Sports

Three Talking Points From The Premier League’s Opening Weekend

Published

9 months ago

August 14, 2023

Manchester City showed why they remain the team to beat on the Premier League’s return this weekend as the English champions cruised to a 3-0 win at Burnley.

Arsenal got their title challenge off to a winning start, but had to survive a nervy finish in beating Nottingham Forest 2-1.

The game of the weekend ended in a 1-1 draw between Chelsea and Liverpool, while Tottenham were also held 2-2 at Brentford in their first taste of life without Harry Kane.

AFP Sport looks at three talking points from the opening weekend of the season:

Caicedo chase explained

Moises Caicedo of Brighton & Hove Albion looks on during the Premier League Summer Series match between Brighton & Hove Albion and Newcastle United at Red Bull Arena on July 28, 2023 in Harrison, New Jersey. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)

Chelsea and Liverpool took their battle in the transfer market for the signature of Brighton midfielder Moises Caicedo onto the pitch at Stamford Bridge.

But both sides showed why they are willing to break the Premier League transfer record by spending at least £110 million ($140 million) for the Ecuadorian.

Liverpool started without a recognised defensive midfielder and an attack-minded front six looked slick early on as Luis Diaz gave the visitors the lead.

Chelsea, though, were soon able to pick the Reds’ defence apart with ease and could easily have given Mauricio Pochettino a dream start as Blues boss.

Pochettino’s midfield options have been decimated by a clearout to trim down a bloated squad.

And they appear the front-runners to land Caicedo with Stamford Bridge the 21-year-old’s preferred destination.

Mind over matter for City

man-city-burnley

Manchester City’s Spanish manager Pep Guardiola (R) speaks to his players during the English Premier League football match between Burnley and Manchester City at Turf Moor in Burnley, north-west England on August 11, 2023. (Photo by Darren Staples / AFP) /

City ended last season over a month after Burnley had concluded their Championship campaign, but a lack of preparation time for the new season did not show on opening night.

Pep Guardiola insisted the champions are far from their physical best.

“We are still away from our best form but we have to try to not drop points in this period with this amount of games,” said Guardiola.

“How you solve this lack of preparation is a question of mentality.”

But Erling Haaland’s finishing was as sharp as ever to ensure there was no slip-up from City.

The Norwegian took just over three minutes of the new season to find the net before smashing home a sumptuous second off the underside of the bar.

Newcastle flex strength in depth

newcastle-

Newcastle United’s Swedish striker #14 Alexander Isak (C) celebrates with teammates after scoring their third goal during the English Premier League football match between Newcastle United and Aston Villa at St James’ Park in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, north east England on August 12, 2023. (Photo by Ian Hodgson / AFP)

As many of the game’s biggest names chased the riches on offer in the Gulf in recent months, Saudi-backed Newcastle have again resisted the temptation to splash out on stars.

However, Sandro Tonali and Harvey Barnes enjoyed dream debuts in a 5-1 demolition of Aston Villa that exemplified the new-found strength in depth on offer to Eddie Howe.

Tonali smashed home just six minutes into his St James’ Park bow after a cross from Anthony Gordon, who had started ahead of Barnes.

Howe’s decision to select Alexander Isak over Callum Wilson was also rewarded with two goals by the Swede.

But Barnes made a stunning impact off the bench as he teed up Wilson for Newcastle’s fourth before rounding off the scoring in stoppage time.

The Magpies will need a stronger squad as the demands of a first Champions League campaign for 20 years kick in.

On this evidence, though, their rise since the Saudi Public Investment Fund took charge under two years ago shows no sign of stopping.

AFP

Sports

JUST IN: Finidi George Appointed New Super Eagles Head Coach

Published

2 hours ago

April 29, 2024

Editor

The Nigeria Football Federation has appointed former Super Eagles winger Finidi George as the new head coach of the nation’s senior men’s national team.

The announcement came in a statement on Monday, with the NFF Board approving the recommendation of its Technical and Development Committee to hand over the reins to the 52-year-old former Ajax Amsterdam and Real Betis forward.

Finidi George, who spent 20 months as an assistant to the outgoing José Santos Peseiro, had been serving as the interim coach after the Portuguese tactician’s departure following the Super Eagles’ impressive run to the final of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire.

During his interim tenure, George oversaw two friendly matches in Morocco last month, where the team ended an 18-year winless streak against Ghana with a 2-1 victory before suffering a 0-2 loss to Mali.

“George, a member of the so-styled ‘Golden Generation’ that won the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations tournament in Tunisia and emerged as the second most entertaining team in Nigeria’s debut at the FIFA World Cup finals in USA the same year, won 62 caps for Nigeria, including featuring at the 1994 and 1998 FIFA World Cup finals,” the NFF statement read.

