Leicester City’s Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Wilfred Ndidi find themselves among the nominees for the PFA Championship Fans’ Player of the Month award for September. Also contending for the honor are Nathan Broadhead from Ipswich Town, Jack Clarke of Sunderland, Plymouth’s Morgan Whittaker, and Liam Lindsay, who represents Preston North End. Ndidi’s impressive start to the new season can be attributed in large part to a tactical change implemented by Leicester City’s manager, Enzo Maresca. The 26-year-old has been shifted to an advanced midfield position for the current season. Throughout September, the Nigerian international featured in all four of the Foxes’…
Author: Oluwaseun samuel
In response to the incident involving Luis Diaz’s disallowed goal during Liverpool’s 2-1 loss to Tottenham, the Premier League has introduced new guidelines for the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system. These guidelines will take immediate effect following the acknowledgment by the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) that a “significant human error” occurred. During the match, VAR official Darren England mistakenly believed that the on-field team had already awarded the goal to Diaz and prematurely declared “check complete,” confirming Diaz’s onside position. However, this declaration was misunderstood by the on-field team, who interpreted it as an affirmation of their initial…
Manchester City’s manager, Pep Guardiola, has issued a stern warning to Arsenal ahead of their Premier League encounter this weekend. Guardiola emphasized that his team will not be an easy opponent to defeat. Guardiola also expressed his unwavering confidence in his Manchester City players after they bounced back from consecutive defeats to secure a 3-1 victory against RB Leipzig in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday. Manchester City had previously been knocked out of the Carabao Cup by Newcastle and suffered an unexpected loss to Wolves in the Premier League. When asked about the significance of delivering a strong performance…
Pep Guardiola’s tactical adjustments had a significant impact, enabling the treble-winning team to secure victory after their top scorer’s profligate finishing. Manchester City found themselves at risk of going three games without a win, as a swift counter-attack led to Lois Openda equalizing Phil Foden’s goal, leveling the score in Wednesday’s Champions League match against RB Leipzig. However, Pep Guardiola summoned his exceptionally talented substitutes from the bench, and they made an immediate impact. In the 85th minute, Julian Alvarez brilliantly curled City back into the lead with a shot that had minimal backlift. Furthermore, the Argentine playmaker set up…
Carlo Ancelotti, the manager of Real Madrid, has shed light on how his team successfully contained Napoli’s star striker, Victor Osimhen, during Tuesday night’s UEFA Champions League clash. Ancelotti’s squad emerged victorious in the match, which took place on matchday two at Estadio Diego Armando Maradona, with a score of 3-2. Osimhen played a pivotal role by earning a penalty for Napoli’s first goal and unleashing a goal-bound header that was skillfully parried away by Kepa Arrizabalaga in the first half. Despite his notable contributions, the 24-year-old Nigerian was unable to find the back of the net during the game.…
FIFA has revealed that the 2030 FIFA World Cup will be co-hosted by Morocco, Portugal, and Spain, as officially announced on October 4, 2023, via FIFA’s website. This decision was reached by the FIFA Council following an extensive period of consultation with all confederations, recognizing the immense importance of marking the centenary edition of the FIFA World Cup in 2030. The decision was made during a videoconference session held at FIFA’s headquarters. This historic event will bring together three continents and six nations to celebrate the world’s most beautiful game and the 100-year milestone of the FIFA World Cup. The…
Barcelona had to endure a tough battle to secure a crucial three points on Wednesday, taking a significant step towards qualifying for the knockout stages of the Champions League. The standout observation from Wednesday’s Champions League clash between Barcelona and Porto was the undeniable importance of Frenkie De Jong as the linchpin of the team. In his absence, Barcelona appeared to lack both the necessary tempo and leadership. De Jong is just one of several key Barcelona players currently sidelined with injuries, and this list grew longer during their match in Portugal when Robert Lewandowski had to leave the field…
Manchester United legend, Rio Ferdinand, has criticized Paris Saint-Germain following their 4-1 defeat to Newcastle United in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday. Ferdinand expressed his belief that PSG’s players displayed laziness and a lack of concentration during the match at St. James’ Park. Newcastle secured their first Champions League victory in 20 years with a commanding performance against the French Ligue 1 champions. Goals from Miguel Almiron, Dan Burn, Sean Longstaff, and Fabian Schar contributed to the Premier League side’s resounding win, while PSG’s star player Kylian Mbappe struggled to make an impact. Ferdinand voiced his concerns, saying, “It…
Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the former Swedish forward, has disclosed the reason behind his decision not to sign with Arsenal as a young player. Ibrahimovic, whose illustrious career included stints at clubs like Ajax, Juventus, Inter Milan, AC Milan, Manchester United, and PSG, announced his retirement earlier this summer, primarily due to knee problems. During an interview with Piers Morgan, he shed light on Arsenal’s interest in him. In his conversation on Piers Morgan Uncensored, he stated, “Wenger extended an invitation to me, but I declined Arsenal. I don’t do trials.” Expanding on his stance, he emphasized, “No, no, you don’t get…
In Naples, Jude Bellingham, formerly of Borussia Dortmund, delivered a spectacular individual goal as Real Madrid emerged victorious with a 3-2 win over the reigning Italian champions. Jude Bellingham notched his eighth goal of the season, helping Real Madrid halt Napoli’s impressive 13-game undefeated streak at home in the Champions League during a captivating Tuesday clash. Although the contest could have swung either way, Bellingham’s virtuoso display, complemented by a breathtaking strike from Federico Valverde, proved decisive in overcoming the Italian champions. Napoli seized the initiative with their initial opportunity of the evening. Kvicha Kvaratskhelia delivered a corner into the…
