Sir Jim Ratcliffe is anticipated to be present in the Old Trafford crowd this Sunday, observing the matchup between Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur. Ratcliffe has secured a deal to acquire a 25% stake in the Red Devils, pending final approval from the Premier League, a process likely to extend over several weeks. During the interim period, as the approval process unfolds, Ratcliffe has maintained a close connection with United through INEOS associate Sir Dave Brailsford, who has been a spectator at games. Upon the completion of the transaction, Brailsford is slated to join the new board of directors. As…
Author: Oluwaseun samuel
Manchester City owed their 3-2 victory over Newcastle United on Saturday to the immediate impact of Kevin De Bruyne, who came off the bench. The match started with City losing goalkeeper Ederson to injury within the opening minutes, but they rebounded, taking the lead with a goal from Bernardo Silva. However, Newcastle quickly surged ahead with two goals from Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon towards the end of the first half. Facing difficulties in their pursuit of an equalizer, Pep Guardiola turned to De Bruyne. The Belgian needed just five touches to score, and in the dying moments of the…
Chelsea narrowly secured victory in a tense west London derby against Fulham at Stamford Bridge on Saturday. The decisive moment came in the first half when Cole Palmer converted a penalty, proving to be the sole difference between the two teams in a match where both struggled to find their attacking rhythm. Mauricio Pochettino’s Chelsea has now climbed to eighth in the Premier League table, surpassing Manchester United and Newcastle United, who are yet to play this weekend. Meanwhile, Marco Silva’s Fulham remains in the 13th position. The opening 15 minutes saw Conor Gallagher’s attempt over the Fulham defense, providing…
Super Eagles’ head coach, Jose Peseiro, has emphasized the importance of achieving positive outcomes in the ongoing 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). Peseiro made these remarks in response to questions about the settlement of his outstanding salaries and the players’ dues by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). During his pre-match press conference ahead of the AFCON encounter with Equatorial Guinea on Sunday, the Portuguese coach stated that financial matters are not the team’s current priority. “Money and bonuses should be the last discussion; we need good results first. We all need money, but money is the last discussion,” Peseiro…
The Nigerian Super Eagles aim to bring an end to Equatorial Guinea’s impressive 10-game unbeaten streak as both teams face off at the Alassane Quattara Stadium in Ebimpe, Abidjan, today. Equatorial Guinea’s Nzalang Nacional last experienced defeat on September 3, 2022, in a 2-0 loss to the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon. Since then, Juan Micha’s squad has maintained an undefeated record, securing five victories and five draws. The upcoming match marks the first encounter between both teams at the AFCON finals. However, in previous meetings, the Super Eagles emerged victorious on both occasions. In the previous AFCON, the Super Eagles…
Pep Guardiola, the manager of Manchester City, lauded playmaker Kevin de Bruyne as an ‘innate talent’ following the Belgian’s influential performance in their 3-2 victory against Newcastle United on Saturday in the Premier League. De Bruyne, who came off the bench, not only scored but also provided an assist at St. James’ Park. Bernardo Silva and Oscar Bobb also contributed to the goals for Guardiola’s team against the hosts. During the post-match press conference, Guardiola expressed, “Kevin de Bruyne is a pure talent. It’s not about tactics; it’s about talent.” With this win, Manchester City climbed to the second position…
AFCON 2023, set to kick off in Ivory Coast later tonight on January 13, will showcase some of the most high-priced players ever seen on the continent. African football has matured, with players from the continent now commanding significant transfer fees worldwide, particularly in Europe. This trend has heightened anticipation for AFCON 2023, the premier football tournament in Africa. 1. Victor Osimhen – €110 million (Nigeria) At 25, Victor Osimhen currently stands as the best and most expensive player on the continent. The Napoli striker, instrumental in his club’s Scudetto triumph last season, is poised to contribute to Nigeria’s quest…
Cole Palmer’s penalty secured Chelsea’s fourth consecutive Premier League victory against West London rivals Fulham on Saturday. This narrow win followed a lackluster performance by Chelsea against Middlesbrough earlier in the week, resulting in a 1-0 defeat due to missed opportunities, notably by Palmer. However, the young English forward proved pivotal in the early kickoff clash against Fulham. His excellent pass to Raheem Sterling led to a penalty in first-half stoppage time, which Palmer confidently converted after tempting Fulham’s Issa Diop into a foul. Palmer’s contribution served as redemption for his earlier Carabao Cup error, and it marked Chelsea’s fourth…
Mauricio Pochettino has confirmed that Chelsea will see the return of left-back Ben Chilwell from injury in Saturday’s match against Fulham. Chilwell, who serves as Chelsea’s vice-captain, has been sidelined since sustaining a hamstring injury in September. Notably, he has yet to feature in a game adorned with the Infinite Athlete sponsorship on the front of the club’s shirts. After a prolonged recovery process, Pochettino announced on Friday that Chilwell is back in contention, along with center-back Benoit Badiashile, who had been sidelined for three games due to a muscle problem. Providing an update in his press conference, Pochettino said,…
Tottenham is set to face Manchester United at Old Trafford this Sunday, and the team is poised to receive a boost with the return of key players and the inclusion of two new signings. Micky van de Ven, who has been sidelined by injuries this season, is expected to start alongside new acquisition Radu Dragusin, forming the defensive partnership. Additionally, Timo Werner, another recent signing, is anticipated to make his debut to compensate for the absence of Son Heung-min, who is participating in the Asian Cup, and the midfield duo of Pape Sarr and Yves Bissouma, who are away at…
