Sports

Man City Beat Arsenal 3-1, Top Premier League

Published

3 years ago

February 15, 2023

Manchester City earned a crucial 3-1 win against title rivals Arsenal as the resurgent champions knocked the Gunners off the top of the Premier League on Wednesday.

Pep Guardiola’s side showed they are not ready to surrender the title with a ruthless display of finishing that lifted them above Arsenal on goal difference.

Kevin De Bruyne put City ahead in the first half at the Emirates Stadium and, although Bukayo Saka equalised with a controversial penalty, Jack Grealish landed the vital blow in the second half when he restored the visitors’ lead.

Erling Haaland’s 26th goal in 22 league appearances for City killed off Arsenal in the closing stages.

In the most eagerly anticipated Premier League clash this season, City seized the momentum in the title race.

Although Arsenal have a game in hand that could tip the balance back in their favour, City headed home with renewed belief they can win their fight for a fifth title in six seasons.

Having trailed Arsenal by eight points a month ago, Guardiola’s men have won four of their last five league games, while Arsenal have stumbled.

City’s title defence is taking place under a dark cloud after the Premier League last week charged the club with more than 100 breaches of its financial rules between 2009 and 2018.

But the race could yet reach a memorable climax, with City due to host Arsenal on April 26 in what is shaping up to be a do-or-die showdown for both teams.

Bidding for their first Premier League title since 2003-04, Arsenal were unable to subdue City’s battle-hardened stars.

Mikel Arteta’s team have failed to win their last four games in all competitions, losing to City in the FA Cup before a surprise defeat at Everton and Saturday’s draw against Brentford.

Arteta, who worked under Guardiola as assistant to the City boss before joining Arsenal, found out just how hard it is for the apprentice to outwit the teacher.

Guardiola has beaten Arteta in seven of their eight meetings and this was the most significant by far.

City took the lead in the 24th minute when Grealish harassed Takehiro Tomiyasu into a miscued backpass.

City turn the screw
De Bruyne pounced on the mistake with a perfectly-weighted chip from the edge of the area that floated over out-of-position keeper Aaron Ramsdale into the net.

De Bruyne’s first goal since October, and only his fourth this season, was a rare bright spot in a difficult campaign for the Belgium midfielder.

Arsenal drew level in debatable fashion three minutes before half-time.

As Eddie Nketiah flicked a shot goalwards from a tight angle, Ederson raced off his line and collided with the Arsenal striker just before the ball was cleared off the line by Nathan Ake.

Ederson appeared to be trying to pull out of the challenge but Anthony Taylor awarded a penalty despite City’s furious protests and Saka stepped up to send Ederson the wrong way with a nerveless strike.

As the tension mounted after half-time, tempers flared when De Bruyne shoved Arteta and exchanged angry words after the Arsenal boss stopped him collecting the ball.

In the midst of a frantic clash, it was City who kept their heads and gradually turned the screw.

Gabriel’s foul on Haaland was ruled a penalty but the Norway star was just offside when he received Kyle Walker’s pass and the spot-kick decision was overturned.

Yet City’s pressure paid off in the 72nd minute as a sweeping move cut through the Arsenal defence.

Gabriel conceded possession too easily and Silva, Haaland and Ilkay Gundogan exchanged passes before Grealish applied the finishing touch, driving a deflected strike past Ramsdale to send Guardiola into a jubilant, fist-pumping jig on the touchline.

Haaland sealed the points in the 82nd minute, drilling into the far corner from De Bruyne’s cross to underline City’s desire to retain their crown.

AFP

Sports

Court Fixes Date To Hear Sala Compensation Dispute

Published

3 days ago

December 9, 2025

Editor

A commercial court examining the long-running dispute between Cardiff City and French club Nantes over compensation for the death of Emiliano Sala in a plane crash said Monday it would give its decision on March 30 next year.

Sala, a 28-year-old Argentine striker, died when the light aircraft taking him to the Welsh capital came down in the English Channel on January 21, 2019, two days after he had signed for the then-Premier League side. He and pilot David Ibbotson were killed.

The Welsh club took the case to the Nantes commercial court in 2023 to claim compensation for loss of income and other damages suffered by the club as a result of the player’s death.

Following an analysis conducted by an expert appointed by Cardiff City, the club estimated their losses at over 120 million euros ($139.5 million). Lawyers for both clubs made their cases at Monday’s hearing.

