Chaos at the Etihad, discussions around Arsenal’s use of ‘dark arts,’ and concerns over Rodri’s injury have overshadowed Kevin De Bruyne’s absence. The Premier League legend is no stranger to injuries, having missed significant time during Manchester City’s fourth consecutive title-winning season. While De Bruyne has shown flashes of brilliance since his return at the beginning of 2024, he has not consistently performed at his peak. This decline in his influence may be why there has been limited discussion about his latest injury setback. However, Pep Guardiola and City would prefer to have him on the pitch rather than sidelined,…
Author: Oluwaseun samuel
Football pundit Mark Goldbridge has criticized Manchester City forward Erling Haaland for showing disrespect towards Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta. Goldbridge made his comments on Tuesday after Manchester City’s intense 2-2 draw with 10-man Arsenal on Sunday. The Norwegian striker clashed with Arsenal forward Gabriel Jesus following a heated exchange where Haaland taunted Arteta, telling him, “Stay humble, eh, stay humble.” Haaland had already stirred tension earlier by throwing the ball at Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhaes’ head after John Stones scored City’s 90+8th-minute equalizer. Reacting to the incidents, Goldbridge expressed his disapproval of Haaland’s actions on social media, saying: “Haaland’s lucky…
France World Cup winner Raphael Varane announced his retirement from football on Wednesday at the age of 31, stating that he will continue with Como in a non-playing role. The former Real Madrid and Manchester United centre-back had joined the Italian club this season but was left out of their Serie A squad after suffering a knee injury in August. “A new chapter begins off the pitch,” Varane wrote on social media. “I will remain with Como, just without my boots and shin pads. I look forward to sharing more about this soon.” The four-time Champions League winner added. Varane…
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has praised hat-trick hero Christopher Nkunku as one of three players who “deserve to start.” Nkunku scored three goals as Chelsea cruised to a 5-0 victory over Barrow in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday night. The Frenchman netted twice within the first 15 minutes, before a Joao Felix free-kick ricocheted off goalkeeper Paul Farman, making it 3-0 at halftime. Pedro Neto added his first goal after the break, and Nkunku completed his hat-trick in the 75th minute. “I’m happy for Pedro, for Christo, and for Joao,” Maresca said. “They all deserve to start in the Premier…
South Africa will host the Africa U-20 Cup of Nations in January 2025, as reported by DAILY POST. According to SCORENigeria, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has granted South Africa the rights to host the tournament. It’s worth noting that South Africa last hosted the competition 13 years ago, when Nigeria claimed victory by defeating Senegal in the final. To qualify for the tournament in South Africa in 2025, the Flying Eagles must first succeed in the WAFU B qualifying tournament, which will take place in Togo next month. Last year, the Flying Eagles secured third place at the…
Football pundit Mohammad Al-Deayea revealed that Al-Nassr players were jubilant following the dismissal of their former coach, Luis Castro. According to Al-Deayea, the players felt that Castro had favored superstar Cristiano Ronaldo over other key players at the club. Al-Nassr made the decision to part ways with Ronaldo’s compatriot after a poor start to the season. At the time of Castro’s sacking on September 17, the Pro League giants were seventh in the table, having accumulated just five points in three games. Speaking on the Dorina Gear program (via Ysscores), the former Al-Hilal goalkeeper said: “Some players celebrated Castro’s dismissal…
Howard, speaking about Guardiola’s influence, suggested that the Spanish tactician has transformed the way football is played at the highest level, particularly in the Premier League, where his style has become the standard for many teams. “Guardiola has raised the bar so high that teams now believe they have to play out from the back, dominate possession, and press relentlessly. It’s almost like he’s ruined football in that sense because if you’re not doing that, people think you’re not playing the right way,” Howard said during a recent discussion. Guardiola’s tactical innovations, which emphasize ball control and positional play, have…
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has acknowledged that his tactics have been “more than” influenced by former rival José Mourinho. Traditionally, Arsenal had been characterized as a team focused on attacking football yet perceived as defensively weak since the latter part of Arsène Wenger’s tenure. Arteta, however, has worked to change that perception, transforming the Gunners into one of the Premier League’s more aggressive sides. The “dark arts” of Arsenal’s play were notably highlighted during their 2-2 draw against Manchester City, where the team defended deep in the second half following Leandro Trossard’s red card. This approach has drawn comparisons to…
Arsenal will have Leandro Trossard available for their upcoming Premier League match against Leicester on Saturday afternoon, despite his red card against Manchester City. Trossard received his marching orders from referee Michael Oliver during first-half stoppage time for kicking the ball away after a foul on Bernardo Silva. VAR confirmed that the second yellow card was issued specifically for delaying the restart of the game. This marks the second instance in quick succession where an Arsenal player has been dismissed for a second yellow card related to kicking the ball away, following Declan Rice’s controversial red against Brighton & Hove…
A thrilling Premier League clash took a dramatic turn when Manchester City’s midfield linchpin, Rodri, was forced to leave the field in evident discomfort. City started strong against Arsenal, with Erling Haaland scoring early to give Pep Guardiola’s side a 1-0 lead. It appeared that the reigning champions were poised to make a significant early-season statement against a team that has come close to dethroning them in recent years. However, Rodri’s injury opened the door for a Gunners comeback. The 1-0 deficit quickly shifted to a 2-1 lead for Arsenal, who nearly secured a monumental victory despite playing the entire…
