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Showing posts with label PREMIER LEAGUE. Show all posts
Showing posts with label PREMIER LEAGUE. Show all posts

Monday

Luis Diaz releases statement pleading for the return of his kidnapped father

06 November 0
  • Diaz scored on his return for Liverpool
  • He dedicated the goal to his father, who was kidnapped recently
  • Diaz has released a statement pleading for his return by the ELN

Luis Diaz has released a statement pleading with the ELN - Ejercito de Liberacion Nacional, National Liberation Army - to release his father following his abduction.

Both of Diaz's parents were kidnapped by armed gunmen in Colombia recently, with his mother, Cilenis Marulanda being rescued last weekend.

Diaz's father, however, is yet to be found by Colombian authorities who confirmed on Friday that they had intelligence which stated that "a unit belonging to the ELN" - a left-wing rebel group that's been active in the country since 1964 - are the culprits behind the kidnapping.

ELN representative Juan Carlos Cuellar has announced that Diaz's father would be freed "as soon as possible" in a community meeting relayed by Reuters.

Following his return to action for Liverpool, and after scoring a goal which he dedicated to his father with an undershirt message which read "Freedom for Papa", Diaz has released a statement pleading with the ELN to grant freedom to his father:


“Here’s not the player speaking. Today’s Lucho Diaz, the son of Luis Manuel Diaz. Mane, my dad, hard working man, family pillar…he’s now kidnapped.

“I ask ELN to release my father as soon as possible. I also ask the international associations to work on that in order to guarantee his freedom.

“Every second, every minute we’re more worried. We’ve no words to describe our family’s terrible feelings, and it will be the same as long as he’s not back at home.

“I beg you to release my father right now, respecting his integrity.

"I want to thank to all Colombians and also the international community for your support."

Diaz scored a crucial 95th minute equaliser on his return for Liverpool, heading home a Harvey Elliott cross at the back post to salvage a point from a tricky trip to Kenilworth Road for the Reds.
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Sunday

Man Utd plot sensational De Gea return

29 October 0
Football transfer rumours: Man Utd plot sensational De Gea return; Barcelona & Real Madrid track Jesus


Manchester United plan to ask David de Gea to return to the club on a short-term deal when Andre Onana, who replaced him at Old Trafford, heads to the Africa Cup of Nations. De Gea has not joined a new club since being released in the summer. (The Sun)

Real Sociedad defender Robin Le Normand has played his way on to the radars of both Man Utd and Liverpool. (TEAMtalk)

Bayern Munich are not yet certain to reignite their interest in Fulham midfielder Joao Palhinha, who came close to joining the Bundesliga giants during the summer. (Bild)

Jose Mourinho is expected to leave Roma in the summer and return to the Premier League, where he could be joined by striker Tammy Abraham. The 26-year-old is ready to return to England and is open to being used as part of a possible swap deal with Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku. (TEAMtalk)

Chelsea could also splash out €100m (£87m) on Gavi, with Barcelona fearing they may have to cash in on the youngster to help manage their financial misery. (Sport)

It would take a bid of at least £80m to convince Manchester City to entertain selling striker Julian Alvarez, who has been linked with both Barcelona and Real Madrid. (Football Insider)


Another striker on the radars of both Barcelona and Real Madrid is Arsenal's Gabriel Jesus, who is being watched closely by the two Clasico rivals. (AS)

Real Madrid will look to profit from Man Utd's interest in Real Sociedad winger Takefusa Kubo. With a 50% sell-on clause in his contract, Madrid could trigger the 22-year-old's €60m (£52m) release clause, make half of that back and then sell Kubo to the Red Devils for €70m (£61m). (Defensa Central)

Some of that money could be used to fund a move for Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Fabian Ruiz, who is wanted in Madrid by manager Carlo Ancelotti. (Defensa Central)

Liverpool are ready to rival Manchester City for the signing of Chelsea left-back Ian Maatsen, with a January exit from Stamford Bridge on the cards for the Dutchman. (TEAMtalk)

Tottenham Hotspur hope to fend off competition from Newcastle United to sign Juventus winger Federico Chiesa. The Serie A side are open to selling the £60m-rated star to help solve their financial worries. (Calciomercatoweb)

Paris Saint-Germain wonderkid Warren Zaire-Emery is set to sign a new long-term contract at the Ligue 1 champions. (Fabrizio Romano)
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Real Madrid hatch Mbappe & Haaland plan; Sancho asking price revealed

