Manchester United continued their winless streak in the UEFA Europa League today as they faced Fenerbahçe at the Sükrü Saracoglu Stadium. Despite taking the lead, the Red Devils ended up with a disappointing 1-1 draw against Fenerbahçe, with goals from Christian Eriksen and Youssef En-Nesyri. After yet another lackluster performance, the blame is squarely on Erik Ten Hag for failing to secure a victory in this crucial match. Manchester United has now played three Europa League matches this season without a single win, both at home and away. Their performances have been far from convincing, often struggling to assert themselves…
Author: Oluwaseun samuel
FIFA council member Amaju Pinnick has disclosed that the long-awaited CAF ruling on the disrupted 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier between Nigeria’s Super Eagles and Libya will be announced “today or tomorrow.” The Super Eagles players and officials were detained for hours at Al Abaq Airport upon arrival for the AFCON qualifying matchday four encounter. Following the incident, the team opted to boycott the game and returned to Nigeria. Pinnick shared that CAF’s executive committee discussed the matter extensively this week. “CAF is addressing this issue with utmost seriousness,” Pinnick stated in an interview with Arise Television. “CAF President…
Liverpool coach Arne Slot has achieved a remarkable feat that no manager in the club’s 132-year history has accomplished. When Slot took over from Jurgen Klopp at the beginning of the 2024/25 English Premier League season, few expected the Dutchman to hit the ground running. However, he has not only stepped into Klopp’s sizeable shoes but has also begun to carve out a legacy that even the charismatic German would be proud of. On Tuesday night, Liverpool secured a 1-0 victory over RB Leipzig thanks to a goal from Darwin Nunez, setting a new club record in the process. This…
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced that the 2024 CAF Awards will be held in Marrakech, Morocco, on December 16, 2024. This marks the third consecutive year that the prestigious ceremony will take place in the North African country. While CAF has not yet released the final list of nominees for the Men’s Best Player award, players such as Nigeria’s Ademola Lookman, Guinea’s Serhou Guirassy, and Morocco’s Brahim Díaz are anticipated to compete for the title. The current African Footballer of the Year is Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen, while his compatriot Asisat Oshoala holds the women’s award.
Former France international Thierry Henry believes Kylian Mbappe is underperforming at Real Madrid. Despite Mbappe scoring eight goals and providing two assists in 13 competitive matches for his new club, Henry argues that simply finding the net isn’t enough at a club like Madrid. “Is he playing at his best level, as we’ve seen at PSG? No. He still has more to learn. He needs to improve as a ‘nine,’ which is challenging for him at the moment,” Henry told CBS Sports. “He scores goals, but sometimes that’s not enough at clubs like Real Madrid. Playing devil’s advocate, we often…
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has described England international John Stones as being like “his son.” Stones was among the first players Guardiola signed when he took over at Manchester City in 2016, joining from Everton. Since then, he has consistently improved and delivered strong performances over the years. Guardiola noted that he understands Stones very well and has developed a close relationship with him. “John looks like he could be my son. I know his body language and everything about him. He’s one of the most dedicated professionals,” Guardiola said (via Mirror). He added, “The only reason he wasn’t…
Former Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez has emerged as a potential candidate for Manchester United if the club decides to part ways with Erik ten Hag. United have had a poor start to the Premier League season, currently sitting 12th after eight matches, with just three wins. This disappointing form has increased pressure on Ten Hag to reverse the team’s fortunes. According to Mail Sport, intermediaries from Manchester United have made contact with Xavi twice in recent months. A four-man delegation, led by chief executive Omar Berrada, traveled to Barcelona last Thursday. Although United sources claim these high-level meetings were due…
Liverpool manager Arne Slot attributed Federico Chiesa’s limited playing time to a lack of summer preparations and the high “intensity” of the Premier League. The Italy international was signed from Juventus for an initial fee of £10 million at the end of August, well after Liverpool’s pre-season had concluded. Since his arrival, Chiesa has made only one start, which came in a 5-1 Carabao Cup victory over West Ham United, and he has been fit enough to sit on the bench for just two Premier League matches. Slot confirmed that Chiesa will miss Liverpool’s Champions League match against RB Leipzig…
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta stated that he is unsure why Kai Havertz did not take the penalty against Shakhtar Donetsk during their Champions League match on Tuesday. The Gunners were already leading 1-0, thanks to an own goal by goalkeeper Dmytro Riznyk, when a VAR review awarded them a penalty for handball. However, Leandro Trossard stepped up to take the spot-kick but had his effort saved by Riznyk. After the match, Arteta was asked whether Havertz had expressed a desire to take the penalty. He replied, “I don’t know—I’m not aware of the conversation, but he’s one of the designated…
Mikel Arteta has asserted that Arsenal will be at their best when they take on Liverpool in a crucial Premier League clash this Sunday. The Gunners enter the match following two disappointing performances in both the Premier League and the UEFA Champions League. Last Saturday, they suffered a 2-0 defeat against Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium after William Saliba was sent off in the first half. Similarly, Arsenal struggled against Shakhtar Donetsk at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday, managing to secure a win only through an own goal by Dmytro Riznyk. Acknowledging the recent dip in form, Arteta mentioned that…
Fenerbahce manager Jose Mourinho believes a Premier League team will claim the Europa League trophy this season. Mourinho identified Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur as the top contenders for the title. Speaking ahead of Fenerbahce’s group stage match against Manchester United on Thursday, Mourinho, who has previously managed United, Chelsea, and Spurs, praised the high standard of football in the Premier League. “The Premier League is on a different level,” Mourinho said during a press conference. “When asked who the favourites are to win the Europa League, it’s simple. I say Manchester United and Tottenham.”