The absurdity of Luis Diaz’s disallowed goal on Saturday highlights the officials’ inadequate use of available technology. Virgil van Dijk hesitated to voice his thoughts. He didn’t want to add to the controversy already surrounding Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday night, but he was still taken aback by the outrageous errors that marred Liverpool’s 2-1 defeat. He openly admitted that he was ‘losing faith’ in VAR. When questioned about Luis Diaz’s disallowed goal during the first half of the North London game, the Dutchman commented, “It’s all rather peculiar. I’m not sure who was in the VAR room making that…
Gabriel Jesus initially put Mikel Arteta’s team in the lead, but the absence of the English winger left them lacking offensive bite against the underdog French side. Arsenal experienced their first defeat of the season in the Champions League against Lens, despite taking the lead through Gabriel Jesus. Unfortunately, a mistake by goalkeeper David Raya allowed the home team to equalize. The situation worsened for the Gunners when Bukayo Saka had to leave the field due to an injury. In the absence of their key player, Arsenal struggled to find attacking creativity, a vulnerability that Lens recognized as the match…
Galatasaray’s relentless attacks ran circles around United’s defenders, recovering from deficits twice to seize victory at Old Trafford. This outcome has presented a significant challenge for Erik ten Hag’s team in the Champions League. Scholes expressed profound apprehension regarding Raphael Varane’s performance. Disappointed. I don’t think Manchester United played that badly, but all the talk before the game was about a lack of goals in the team. We disregarded the defensive side of the game,” Scholes told TNT Sports. “It is not good enough, they were all over the place. The former United midfielder was particularly concerned about Varane’s form. The…
The Danish striker showcased shades of prime Ruud van Nistelrooy, but the goalkeeper’s performance resembled Massimo Taibi’s, leaving Erik ten Hag’s squad in a dire situation. The ongoing Manchester United saga continued with a night filled with intense drama that oscillated between brilliance and absurdity. It culminated in Erik ten Hag’s team teetering on the brink of a complete catastrophe, as they twice surrendered the lead to suffer a 3-2 defeat at home to Galatasaray. With zero points from their initial two Champions League fixtures, they seem headed towards a humiliating exit from the group stage. Rasmus Hojlund delivered an…
Former Nigerian football star, Austin Jay Jay Okocha, holds a strong belief in the potential success of his compatriot, Samuel Chukwueze, who recently made a move from Spanish side Villarreal to AC Milan in Italy. AC Milan’s manager, Stefano Pioli, made the decision to start Nigerian winger Samuel Chukwueze for the first time against Newcastle United, marking his debut for the club since his transfer from Villarreal. Chukwueze had gained fame during his five productive years at Spanish La Liga’s Villarreal. However, his transition to Italian Serie A with AC Milan has not seen immediate success. While Chukwueze was a…
Erik ten Hag, the Manchester United manager, has surfaced as the fourth-favored Premier League boss who could potentially face dismissal. As per Sky Bet, the Dutchman’s odds of being the next head coach to be terminated have narrowed to 12/1, placing him on par as the fourth favorite alongside Burnley’s Vincent Kompany. Kompany has yet to secure a win since his team’s promotion to the English top flight. The only three managers deemed to be at greater risk of losing their jobs are Wolves’ Gary O’Neil at 9/1, Everton’s Sean Dyche at 7/1, and Sheffield United’s Paul Heckingbottom at 4/11.…
Arsenal’s players and coaching staff experienced a challenging situation at Luton Airport, enduring a five-hour delay just before their Champions League group match against Lens on Tuesday evening. Initially, the Gunners had planned to travel to France on Monday afternoon, and manager Mikel Arteta was scheduled to conduct a media conference at 6pm UK time. However, an intense storm in the vicinity of Luton Airport disrupted Arsenal’s plans, resulting in a significant delay to their chartered flight. According to the UK Mirror, Arsenal will not face any fines as the circumstances were entirely beyond their control. Their flight eventually took…
Manchester United’s manager, Erik ten Hag, has strongly hinted that goalkeeper Andre Onana might start on the bench in Tuesday’s Champions League clash against Galatasaray. The Cameroonian international has encountered challenges in finding his footing during the early stages of his Manchester United career. He has conceded 15 goals in just nine matches, leading to questions from many United fans regarding the decision to let David de Gea depart the club during the summer. In the team’s initial Champions League fixture this season, the 27-year-old was held responsible for the opening goal in the 4-3 defeat to Bayern Munich. During…
Former AC Milan and Manchester City standout Mario Balotelli praised an African talent, whom he believes possesses superior technical abilities compared to the Brazilian superstar Neymar Jr. The current Al-Hilal left-winger is widely regarded as one of the most technically gifted players of his generation, if not the very best. At the age of 31, he effortlessly outplays his opponents, often without exerting much effort. This quality has consistently been a strong suit for Neymar on the field, given his delicate physical attributes. “You may think it’s an insult, but in my opinion, in terms of technical ability, he surpasses…
Arsenal is scheduled to play Manchester City at the Emirates Stadium next weekend, and Mikel Arteta has shared his thoughts on the upcoming match. Following Arsenal’s impressive 4-0 victory over Bournemouth, manager Mikel Arteta has spoken out about the team’s upcoming match against Manchester City. Despite their convincing win, Arteta remains focused on the next challenge and is determined to maintain the level of performance displayed by his players. In an interview with Arsenal’s official website, Arteta expressed his satisfaction with the team’s triumph over Bournemouth, stating, “I feel great we have won the game, that’s the only thing we…