  • Man City boss Pep Guardiola signs contract extension

    Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has signed a two-year contract extension that will keep him at the club until 2025.

    Guardiola has won 11 trophies, including four Premier League titles, during six years at Etihad Stadium.

    The 51-year-old Spaniard has taken charge of 374 games and is City’s second longest-serving manager.

    “From day one I felt something special being here. I cannot be in a better place,” said Guardiola.

     

    “I am so pleased to be staying at Manchester City for another two years.

    “I can’t say thank you enough to everyone at the club for trusting me. I am happy and comfortable, and I have everything I need to do my job as best as possible.

    “I know the next chapter of this club will be amazing for the next decade. It happened over the last 10 years, and it will happen in the next 10 years because this club is so stable.

    “I still have the feeling there is more we can achieve together and that is why I want to stay and continue fighting for trophies.”

    More soon…

     

  • ‘He’s still Cristiano to me’ – Elanga defends Ronaldo

    Cristiano Ronaldo’s criticism of young players is understandable, according to his Manchester United team-mate Anthony Elanga, who has defended the forward following his comments.

    Ronaldo has endured a torrid season after reportedly asking to leave United in the last transfer window, and his future is in doubt once again following an explosive interview with Piers Morgan.

    As well as claiming senior figures at Old Trafford have “betrayed” him and admitting he has no respect for head coach Erik ten Hag, Ronaldo said the club’s young players “don’t care”.

    Asked about Ronaldo’s comments by Swedish publication Aftonbladet, Elanga said: “Cristiano talks about young players in general.

    “We are a new generation. I am always 100 per cent focused on what I am doing, but I can understand what he is saying.

    “There are a lot of phones and a lot of technology. It’s quite easy for young players to get distracted and lose focus. Young players at United are listening, but I can understand what he is saying.”

    Elanga also maintains that Ronaldo has been a positive influence on his development since the five-time Ballon d’Or winner returned to United last August.

    “He has helped me a lot not only on the pitch, but off it as well,” Elanga said. “He is an inspiration, not only to me but to all the young players at United. Sometimes it’s just me and him at the gym.

    “When I’m with him, he hasn’t changed. He is still Cristiano Ronaldo to me. He has helped me a lot.”

    Source: Livescore

  • Edu appointed Arsenal sporting director

    Edu has earned a promotion at Arsenal with the Gunners announcing their former midfielder has become the club’s first ever sporting director.

    The Brazilian played for Arsenal between 2001 and 2005, making 29 league appearances in their 2003-04 ‘Invincibles’ season, before taking over as the Gunners’ technical director in 2019.

    His time in that role has seen him work with manager Mikel Arteta to improve Arsenal’s standing in the Premier League, as their young side head into the World Cup break with a five-point lead at the top of the table.

    That success earned Edu a new role, as he takes on responsibility for the academy alongside his existing duties.

    In a statement, chief executive Vinai Venkatesham said: “We are delighted that Edu is recommitting his future to the Club that he so clearly loves, after making such a positive and critical contribution to our progress in his time with us so far.

    “Edu’s promotion formalises his already growing influence over our Academy operations.”

    Edu himself added: “I’m delighted to have this new role which I see as an evolution and consolidation of the way we’ve been working.

    “I look forward to building on the hard work of so many people and helping all of us grow together and enjoy more success, and am thankful for the trust the club has put in me. We move forward together.”


    Source: Livescore

  • Ronaldo would be ‘happy’ to see Arsenal win Premier League title

    Cristiano Ronaldo has admitted he would be happy to see Arsenal win the Premier League, if Manchester United cannot become champions.

    The Portugal star has caught the headlines with an explosive interview aired this week, where he criticised his employers, current manager Erik ten Hag and his former team-mates Wayne Rooney and Gary Neville.

    His comments have led to a growing expectation that a swift departure from Old Trafford is on the cards after the World Cup in Qatar when the January transfer window opens for business – and his admission on the Premier League title race will cause a further stir.

    United have struggled for stability in the Premier League this season, while Arsenal have lost just once – at Old Trafford – as they look for a first top-flight crown since going unbeaten in the 2004-05 season.

    If that were to happen, Ronaldo has conceded he would be happy with the outcome.

    “I hope so. Manchester United first, if not, Arsenal. It’s a team I like to see play,” he told Piers Morgan’s Uncensored on TalkTV.

    “I like the team, I like the coach. I think they have a good team and if Manchester United don’t win the Premier League, then I will be happy if Arsenal do.”

    Arsenal hold a five-point advantage over Manchester City after 14 rounds of Premier League action, with United 11 points adrift of the Gunners.


    Source: Livescore

  • Former England and Chelsea defender Cahill retires

    Gary Cahill won the Premier League with Chelsea in 2015 and 2017

    Former England and Chelsea defender Gary Cahill has retired aged 36.

    Cahill won eight major honours during his seven years at Stamford Bridge, including two Premier League titles, two FA Cups and the Champions League.

    He began his career at Aston Villa and also had permanent spells at Bolton, Crystal Palace and Bournemouth, as well as earning 61 international caps.

    “I achieved things I once dreamt of, creating some incredible memories,” said Cahill.

    “Football is a game that has given me so much enjoyment and success and as I make the decision to hang up my boots I can honestly say I gave it everything I had.”

    Cahill played for England at the 2014 and 2018 World Cup, as well Euro 2016, captaining the side on five occasions.

    He has been a free agent since being released by Bournemouth the end of last season.

    “Amazing highs like winning the Champions League and Premier League, to the privilege of captaining my county and Chelsea in an FA Cup-winning team will remain with me forever,” he added.

    “Taking the decision to stop playing is not an easy one. I’ve spent 20 years training every day, putting in the work to be in the best possible shape for matchday to help the teams I’ve played for be successful.

    “I’ve had time to consider my options and after much deliberation and reflection I feel now is the time to move on to the next stage of my career.”

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    Source: bbc.com