Manchester City secured a historic achievement on Wednesday night, ensuring that all top three spots in the Champions League standings are held by Premier League teams after putting five goals past Sparta Prague. They also now hold the record for the longest unbeaten streak in European Cup history. Following Aston Villa’s win over Bologna on Tuesday and Liverpool’s victory against RB Leipzig the next day, both teams maintained their 100% records in this season’s competition. However, the dominant nature of City’s victory lifted Pep Guardiola’s side into third place, thanks to a superior goal difference compared to six other teams…
Paul Pogba, the 31-year-old French midfielder, is being encouraged to make a remarkable return to the Premier League, with Arsenal being mentioned as a possible destination, according to Metro. Bacary Sagna, Pogba’s compatriot and former Manchester City defender, believes the World Cup winner would thrive under Mikel Arteta’s management. Since rejoining Juventus in 2022, Pogba’s career has struggled, with only 12 appearances. Following a four-year doping ban, which has been reduced to 18 months, Pogba will be eligible to return in March 2025, setting the stage for a potential comeback. Sagna believes the Premier League suits Pogba’s playing style, emphasizing…
English Premier League giants Manchester United are set to return to Europa League action on Thursday night as they travel to Istanbul, Turkey, to face Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce. Erik ten Hag’s side regained their winning touch in the Premier League over the weekend with a 2-1 victory against Brentford. However, they have yet to secure a win in the current Europa League group stage. In their last Europa League outing, United played out a thrilling 3-3 draw against FC Porto in Lisbon, following a disappointing 1-1 draw against FC Twente at Old Trafford in their opening match. Despite the setbacks,…
Fenerbahce manager Jose Mourinho has responded to Manchester United’s decision to terminate Sir Alex Ferguson’s ambassadorial contract. Mourinho noted that Ferguson holds more significance in the hearts of United fans than any official role with the club. The former United manager was given the ambassadorial position after retiring from management in 2013. However, the new minority owner, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, has decided to end the £2 million per year contract. “My relationship with Alex was amazing and incredible. When my Netflix documentary comes out, you’ll understand more about why I respect him so much,” Mourinho told reporters. He added, “I…
The Premier League is known for its intense competition, but a few teams have managed to go on remarkable unbeaten streaks, setting records that stand the test of time. Here are the teams with the longest unbeaten runs in Premier League history:
CAF President Patrice Motsepe has called for improved treatment of visiting football teams in Africa, emphasizing a “zero tolerance” policy for unsportsmanlike behavior. During the 46th Ordinary General Assembly of CAF, Motsepe addressed recent incidents, particularly highlighting the poor treatment of Nigeria’s team in Libya during their Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 qualifier. He stated that CAF will not accept situations where teams face delays or unnecessary difficulties at airports. “I won’t comment on the specific issues the Nigerian team faced in Libya as there is an ongoing investigation and appropriate actions will be taken,” Motsepe said. “However, I…
This season, Manchester United has faced a series of injuries affecting many of their first-team players, resulting in the Red Devils fielding fewer key players than anticipated. However, the club has received a significant injury boost ahead of their Europa League match against Fenerbahce on Thursday. Premier League newcomer Leny Yoro has returned to training following a foot operation. On Monday, Manchester United announced that the center-back is back on the grass at Carrington after suffering the injury over the summer. He is currently engaged in individual training and working out in the gym. While the club noted that Yoro…
Cristiano Ronaldo’s unique world record remains unbroken despite Victor Osimhen’s historic achievement. Osimhen became the second player in football history to score an overhead kick reaching over 2.3 meters in height. However, the Galatasaray striker’s incredible leap of 2.32 meters during his side’s 3-0 win over Alanyaspor on Saturday was just shy of Ronaldo’s record of 2.38 meters. Ronaldo set the record while playing for Real Madrid during their 3-0 victory against Juventus in the 2017/18 Champions League quarter-finals. While Osimhen’s effort didn’t surpass Ronaldo’s feat, his impressive performance highlights his growing stature in the game. Osimhen, currently on loan…
Several players from the Kano Pillars FC U-19 team were injured in a road accident involving their team bus on Tuesday. The incident occurred while they were traveling to the New Jos Stadium for their Matchday 5 fixture in the inaugural U-19 Youth League against Plateau United U-19. The driver also sustained injuries. In a statement posted on the club’s official X (formerly Twitter) handle, it was confirmed that both players and the driver were taken to the hospital for medical treatment following the accident. The club’s tweet read: “It is with deep sadness that we announce the Kano Pillars…