Author: Oluwaseun samuel

England manager Gareth Southgate has commended Trent Alexander-Arnold’s performance in the Euro 2024 qualifying victory over Malta on Friday night. In a tactical shift, Southgate positioned Alexander-Arnold in midfield rather than his usual right-back role for the 2-0 win, and the Liverpool standout once again showcased his skills. The 25-year-old successfully completed 92% of his passes, won five duels, and made five crucial recoveries during an energetic display at Wembley Stadium. Previously facing challenges in securing playing time as a full-back on the international stage, Alexander-Arnold has emerged as a pivotal player for Southgate following a successful transition to the…

Super Eagles captain Ahmed Musa has disclosed that Amaju Pinnick, the former President of the Nigeria Football Federation, played a crucial role in securing his inclusion in Nigeria’s 2018 FIFA World Cup squad. Musa revealed that Pinnick intervened by contacting Gernot Rohr, the Super Eagles coach at the time, to ensure the inclusion of his name in the World Cup squad, despite the forward not actively playing for Leicester City at that time. The 31-year-old shared this insight during a ceremony in Lagos on Friday, held to unveil the team’s ‘Let’s Do It Again’ mantra as they aim to clinch…

Points deductions are an infrequent happening in the Premier League, yet three teams have faced this severe penalty since the league’s establishment in 1992. Everton became the most recent team to experience such a consequence when they were discovered to have reported excessive losses, marking the first instance of a team violating the division’s Financial Fair Play rules. Let’s reflect on the history of points deductions in the Premier League. Middlesbrough – 3 points (January 1997) Middlesbrough faced the Premier League’s inaugural points deduction in January 1997. The league officials penalized them with a three-point deduction after Boro canceled a…

England’s performance in their 2-0 victory against Malta in Euro 2024 qualifying on Friday night left much to be desired. The Three Lions had already secured their place in next summer’s finals, and with their visitors unable to qualify, the match was essentially a dead-rubber. Gareth Southgate would not have been pleased with his side’s display at Wembley, as they were pressed into various errors by Malta and struggled to create many chances. The game began with Malta almost taking a shock lead within 30 seconds when Conor Gallagher lost possession to Matthew Guillaumier, setting up Teddy Teuma, whose curling…

Manchester United is concerned about the fitness of goalkeeper Andre Onana following his late departure due to injury in Cameroon’s 3-0 victory over Mauritius. Onana visibly struggled, clutching his groin as he collapsed on the turf before being substituted with Nimes goalkeeper Fabrice Ondoa. Cameroon manager Rigobert Song has not provided any updates on Onana’s condition. Song had persuaded the United goalkeeper to end his international retirement in September after disagreements over team tactics. United officials are eager to assess Onana, who is likely to miss the upcoming match against Guinea on Monday. The Red Devils have a challenging schedule…

Manchester City is persisting in its efforts to initiate discussions with Erling Haaland’s representatives regarding a new contract, as per information obtained. The Norwegian sensation has built on the success of his remarkable first season in England, where City secured the Premier League, Champions League, and FA Cup. Haaland has once again topped the goalscoring charts with 17 goals in 18 appearances across all competitions. Since joining City, Haaland has solidified his position as the premier striker in world football. His outstanding goal-scoring performances at Borussia Dortmund and Red Bull Salzburg were no fluke, evident in his runner-up finish to…

England manager Gareth Southgate is optimistic that Marcus Rashford did not sustain any significant injury during Friday’s 2-0 victory over Malta. Rashford, who started the game, left the field shortly after the hour mark following an accidental collision with Liverpool right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold, who emerged unharmed from the incident. Although the Manchester United forward was immediately substituted after the knock, Southgate reassured fans that Rashford’s removal was not due to the severity of any injury. “I think he [Rashford] is probably okay,” Southgate mentioned in his post-match press conference. “We just thought given the nature of the collision it was…

Real Madrid has confirmed that Vinicius Junior sustained a “tear in the femoral biceps” in his left leg during Brazil’s loss to Colombia. The standout forward had an impressive start in Brazil’s FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier against Colombia at the Estadio Metropolitano Roberto Melendez on Thursday, contributing to Gabriel Martinelli’s opening goal. Unfortunately, Vinicius had to leave the field 20 minutes later due to a suspected thigh injury. After his substitution, Brazil struggled and ultimately lost the game, with Luis Diaz scoring a second-half brace. In a post-match statement, Vinicius acknowledged that the injury is likely a recurrence of…

“Could this signal the beginning of the end for Arsenal’s Premier League aspirations?” April 9, 2004. Exploiting a surprisingly lackadaisical defense from Arsenal’s backline, Sami Hyypia has just scored, giving Liverpool a 1-0 lead at Highbury Stadium. Disaster. Entering the clash with Gerard Houllier’s Liverpool, Arsenal knew they were merely eight games away from Premier League immortality. Having maintained an unbeaten streak through 30 matches in the 2003/04 season, eight more games without defeat would secure their status as modern English football’s first-ever ‘Invincibles’ and secure a third Premier League title under legendary manager Arsene Wenger. Of the remaining eight…

OGC Nice captain Dante’s previous critique of Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s control over the Ligue 1 club has resurfaced, coinciding with Ratcliffe’s impending acquisition of a 25% share in Manchester United. INEOS, Ratcliffe’s company, is poised to secure a substantial portion of Man Utd, obtaining a quarter of the club’s shares at $33 per share. The announcement of this minority takeover is expected shortly. Despite the enthusiasm among Manchester United fans about diminishing the influence of the criticized Glazer family at Old Trafford, Dante’s statements from a L’Equipe interview have resurfaced. These remarks may temper expectations concerning Ratcliffe’s ownership, given that…