The Welsh club argue that Nantes, through their intermediary, agent Willie McKay, were the organisers of the private flight on which the footballer was travelling and that, if the transfer was effective at the time of the accident according to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), it is the organisation of this flight that is at issue.

Cardiff City’s lawyer, Olivier Loizon, told the court Monday, Willie McKay “could not have been unaware of the illegality of the flight”, and argued that the agent had acted with “negligence”.

“Whatever the ultimate cause of the accident, (Sala) should not have been on the flight,” he added.

Nantes’ lawyer, Jerome Marsaudon, insisted Monday the only agent authorised by the club in connection with the transfer was Mark McKay, the son of Willie McKay.

The elder McKay “was simply helping his son, given his extensive experience”, the lawyer said.

“It is sad to see that Cardiff have exploited this tragedy and turned it into a genuine legal farce,” he added. “Nothing in this case justifies holding FC Nantes liable.”

Prior to the start of the hearing, a Nantes representative said the club “have no doubt that Cardiff’s claims will be rejected outright, just like all the others”.

In another case related to the dispute between the two clubs, CAS ruled in 2022 that Sala’s transfer had definitely been finalised at the time of his death.

In 2023, world football’s governing body FIFA ordered Cardiff to pay Nantes the balance of Sala’s transfer fee, which at the time amounted to just over 11 million euros out of a total of 17 million euros.

Sports

Salah A ‘Disgrace’ For Liverpool Outburst – Carragher

Published

4 days ago

December 9, 2025

Editor

Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher labelled Mohamed Salah “a disgrace” on Monday after the Egypt star’s stunning outburst at Reds boss Arne Slot.

Salah said he had been “thrown under a bus” and had no relationship with Slot after he was left on the bench for last Saturday’s 3-3 draw at Leeds.

It was the third successive game that Salah had been kept out of the starting line-up by Slot amid the forward’s loss of form this season.

In response to Salah’s astonishing rant to reporters, Liverpool axed the 33-year-old from the squad for Tuesday’s Champions League clash at Inter Milan.

Speaking on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football, Carragher, a 2005 Champions League winner with Liverpool, said: “I thought it was a disgrace what he did after the game.

“Some people have painted it as an emotional outburst. I don’t think it was. I think whenever Mo Salah stops in a mixed zone, which he has done four times in eight years at Liverpool, it’s choreographed with his agent to cause maximum damage and strengthen his own position.

“He’s chosen this weekend to do this now, and he’s waited I think for a bad result… everyone involved with the club (feeling) like they’re in the gutter, and he’s chosen that time to go for the manager and maybe try to get him sacked.”

Salah is a two-time Premier League champion with Liverpool and has also won the Champions League during his iconic eight-year spell at Anfield.

But, although he only signed a new contract in April, Salah hinted he might have played his last game for Liverpool as he prepares to jet off to the African Cup of Nations after their Premier League clash with Brighton at Anfield on Saturday.

Salah has been linked with a lucrative move to the Saudi Pro League and and Carragher added: “What he’s done off the pitch, I think the club have made the right decision in terms of him not going abroad. Whether he will play for Liverpool again, I don’t know.

“I hope he does, because he’s one of the greatest players we’ve ever had, but if you continue like that, and statements like that, if he doesn’t play, who knows.”

Sports

JUST IN: Full Draw For 2026 World Cup Group Stages Confirmed

Published

7 days ago

December 5, 2025

Editor

The draw for the group stage of the 2026 World Cup has been conducted.

It took place at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., with US President Donald Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino in charge.

There will be 48 teams at next year’s tournament, to be played across the United States, Mexico and Canada.

All the participating countries were grouped into 12 groups of four.

Here is the full draw:

Group A: Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, Winner Play-off D
Group B: Canada, Winner Play-off A, Qatar, Switzerland
Group C: Brazil, Morocco, Haiti, Scotland
Group D: United States, Paraguay, Australia, Winner Play-off C
Group E: Germany, Curaçao, Ivory Coast, Ecuador
Group F: Netherlands, Japan, Winner Play-off B, Tunisia
Group G: Belgium, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand
Group H: Spain, Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay
Group I: France, Senegal, Winner Play-off 2, Norway
Group J: Argentina, Algeria, Austria, Jordan
Group K: Portugal, Winner Play-off 1, Colombia, Uzbekistan
Group L: England, Croatia, Panama, Ghana