Sports

Guardiola Targets Redemption As Man City Face Arsenal In Title Race

Published

3 weeks ago

September 21, 2025

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola said his side can ill afford a repeat of the “under-14s” defending that saw them thrashed 5-1 by Arsenal in February.

Guardiola’s men travel to the Emirates again on Sunday, already trailing the Gunners and defending champions Liverpool in the Premier League title race.

City lost two of their opening three games to Tottenham and Brighton but have bounced back with comprehensive victories over Manchester United and in the Champions League over Napoli.

The thrashing at the hands of his former protege Mikel Arteta was one of the low points in a miserable campaign for Guardiola.

City failed to win a trophy for the first time since 2017 and finished a distant third behind Liverpool and Arsenal.

“The game last season, we started like many times last season, like an under-14s team and gave away a thousand million goals,” said Guardiola when asked to reflect on his last visit to the Emirates.

“After we were, a lot of the time, pretty good considering how it was last season, but the last 15-20 minutes were a disaster.

“We forgot to do what we had do and it was easy for Arsenal. I want to compete to be a better team than we were last season.”

Both Liverpool and Arsenal massively outspent City in the transfer window in the battle for Premier League supremacy and Guardiola took the opportunity for a dig at those who claim his six titles since arriving in England are due to the budget at his disposal.

“The only thing I want to say to my friend Mikel Arteta is if he wins the title it will be just because he spent money, not because he worked hard or because of his players,” Guardiola said sarcastically.

“It’s like Liverpool too. If Arne (Slot) wins it again, it will be because he spent a lot of money, right? Because it’s not just Man City that (spend), right?”

Arteta left behind working as Guardiola’s assistant in 2019 and has slowly built Arsenal back into a force capable of competing for major trophies.

But he has still just won one piece of silverware, the 2020 FA Cup, after finishing second in the Premier League for the past three seasons.

“He found the club in a (certain) way and step-by-step, window by window, Arsenal is getting better,” added Guardiola.

“Last season in Europe, they made an incredible step forward and they are for me the most solid team. They don’t make mistakes in the back.”

City begin the weekend three points behind Arsenal and six adrift of leaders Liverpool.

The challenge facing Guardiola’s side is heightened by the fact they played their Champions League opener 48 hours after Arsenal, who won 2-0 at Athletic Bilbao on Tuesday.

Guardiola refused to be drawn into the scheduling debate but conceded it could be difficult for Ballon d’Or winner Rodri to start three games in eight days on his return from a major knee injury.

“With him in the pitch we feel more comfortable but, of course, after coming from a tough injury you have to be alert and we will decide on Sunday how he does feel.”

Related Topics:#man city Arsenal Guardiola

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Sports

WCQ: Haaland Scores Hat-trick As Norway Thrash Israel 5-0

Published

15 hours ago

October 11, 2025

Editor

Erling Haaland scored a hat-trick to pass 50 international goals in record time as Norway cruised to a 5-0 thrashing of Israel on Saturday, edging closer to qualifying for a first World Cup since 1998.

Norway, who have not played at a major tournament since Euro 2000, now lead Group I with nine points more than second-placed Italy, who have two games in hand and play in Estonia later Saturday.

The Scandinavians will secure a place at next year’s finals in the United States, Canada, and Mexico with a win over the Estonians on Tuesday if Italy fails to defeat either Estonia or Israel in their next two matches.

Manchester City striker Haaland is the leading scorer in European qualifying with 12 goals so far.

He also became the fastest player in men’s international football to reach 50 goals for his country and now boasts 51 goals for Norway in just 46 games.

England captain Harry Kane held the previous record, bringing up his half-century in 71 appearances.

Ahead of kick-off, hundreds of people attended a pro-Palestinian demonstration, chanting “Free Palestine” to protest against Israel’s “genocide” in Gaza, AFP journalists reported.

The head of the Norwegian football association, Lise Klaveness, recently said she was pushing “for Israel to be sanctioned”.

In early action, Haaland surprised the Norwegian fans in the Ullevaal Stadium when his penalty was saved by Israeli goalkeeper Daniel Peretz.

The spot-kick was ordered to be retaken for encroachment inside the area and Haaland struck his second effort in the opposite direction, only for it to be parried away again by Peretz.

But Norway did forge ahead in the 18th minute through an Anan Khalaili own goal, before Haaland raced clear to score in a ninth successive international appearance.

The hosts grabbed their third just seconds after Israel kicked off again in the 28th minute, as Peretz kicked the ball off Idan Nachmias, who was under pressure from Haaland, and into the net for another own goal.

Nachmias also had to go off injured after colliding with the post.

Haaland added his second in the 63rd minute, powering home a header from Antonio Nusa’s cross, before nodding in to complete his hat-trick with 18 minutes left.

Elsewhere, Hungary beat Armenia 2-0 in Group F, meaning Portugal could qualify with back-to-back wins over the Republic of Ireland, who they were facing at home later Saturday, and then Hungary on Tuesday.

Sports

Just Like Football Clubs, Let’s Sign Foreign President To Fix Nigeria – Actor Okele [VIDEO]

Published

2 days ago

October 10, 2025

Editor

Popular Nigerian actor, Tunde Usman, professionally known as Okele, has proposed ‘signing’ of foreign Presidents to fix the country.

The actor made the suggestion while reacting to Nigeria’s current economic hardship.

Reacting to the increase in price of cooking gas across the nation, Okele in a now trending video shared on his Instagram page proposed a football method of removing a non performing coaches to address Nigeria’s challenges.

Speaking in Yoruba, the actor argued that adoption of the football method might solve constant disappointment with elected leaders.

“Greetings to all Nigerians home and abroad. May God help us soften this hardship. I just thought of something about gas, fuel and the way things are expensive in Nigeria.

“If you are a lover of football you would know that every club has a coach, assistant coach, and those that train the keepers. So, instead of campaigning for different political parties with some looting our money, why can’t Nigeria look around the world and sign any ex-president that has proven himself in another country to fix Nigeria.

“Even many football nations signed coaches from different countries. Maybe we should adopt the signing of the President method to end different political parties campaigns. Let’s come together and sign our President the same way we signed the coach and we can sack the non performing President and sign a new one.”

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A post shared by Tunde Usman-aka Okele (@okele_2)

Sports

FIFA U-20 World Cup: Argentina Crush Nigeria 4-0

Published

4 days ago

October 8, 2025

Editor

Argentina produced a commanding performance to beat Nigeria’s Flying Eagles 4-0 in a knockout-stage match at the U-20 World Cup on Wednesday.

Alejo Sarco opened the scoring after just two minutes, tapping in from a Dylan Gorosito cross.

Maher Carrizo doubled the lead with a superb left-footed free-kick on 23 minutes and added a second shortly after the interval (53′) to make it 3-0.

Mateo Silvetti capped the scoring with a low finish on 66 minutes, finishing off a move created by Gianluca Prestianni.

The Flying Eagles huffed and puffed but rarely threatened the match rhythm. Daniel Daga saw a close-range effort saved before half-time, and Kparobo Arierhi rattled the post in stoppage time of the first half.

But none of their attacks could find a way past Argentina’s goalkeeper Santino Barbi or break down a disciplined defensive unit.

Meanwhile, Ebenezer Harcourt produced several important saves to limit the damage early on.

Tactical changes came early in the second half as Nigeria’s coach shuffled his pack, introducing Auwal Ibrahim, Abduljelil Kamaldeen, Emmanuel Ekele and Charles Agada in a bid to spark a revival, but Argentina’s control of the midfield and clinical finishing rendered the substitutions ineffective.

Details later…