Barcelona is reportedly in discussions with former Juventus goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny as they explore options to replace Marc-André ter Stegen. Ter Stegen ruptured a tendon in his right knee during the weekend’s victory over Villarreal, requiring surgery that is feared to end his season. This injury leaves Inaki Pena as Barcelona’s only senior goalkeeper, with young backups Ander Astralaga and Diego Kochen lacking experience. Consequently, the Catalan club is rumored to be conducting ’emergency’ transfer talks to find a suitable replacement. Claudio Bravo, who shared goalkeeping duties with Ter Stegen for two years before recently retiring from Real Betis, has…
Chelsea cruised to a commanding 5-0 victory over Barrow, securing their spot in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup. The League Two side was no match for Enzo Maresca’s team, who raced into a 2-0 lead early on, with Christopher Nkunku scoring both goals. An own goal made it 3-0 at halftime. Pedro Neto added another just after the break, and Nkunku completed his hat-trick, capping off a dominant performance. Match Summary:Despite making 11 changes to the starting lineup, Maresca fielded a strong team, leaving academy players on the bench. Chelsea took the lead in the eighth minute when…
David Raya is expected to be rested for Arsenal’s Carabao Cup tie against Bolton Wanderers after sustaining a knock during the match against Manchester City. The Spanish goalkeeper has been in outstanding form this season, with impressive performances in the north London derby against Tottenham and a remarkable double save in the UEFA Champions League draw with Atalanta. Raya also played a crucial role in Arsenal’s 2-2 draw at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday. However, during the second half of the match against City, Raya required treatment for an injury. Though he completed the game, he is now set to…
Sky Sports legend Jeff Stelling believes Chelsea’s summer signing, Pedro Neto, may already be regretting his big-money move to the club. Stelling pointed out that the Portuguese forward has struggled to secure a starting spot for Chelsea since joining from Wolves last month in a £54 million deal. The 24-year-old signed a seven-year contract with the west London club, but Stelling feels Neto might already be questioning his decision. Speaking on talkSPORT, Stelling said, “I mentioned Pedro Neto earlier. I wonder if he’s regretting his move because he can’t get a start at Chelsea. You want to see him on…
Enzo Zidane, the eldest son of French football legend Zinedine Zidane, has announced his retirement from football at the age of 29. After his recent stint with Fuenlabrada in the Primera RFEF, Enzo has decided to leave the sport to focus on his business ventures, as reported by beINSPORT. His retirement marks the end of a career that didn’t quite live up to the expectations many had for him. Enzo spent over a decade training in Real Madrid’s academy and made his first-team debut in November 2016, under the management of his father, during a Copa del Rey match against…
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has admitted that he would have preferred not to face FC Twente in their upcoming Europa League fixture. The Red Devils are set to play the Dutch side on Wednesday night in their first match of the competition. Ten Hag, who is from the Netherlands, confessed that he would have rather faced a different opponent, given his deep connection with Twente. Ten Hag started his professional career at Twente, spending seven years there across three separate stints. His assistant, Rene Hake, also managed the Dutch club from 2015 to 2017. Speaking at his pre-match…
Egypt faces serious risks of missing out on the 2026 World Cup in North America (Mexico, the United States, and Canada), according to the website “Kungfut,” which cites sources from the Swiss press. The Egyptian Football Federation allegedly refused to pay a fine to a Swiss company specializing in match organization for unilaterally terminating a contract. Despite multiple payment requests from FIFA, the governing body of Egyptian football has yet to settle the fine. Egypt is vying for its fourth World Cup appearance, having previously participated in 1934, 1990, and 2018. Currently leading Group A with 10 points, the North…
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has praised Rodri as a potential Ballon d’Or winner. Guardiola made the comments following their 2-2 draw with Arsenal on Sunday, during which Rodri exited the game in the first half due to a knee injury sustained in a challenge with Thomas Partey. Rodri’s significance to Guardiola’s squad is well-known; City lost three of the four Premier League matches he missed last season. “I don’t know; I haven’t spoken to the doctor,” Guardiola told reporters. “But Rodri is strong. He left the pitch because he felt something; otherwise, he would have stayed on. He’s the…
Juventus are preparing a move for Nigerian forward Victor Osimhen when the transfer window reopens in January. According to Rai Sports’ football chief, Paolo Paganini, the Italian club has lost confidence in Serbian striker Dusan Vlahovic’s ability to become their leading forward. Vlahovic has struggled to make an impact since his transfer from Fiorentina to Juventus in January 2022. Osimhen is one of the top targets on Juventus’ list to strengthen their attacking options. The 25-year-old is currently on a season-long loan at Turkish Super Lig champions, Galatasaray, from Napoli. Reportedly, Osimhen has a €75 million release clause in his…
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has confirmed that defender Ferland Mendy has signed a new contract with the club. Ancelotti made the announcement during his pre-match press conference ahead of Real Madrid’s LaLiga fixture against Alaves on Tuesday. Real Madrid enters the Alaves match following a 4-1 victory over Espanyol in their previous outing. Discussing Mendy’s performance, Ancelotti said: “We’re very pleased with him. He’s renewed his contract and is performing exceptionally well. Defensively, he’s been playing at a very high level. I don’t require him to be as involved with the ball like other full-backs because we have a…