Norway has officially announced that Erling Haaland will be absent from the Sunday encounter with Scotland due to an ankle injury sustained earlier this week. In the 2-0 victory over the Faroe Islands, Haaland entered the match as a substitute and twisted his ankle. Despite playing through the discomfort and completing the full second half, further assessments have led the Norway medical chief to confirm Haaland’s exclusion from the upcoming match against Scotland. While the injury is not deemed serious, Norway’s chief medical officer, Ola Sand, explained in a statement, “The injury is not serious, but he is in so…

Tottenham Hotspur forward Son Heung-min has reassured fans after an apparent ankle injury scare during South Korea’s 5-0 victory over Singapore. Although Son scored the third goal in the second half, he later sustained a knock on his ankle, requiring treatment and causing visible discomfort. Concerns arose among Spurs supporters as their leading scorer remained on the field for the final ten minutes. Fans urged South Korea manager Jurgen Klinsmann to protect Son and prevent him from joining other players on the treatment table. Fortunately, Son seems to have avoided significant damage, downplaying fears of an injury after the game.…

Gabriel Jesus, despite missing Arsenal’s last three Premier League games, may potentially participate in Brazil’s upcoming World Cup qualifier against Argentina. The 26-year-old has been plagued by injuries this season, including a hamstring issue following a previous knee problem that kept him out of early fixtures against Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace. Last season, Jesus endured a three-month absence due to a knee injury sustained at the 2022 World Cup, and a recurrence of that problem sidelined him for a significant part of August. Despite being sidelined for Arsenal, Brazil’s manager, Fernando Diniz, has considered Jesus fit enough to be…

Chelsea faces the possibility of a Premier League point deduction as newly leaked documents suggest a series of payments made during Roman Abramovich’s ownership may have breached Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules and other regulatory guidelines. The files, uncovered through a collaborative investigation by the Guardian, the Bureau of Investigative Journalism (TBIJ), and Germany’s Paper Trail Media, reveal payments totaling tens of millions of pounds spread over a decade. These payments are said to have been “routed through offshore vehicles” owned by the Russian billionaire, who was compelled to sell the club in 2022 due to sanctions imposed on his…

Newcastle United is expressing interest in securing the services of Barcelona forward Ferran Torres in the wake of Callum Wilson’s injury setback. The Magpies currently hold the seventh position in the Premier League table and are grappling with the highest number of injuries in the league. Wilson, facing a hamstring issue sustained in a 2-0 defeat to Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League, is anticipated to be sidelined until the end of December. This adds to the challenges faced by manager Eddie Howe, who is already without ten other first-team players. Alexander Isak, expected to return after the international break,…

The Super Eagles commenced their 2026 World Cup qualifiers by hosting Lesotho in a competitive match. In the first half, the Super Eagles had opportunities to score, with Kelechi Iheanacho’s impressive free-kick saved by the Lesotho goalkeeper. However, a notable moment occurred when Iheanacho missed an open goal, denying the Super Eagles a lead. Both teams entered halftime with a 0-0 scoreline. Lesotho took the lead in the 56th minute through Mkwanazi, surprising the Super Eagles. Moses Simon’s attempt to put Nigeria ahead in the 64th minute hit the post. The Super Eagles equalized in the 67th minute, as Semi…

Real Madrid star Federico Valverde has explained his decision to reject the opportunity to join Arsenal. Valverde came close to joining the Premier League giant after a trial at the club in 2016, but ultimately chose to sign for Real Madrid from Penarol. In his column for The Players’ Tribune, Valverde clarified his stance, stating that he turned down Arsenal because he “never wanted to go to England.” He emphasized that, although stories circulated about his potential move to Arsenal at the age of 16, it was not a desire of his to play in England. Valverde highlighted the influence…

In recent years, if there’s an unsung hero at Chelsea, it undoubtedly is Conor Gallagher. While some academy graduates have departed for more lucrative opportunities or sought the allure of brighter lights at Premier League rivals and European giants, the 23-year-old has remained steadfast with the Blues without hesitation. Amidst a season marked by both on and off-pitch challenges, Gallagher emerged as a constant, impressively anchoring the midfield under the management of Graham Potter and Frank Lampard. Despite consistent performances, there were calls from certain supporters for his departure during the summer, as plans for a dressing room overhaul coincided…

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta faces charges from The Football Association following his criticism of referees in the aftermath of the team’s contentious 1-0 loss to Newcastle United. Anthony Gordon secured the winning goal, prompting Arteta and Arsenal supporters to express dissatisfaction with VAR checks for the ball going out of play and a potential foul by Joelinton on Gabriel Magalhaes. Arteta, labeling the decision as “disgraceful,” stated he felt “embarrassed and ashamed” by the officiating of the match. The FA has officially charged Arteta under FA Rule E3.1 for his post-game comments, alleging that they constitute misconduct by being insulting…

Emma Hayes was emphatic that Chelsea had been “cheated” following their 2-2 draw with Real Madrid in the opening match of the Women’s Champions League group stage. The Blues fell victim to two contentious refereeing decisions, with Niamh Charles having a goal disallowed for a debatable offside, and Real Madrid being awarded a penalty despite Jessie Fleming’s challenge on Athenea del Castillo seemingly occurring well outside the penalty area. Despite Chelsea’s solid away performance, which included goals from left-back Charles and Sam Kerr, Real Madrid’s Olga Carmona converted a penalty, adding to her 10th-minute goal and securing a draw. After…