Sports

Forest Beat Man City In A Top Four Showdown

Published

1 year ago

March 8, 2025

Nottingham Forest dealt a major blow to Manchester City’s bid to qualify for the Champions League as Callum Hudson-Odoi’s late winner sealed a 1-0 victory in the top four shoot-out on Saturday.

City have been reduced to battling for a place in next season’s Champions League after a dismal campaign.

Even that usually routine target is far from assured for Guardiola’s men following their ninth league defeat this term.

With six titles in the past seven seasons, City have rarely had to worry about their place in the Premier League’s top four in the Pep Guardiola era.

Yet they left the City Ground looking anxiously over their shoulders after a first league loss to Forest since 1997.

Fifth-placed Chelsea, just one point adrift of City, will go above the champions if they beat lowly Leicester on Sunday.

Finishing fifth could still be enough for City to reach Europe’s elite club competition depend on the results of the English clubs who remain in continental competitions this term.

For City to achieve that modest goal, they will have to significantly improve on the latest limp display in a turbulent season.

Third-placed Forest are four points clear of City thanks to only their third win in their last eight league games.

Enjoying a fairytale season just a year after battling relegation, the former European champions are closing on a berth in the Champions League for the first time since 1980-81.

After Forest’s former defender Stuart Pearce was rushed to hospital having been taken ill on a flight this week, his old club displayed a big screen message reading ‘Get Well Soon Stuart’, after three minutes of the Premier League game, recognising Pearce’s old shirt number three.

– City Ground erupts –

Forest were able to draw on the ultra-aggressive Pearce’s trademark fire and brimstone in a stirring finale that followed a tepid first half.

Nico Gonzalez fired just wide from 25 yards as City tried in vain to seize the initiative in a nervous start from both teams.

The unseasonably sunny weather by the banks of the River Trent gave a soporific feel to what should have been a high-tempo clash with so much at stake.

City went close when Josko Gvardiol picked out Phil Foden, whose goal-bound shot was blocked by Nicolas Dominguez, before Bernardo Silva wastefully fired over with Erling Haaland unmarked and waiting for a pass that never came.

Jeremy Doku’s strike forced Forest keeper Matz Sels into action for the first time.

But a woeful effort from Forest midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White finished closer to the corner flag than the goal, an ugly misfire in keeping with the scrappy fare.

Anthony Elanga crossed to the far post where Dominguez’s volley finally forced Ederson to make a save soon after the interval.

Guardiola sent on Omar Marmoush, Kevin De Bruyne, Rico Lewis and Mateo Kovacic in a bid to spark City into life.

The changes didn’t have the desired effect as Forest found late momentum.

Ederson made a fine save, turning Hudson-Odoi’s curler onto the post.

De Bruyne’s free-kick was saved by Sels, but Hudson-Odoi stole the points as the City Ground erupted in the 83rd minute.

Gibbs-White conjured an inch-perfect pass to Hudson-Odoi and the forward cut inside before drilling a superb strike past Ederson’s weak attempted save at the near post.

AFP

Sports

EPL: Rooney Names Team To Win Title

Published

9 hours ago

May 5, 2026

Editor

Former Manchester United striker, Wayne Rooney, has said Arsenal will go on to win the Premier League title, after Manchester City dropped points against Everton.

City were held to a 3-3 draw at the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Monday night.

The result means Pep Guardiola’s men are now five points behind Arsenal, but they have one game in hand.

Rooney believes the Gunners will beat West Ham this weekend and go on to be champions.

He said on BBC Sport: “No, I’m concerned for West Ham. I just think Arsenal are efficient and professional.

“I just think they will win every game. So obviously, with the result tonight, that means they will win the league.”

Sports

UCL, EPL: Petr Cech Advises Chelsea On How To Win Trophies

Published

2 days ago

May 4, 2026

Editor

Chelsea legend, Petr Cech, has advised his old club on how to win the UEFA Champions League or the English Premier League.

Chelsea are already out of the Premier League title race this season, and they are at risk of missing out on UEFA Champions League qualification for next season because they are currently not in the ninth position on the Premier League table.

Speaking to The Athletic about Chelsea, Cech said that the Blues need to change their philosophy of signing only young players if they want to win the Premier League or Champions League.

According to the former goalkeeper, the Premier League west London club needs to add experienced players to mentor the young players in the squad.

“You have to look at what you want to achieve. You can have young, talented players, and you can win, but it’s very rare that you manage to do that,” he said.

“If you want to win every season and compete every season, that does not go together.

“You have to change your philosophy. Certain things don’t go together because, in order to win a Champions League or a Premier League… these are really tough competitions, and you have to be consistent.

“You need to have a strong core of the team. And then you can bring young, talented players who will grow faster and then will be held by the experienced players to help navigate them through difficult times when they come.”

Currently, Chelsea have just one player, Tosin Adarabioyo, who is over 28 this season, and the defender has not been playing regularly.

Sports

Enabulele Lauds Okpebholo’s Bold Reforms As Edo Sports Witnesses Revival

Published

6 days ago

April 30, 2026

Editor

The Executive Chairman of the Edo State Sports Commission, Hon. Amadin Desmond Enabulele, has commended Governor Monday Okpebholo for what he described as a bold and transformative approach to sports development.

Speaking on efforts to reposition sports in the state, Enabulele noted that with Okpebholo’s visionary leadership, the sector has witnessed renewed growth.

In a statement issued by his Media Officer, Edoko Wilson Edoko, the Edo Sports Commission boss attributed the progress to the governor’s strategic policies and sustained commitment to youth development, which he said have laid the foundation for a more structured and results-driven system.

“His Excellency has demonstrated clear vision and genuine commitment to sports development. The level of support we are receiving has significantly repositioned Edo as a competitive force in national sporting events,” he said.

He explained that targeted investments in grassroots development are already producing results, with a growing number of young talents being identified and nurtured across multiple disciplines.

“We are deliberately building from the grassroots. A large percentage of our athletes today are homegrown, which speaks to the sustainability of our development model,” Enabulele added.

The Commission, he noted, is also shifting away from an over-reliance on football to a broader multi-sport focus.

Edo State, he said, is now recording improved performances in athletics, combat sports, and other emerging areas.

“Our goal is to strengthen all sports. The results are beginning to show across different disciplines, and this is only the start,” he said.

Enabulele further pointed to ongoing improvements in sports infrastructure and athlete welfare as critical factors in sustaining performance and encouraging wider participation among young people.

“We are building a system that will endure. With the continued support of the governor, Edo is on course to becoming a dominant force in sports at both national and international levels,” he stated.

He expressed confidence that the current momentum would translate into greater achievements for Edo athletes, reaffirming the Commission’s commitment to excellence, discipline, and long-term development.