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag suggests that Antony’s struggles at the club this season can be attributed to off-field issues. Antony, who arrived from Ajax for £82 million in 2022, featured in the first four Premier League games this year before facing allegations of domestic violence. Investigations were initiated in both Brazil and England. United granted Antony leave to address the situation, and upon his return three games later, he has faced a challenging run of form, still awaiting his first goal or assist this season after 21 appearances across all competitions. Facing criticism from fans and rivals, Antony…
Aston Villa’s manager, Unai Emery, has been announced as the Premier League’s Manager of the Month for December 2023. During Villa’s seven matches in December, Emery guided the team to four victories, notably securing significant wins against both Manchester City and Arsenal. These triumphs played a crucial role in quietly positioning Villa as contenders in the Premier League title race. As of the 20-game mark, Villa currently holds the second position in the standings, trailing leaders Liverpool by just three points. Jurgen Klopp of Liverpool, Andoni Iraola of Bournemouth, and David Moyes of West Ham United were also contenders for…
Manchester United is set to face Tottenham at Old Trafford in the Premier League on Sunday, and the Red Devils could see the return of key players from injury, providing a much-needed boost to their squad. The likes of Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw are expected to be in contention to start against Spurs, potentially reinforcing the defensive line. Additionally, South American duo Casemiro and Lisandro Martinez, who have returned to training, may feature on Sunday, although the decision to rush them back after extended spells out remains uncertain. Taking various factors into consideration, here’s the potential starting lineup that…
Real Madrid sets their sights on claiming the first trophy of the 2023/24 campaign by facing Barcelona in the Supercopa de España final. After defeating city rivals Atletico Madrid in the semi-final, a Clásico in Saudi Arabia awaits, with Barcelona securing their spot by triumphing over Osasuna. Despite facing fitness concerns in defense, manager Carlo Ancelotti is expected to field a familiar XI, with Jude Bellingham aiming for a standout performance in the Middle East. Leading the La Liga title race with a seven-point advantage over Barcelona, Real Madrid enters the final as favorites. Here’s the predicted starting lineup Ancelotti…
Barcelona stands on the verge of securing their first trophy of the season, but a formidable challenge awaits against arch-rivals Real Madrid in the Supercopa de España on Sunday. Xavi’s squad secured their place in the final with a 2-0 victory over Osasuna, yet the performance left fans unconvinced ahead of the impending Clásico. On the other side, Real Madrid advanced with a chaotic 5-3 win against Atletico Madrid, revealing vulnerabilities that Barcelona aims to exploit. The setback for Barcelona is the injury to Brazilian winger Raphinha, who suffered a hamstring blow and is unavailable for the final. Here is…
Real Madrid recently extended manager Carlo Ancelotti’s contract, providing a clearer vision of the club’s immediate future. Despite advances from Brazil, Ancelotti opted to stay at Santiago Bernabeu, where he is nurturing a promising group of young talents. Now, the focus shifts to the club’s experienced and veteran members, contemplating whether to retain them beyond the current season. 1. Luka Modric: If solely determined by Real Madrid, keeping Luka Modric is a resounding yes. However, the challenge lies in the midfielder’s expressed frustrations over reduced playing time, sparking rumors of a move to MLS or Inter Miami. Despite being 38,…
Former interim manager of Manchester United, Ralf Rangnick, has defended Jadon Sancho, describing him as a ‘calm and pleasant guy’ during his tenure at Old Trafford. Sancho, who had been excluded from the Red Devils’ first-team setup for a significant part of the 2023/24 season, has now returned to Borussia Dortmund on loan for the remainder of the campaign. Erik ten Hag, the United boss, raised concerns about Sancho’s training level in a press conference in September. In response, the winger refuted the claims on social media and did not apologize for his reaction, leading to his subsequent exclusion from…
With the January transfer window now officially open, Manchester United is actively looking to reshape their squad under the management of Erik ten Hag. Despite a somewhat disappointing start to the transfer window, the club has already approved loan moves for Jadon Sancho and Donny van de Beek. However, indications suggest that Manchester United is not finished making changes to their roster this month. Recent reports hint at the potential departure of young left-winger Alvaro Fernandez from Manchester United before the transfer window concludes in January. The 20-year-old Spanish international, who earned promotion to the first-team squad in 2022, has…
Chelsea has officially announced the return of Benoit Badiashile, Ben Chilwell, and Carney Chukwuemeka to first-team training ahead of their upcoming clash against Fulham this weekend. The Blues are set to face the Cottagers at Stamford Bridge on Saturday afternoon, with both teams aiming to make advancements in the Premier League standings. Chelsea enters the west London derby on the heels of a frustrating loss to Middlesbrough in the Carabao Cup semi-final first-leg. Similarly, Fulham faced disappointment in the League Cup, relinquishing a 1-0 lead against Liverpool at Anfield on Wednesday night. Mauricio Pochettino is eager to bounce back with…
As of my last knowledge update in January 2022, I don’t have specific information about the mentioned decision made by Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino regarding Ian Maatsen’s loan to Borussia Dortmund in January. However, it’s common for football clubs to loan out young players to gain more playing experience and develop their skills. It seems that Mauricio Pochettino believes that the loan move to Borussia Dortmund will be beneficial for both Chelsea and Ian Maatsen. Loan spells can provide young players with valuable playing time, allowing them to mature and develop their abilities in a competitive environment. For the most…