29 October 0
Football transfer rumours: Real Madrid hatch Mbappe & Haaland plan; Sancho asking price revealed


Real Madrid are planning to sign both Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland in the coming years by landing the former on a free transfer when his Paris Saint-Germain contract expires and triggering the release clause in the latter's deal with Manchester City. (El Chiringuito)

Kevin De Bruyne is set to be offered a bumper deal to swap Man City for Saudi Arabia in 2024. (Football Insider)

In-demand midfielder Jamal Musiala has concerns over achieving all his individual goals with Bayern Munich, who have to "work hard" to fend off interest from Liverpool and Man City. (Kerry Hau)

Arsenal are huge fans of Crystal Palace centre-back Marc Guehi and manager Mikel Arteta is keen to get a deal done soon. (Sun)

Man City are prepared to demand £50m to part ways with midfielder Kalvin Phillips, which would see them make an £8m profit on the 27-year-old. (Mirror)


Manchester United value Jadon Sancho at €35m (£30m) - a figure which has piqued the interest of Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou. (Fichajes)

Also on Tottenham's radar is Borussia Monchengladbach defender Ko Itakura. (Fichajes)

Ruben Neves "dreams" of sealing a January return to the Premier League with Newcastle United just six months after leaving Wolverhampton Wanderers for Saudi outfit Al Hilal. (O Jogo)

The next youngster to attract interest from Chelsea is 16-year-old striker Dino Klapija, who currently plays for Croatian side NK Kutosija. He is expected to be available for £5m. (Daily Mail)

Barcelona are actively looking for a new midfielder and are prepared to fight off competition from Juventus to sign Royal Antwerp's Arthur Vermeeren. (TuttoJuve)
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Pep Guardiola insists Man Utd are not Man City's biggest rivals

29 October 0

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola insists his side's biggest rivals are no longer Manchester United after the Cityzens established themselves as European heavyweights.

Sunday's Manchester derby promises to be one of the biggest fixtures of the season. City head into the game third in the Premier League table, six points clear of United, who have won just two of the last eight meetings between the rivals.

While Guardiola is well aware of the importance of the derby, he insisted that the bigger story for City has revolved around competing with Liverpool in recent years.

"There was one year with Ole [Gunnar Solskjaer] that was quite close, but overall it has been Liverpool," said Guardiola. "When I finish my tenure here, Liverpool have been my rivals and our rivals.

"They have made us a challenge and helped make us a better team in all departments. They have challenged us like no other team has done in my period here.

"Of course, Arsenal are back and Newcastle have arrived and Chelsea are in the process to restructure a few things. Look at Spurs now, how good they are playing. They will be fresh all season because they are out of the Carabao Cup. They will be there, for sure, with the manager they have. But our rivals in the past have been Liverpool."


When it was put to Guardiola that his dismissal of United as major title rivals bore a resemblance to former Red Devils boss Sir Alex Ferguson's behaviour towards City during his time in charge, the Spaniard Ferguson was correct in his assessment.

"Sir Alex was right. City were not challengers," said Guardiola. "Without the presence of Sheikh Mansour and Khaldoon [Al Mubarak], when they took over and made an investment, like when United and Arsenal were the richest clubs, we were not there.

"In that moment, Sir Alex Ferguson could not expect what has happened, even myself when I was in Barcelona thought the same.

"But now it’s the reality and we want to stay here for as long as possible. Maybe it is uncomfortable that we were not in the elite, but now we are in the elite and maybe it is uncomfortable for them. We are there now and we want to be there in the future."
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Friday

Maddison shines again as Spurs go five clear with win at Palace

27 October 0
Crystal Palace 1-2 Tottenham: James Maddison plays a part in both goals as Spurs go five points clear at top of Premier League

Report and free match highlights as a Joel Ward own goal and Heung-min Son strike extend Spurs' fast start to the season; Ange Postecoglou has won more points than any manager in their first 10 Premier League games


James Maddison was Tottenham's game changer again as a 2-1 win at Crystal Palace moved them five points clear at the top of the Premier League, their biggest ever lead in the competition.

Tottenham's entertainers were tamed during a low-key first half in south London but Maddison's cross-shot soon after the interval forced Joel Ward to turn into his own net.

The playmaker then showed brilliant footwork in the box before feeding sub Brennan Johnson to pull the ball back for in-form Heung-min Son to add a second and his eighth of the season.