Reflecting on his illustrious playing career, the statement highlighted George’s achievements, which include “gold, silver and bronze medals from the 1992, 1994, 2000 and 2002 AFCON tournaments.”

One of George’s most memorable moments came when he “assisted Rashidi Yekini (of blessed memory) to score Nigeria’s first-ever FIFA World Cup goal against Bulgaria in Dallas, USA on 19th June 1994,” the statement noted.

The new Super Eagles boss’s immediate task will be to guide the team to victory in two crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches against South Africa and the Benin Republic in Uyo and Abidjan, respectively, within the next five weeks.

The NFF statement emphasised that “the matches are must-win encounters, with the Super Eagles lagging behind in third place in Group C of the African campaign behind Rwanda and South Africa.”

Sports

5 Games That Will Decide Who Wins EPL Title

Published

24 hours ago

April 28, 2024

Editor

With the run-in to the English Premier League (EPL) title heating up, Manchester City and Arsenal are having a fierce go at each other, not to forget a Liverpool that cannot be totally ruled out of the race just yet.

Currently leading the pack, Arsenal sit atop the Premier League table with 80 points, closely followed by Manchester City with 79 points and a game in hand. Mikel Arteta’s side has been stellar this season, picking up from where they left off last campaign and ensuring that they don’t repeat the mistakes that saw the League title painfully slip off their hands.

Manchester City, on the other hand, are very familiar with this competition, and the odds are right in their favour to go ahead and do what no team has ever done, that is, win the EPL title four consecutive times.

But to do that, they need an impeccable run of results in their remaining four games in the current campaign, and the title will remain at the Etihad.

For Liverpool, it is almost over after managing to pick up a meagre one point from their last three games to leave them gasping for breath in chase of the top two.

Be that as it may, in less than three weeks, the new champions of England will be known, and that event will most likely be decided by these five upcoming games:

Man United vs Arsenal (12 May)
The biggest game Arsenal have left in the current campaign. On this day, Arsenal will make a trip to Old Trafford for a match that could decide whether or not they end the season trophyless.

Arsenal vs Everton (19 May)
Arsenal faithfuls will hope this day will be the day they get to lift the English Premier League at the Emirates after 20 years should Man City falter in their remaining games, and they get a perfect run-in to close the league. However, it will be delusional for Arsenal to expect an easy game against a rejuvenated Everton side who just survived relegation and would want to end the season on a good note.

Fulham vs Man City (11 May)
Fulham can be a potential banana skin to any team, and you want to avoid them especially when you are chasing a very important trophy. Pep Guardiola, however, has them to worry about and engineer his side to get past for a perfect run to the title.

Tottenham vs Man City (14 May)
The outstanding match that gives Manchester City a subtle edge in the standings. This has every sign to be the ‘final’ of the Premier League season, and Manchester City know they have their work cut out going to a tough ground like the Tottenham Stadium to grind out a win against a team desperately chasing a Champions League ticket.

Man City vs West Ham (19 May)
Like Arsenal vs Everton, Man City could lift their fourth consecutive EPL title should they avoid defeat prior and get a win at the Etihad against West Ham in the final day of the Premier League season.

Sports

Former Manchester United Striker, Carlos Tevez Rushed To Hospital

Published

5 days ago

April 24, 2024

Editor

Former Argentina international Carlos Tevez has been admitted to hospital after suffering chest pains.

The former Manchester United and Manchester City striker reportedly spent the night at a clinic in the upmarket Buenos Aires neighbourhood of San Isidro after seeking medical help.

He was due to undergo more tests today at another nearby hospital.

The club he manages, top-flight Argentinian side Independiente, confirmed his hospital admission overnight as it said the initial results had been ‘satisfactory.’

Local reports have linked the problems to stress. Tevez has yet to make any official comment.

Independente said in an overnight statement on X, formerly Twitter after initially denying the father-of-three had been admitted to the hospital: ‘Our coach, Carlos Tevez, went to the La Trinidad Hospital in San Isidro with chest pain.

‘They carried out the corresponding tests and they were satisfactory.

‘Today he will continue with a series of tests scheduled in advance as part of a general check-up.’

It added in a subsequent message: ‘Carlos Tevez will be hospitalised as a precaution until the corresponding tests are completed.’

It was not immediately clear whether he would be able to attend a club training session scheduled for later today.

The hospital where he is set to undergo further tests has been named the Finochietto Hospital in Buenos Aires.

Tevez is understood to suffer from high blood pressure and regularly undergoes medical checks.