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EPL: Tottenham Thrash Man United 3-0 To Compound Ten Hag’s Woes

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Tottenham piled more pressure on Erik ten Hag’s position as Man United manager with a dominant 3-0 win at Old Trafford on Sunday.

Spurs made a flying start when Brennan Johnson tapped in from Micky Van de Ven’s storming run after three minutes.

Tottenham should have added to their lead long before Man United were reduced to 10 men when captain Fernandes was shown a straight red card on 42 minutes.

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Dejan Kulusevski finally doubled the visitors advantage two minutes into the second half before Dominic Solanke rounded off the scoring.

Ten Hag began the season under scrutiny after surviving an internal review at the end of last season.

A shock FA Cup final victory over Manchester City was widely credited with saving the former Ajax coach’s job after finishing eighth in the Premier League last season.

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A third defeat in United’s first six league games of the new campaign leaves the Red Devils down in 11th and time surely running out for their beleaguered boss.

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United face daunting trips to Porto in the Europa League and Aston Villa on league duty next weekend before a two-week international break that clubs often use to implement managerial change.

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Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou was himself under pressure just over a week ago.

But Spurs have won four games in 12 days and turned in arguably their best performance of the Australian’s reign.

Van de Ven’s stunning surge from well inside his own half to the United by-line set the tone as his cross left Johnson a simple task to score for the fourth consecutive game.

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Tottenham were without injured captain Son Heung-min and missed the South Korean’s clinical finishing as they tried to kill the game off.

Andre Onana saved one-on-ones from James Maddison and Timo Werner, while Johnson smashed another effort off the post.

At the other end, Joshua Zirzkee had United’s best chance to equalise when he was denied by a brilliant low save from Guglielmo Vicario.

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Any hope of a United fightback was killed off by a moment of madness from their skipper.

READ ALSO: Crystal Palace Thrash Man Utd 4-0 To Leave Ten Hag’s Future In Doubt

Fernandes slipped as he slid into a challenge with Maddison but raised his studs to catch the England international.

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Ten Hag responded by sacrificing his only striker in Zirkzee for the much-criticised Casemiro at half-time.

The Brazilian was one of those at fault for the second Tottenham goal.

Solanke outmuscled Casemiro to send Johnson tearing down the right and his deflected cross was cleverly flicked beyond Onana by Kulusevski.

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Thereafter the 10 men showed plenty of fight and Casemiro came close to halving United’s deficit.

But more calamitous defending allowed Solanke to slide in Tottenham’s third from a corner.

Solanke should have rubbed salt into United wounds when Onana saved another one-on-one.

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READ ALSO: EPL: Ten Hag Reveals Mistake Man Utd Made Against Fulham

The travelling support taunted Ten Hag with chants of “you’re getting sacked in the morning” during the second half.

United’s new football leadership team handed the Dutchman an extension to his contract less than three months ago.

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How quickly they backtrack on that decision now appears a matter of time.

Manchester United’s Dutch manager Erik ten Hag reacts after the English Premier League football match between Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford in Manchester, north west England, on September 29, 2024.

Manchester United’s Portuguese midfielder #08 Bruno Fernandes is sent off by English referee Chris Kavanagh during the English Premier League football match between Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford in Manchester, north west England, on September 29, 2024.

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FULL LIST: Nigerian Boxer Efe Ajagba Breaks Into World’s Top 10 Heavyweights

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Nigerian heavyweight boxer Efe Ajagba has been ranked among the top 10 fighters in the world by The Ring magazine.

In its latest rankings updated on Thursday, Ajagba secured the No. 10 spot in the prestigious list, widely regarded as the sport’s most respected independent ratings.

The 30-year-old, who holds a professional record of 20 wins, one loss, and one draw with 14 knockouts, joins an elite lineup.

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The heavyweight division is currently led by Ukraine’s Oleksandr Usyk, who holds the champion’s position, with Britain’s Tyson Fury ranked first among contenders.

New Zealand’s Joseph Parker and Germany’s Agit Kabayel occupy the top three positions.

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Ajagba’s inclusion comes after a string of impressive performances that have reignited his world title ambitions.

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His most recent victory solidified his status as one of the leading contenders from Africa in the heavyweight division.

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The Ring magazine, founded in 1922, updates its ratings monthly based on results, performance, and track record, with input from boxing journalists and historians worldwide.

The development makes Ajagba the only Nigerian currently ranked in the heavyweight top 10.

Below is the full updated heavyweight ranking by The Ring:

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SWAN Orders Nationwide Boycott Of NFF Activities

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The Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, SWAN, has announced a nationwide boycott of all activities related to the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, including the Federation’s upcoming Annual General Assembly, AGA, scheduled to hold in Ibadan, Oyo State.

The directive, issued on Wednesday by the leadership of the association, follows what SWAN described as the NFF’s “deliberate and persistent exclusion” of the Association from the Congress, the Federation’s highest decision-making body.

In a statement jointly signed by the SWAN President, Mr. Isaiah Benjamin, and the Secretary-General, Ambassador Ikenna Okonkwo, the Association condemned the NFF’s actions as “unacceptable, retrogressive, and an affront to the sporting media’s role in national football development.”

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The media is a critical tripod in the growth of sports globally. SWAN, as the professional body coordinating sports journalism in Nigeria, has consistently engaged with the NFF on the need to restore our rightful place in its Congress. Yet, while the Federation claims to be expanding its Congress, it continues to sideline us—a move that is both short-sighted and detrimental to Nigerian football,” the statement read.

READ ALSO:Edo SWAN Felicitates Deputy Governor On Birth Anniversary

SWAN accused the NFF leadership of adopting a divisive approach to football administration, warning that the continued decline in the nation’s football fortunes is a reflection of ongoing maladministration.

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“Despite enormous financial and institutional support from the Federal Government, state governments, and private sponsors, Nigeria’s football continues to nosedive.

“It is time to put a decisive end to this dangerous trend. Nigeria cannot afford to watch its most cherished sport deteriorate under avoidable circumstances,” the statement read.

Effective immediately, all SWAN members across the country are instructed to cease coverage and promotion of any NFF-related activity.

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READ ALSO:WAFCON: Ihezuo Strikes Late As Nigeria Edge Botswana To Reach Quarter-finals

A task force will be set up to ensure strict enforcement of this directive. Simultaneously, the Association will begin a thorough investigation and public exposure of the maladministration and backward practices now synonymous with the Federation’s operations practices that have contributed to Nigeria’s repeated World Cup qualification failures,” the statement added.

SWAN reaffirmed its position as a critical stakeholder in Nigerian football and vowed to resist any attempt to marginalize the sporting media.

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The exclusion of SWAN from the NFF Congress is no longer acceptable and will not be tolerated. We stand resolute in defending the integrity and rightful role of the sporting media in the Nigerian football ecosystem,” the statement concluded.

 

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I Don’t Hate Ronaldo, Messi Is A Better Player – Wayne Rooney

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Former England striker, Wayne Rooney, has insisted he does not hate Al Nassr forward, Cristiano Ronaldo.

Speaking on Rio Ferdinand’s podcast, he insisted that Lionel Messi is a better footballer.

Rooney and Ronaldo were at United together between 2004 and 2009, winning three Premier League titles and a Champions League.

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“I absolutely love Messi, love watching him play and that was the only reason because I think Messi had a little bit more in terms of how he played and taking players on and whatever,” Rooney said.

Ronaldo’s a killer and people think because I’ve said Messi is better than Ronaldo, I don’t like him or speak down on him.”

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Rooney played in the United team that lost two Champions League finals against Messi’s Barcelona in 2009 and 2011.

 

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