Maddison may not have achieved an official goal involvement to become the first player to register a goal or assist in each of his first six Premier League away games for a club but his influence was plain to see.

There was late drama when Jordan Ayew set up a frantic finish with his super strike four minutes into injury-time and Matheus Franca lashed wide with virtually the last kick of the game, but Spurs came through for a victory which means boss Ange Postecoglou has secured a record 26 points from his first 10 games as a Premier League manager.

Spurs' nearest competitors Arsenal, at home to Sheffield United on Saturday, and Manchester City, in the derby at Old Trafford on Sunday - live on Sky Sports - will be aiming to trim Spurs' lead over the weekend, but Postecoglou's unbeaten side have shown they can find different ways to win this week, after backing up Monday's victory over Fulham.

There were moments during the opening 45 minutes when it looked like Roy Hodgson could be the one celebrating on his landmark night, and there was almost a late twist, but his 500th game as a manager in English football saw his initially disciplined side eventually broken down and ultimately fall short in the final third.

Palace stay 11th, as close to the relegation zone as the top four in terms of points, but are likely to fall over the coming days.
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Tuesday

How Postecoglou made Premier League history

24 October 0

Postecoglou's side set the pace of the game from the start as they pressed Fulham high, barely giving the visitors any breathing room. Son was kept out by Bernd Leno, the former Arsenal goalkeeper, two minutes in as Spurs then wasted three free-kicks around the box trying to be too tricky.

Fulham nearly took the lead against the run of play after 12 minutes but Vicario, the Spurs goalkeeper, kept out Joao Palhinha's header at a corner with a fantastic fingertip save. Marco Silva's side grew into the game, which became frenetic, as Fulham began to match Spurs' intensity.

Team news
  • Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg made his first Premier League start of the season for Tottenham, replacing the suspended Yves Bissouma.
  • Heung-min Son and Cristian Romero were fit enough to start after shaking off injuries picked up on international duty.
  • Brennan Johnson returned to the Spurs squad after nearly a month out injured.
  • Calvin Bassey came in for the injured Issa Diop in defence, making his first league start since being sent off against Arsenal in August.
  • Fulham's only other change was the introduction of Sasa Lukic in midfield ahead of Alex Iwobi.
Spurs found more space as the game opened up and should have gone ahead after half an hour through Richarlison, who has scored once in nine league games this season. He fired just wide following Dejan Kulusevski's lay-off on the edge of the box with the hosts pushing hard for an opener.

Fulham finally caved under Spurs' pressure six minutes later as Son struck a classy finish into the top corner after Bassey, making his first league start since August, gave away possession on the edge of his box. Had Kulusevski been more clinical, Spurs could have gone in 2-0 up at the break.

Silva made a double change at half-time for Fulham, bringing on Alex Iwobi and Raul Jimenez for Carlos Vinicius and Andreas Pereira. There was a response from his side but it was short-lived as yet another error from Bassey around his box allowed Spurs to score their second.

Maddison capitalised on the mistake after being set up by Son to give the home side a comfortable lead with what was almost a carbon copy of their first goal. The pace of the game subsequently subsided with Fulham losing belief and Spurs seeming happy to take their foot off the gas.


Bassey nearly handed Spurs a third goal though when he was robbed of the ball by Maddison in his own area. He was fortunate that the Spurs midfielder failed to punish him again although the Fulham defender then somewhat made up for his mistake by blocking Richarlison's subsequent shot.

Fulham were kept out by Vicario for a second time in the closing stages when Jimenez was played through on goal and also had chances with Tom Cairney and Harry Wilson but were unable to convert.

Spurs, whose only dropped points heading into this game had come against London opposition, always seemed to be in control as they got the job done against their city rivals to continue their incredible start to the season under Postecoglou.
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Tottenham return to top spot with win over Fulham

24 October 0
Tottenham 2-0 Fulham: Heung-min Son and James Maddison return Spurs to top of the Premier League

Report and highlights as Tottenham's protagonists Heung-min Son and James Maddison kept up their unbeaten league record with a comfortable 2-0 win over Fulham on Monday Night Football; Fulham stay 16th with just two wins in last eight league games

Tottenham returned to the top of the table after beating Fulham 2-0 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as Ange Postecoglou set a Premier League record for the best start by a manager after nine games.

Goals from Heung-min Son (36) and James Maddison (54), the two players filling the void left by Harry Kane, secured the three points which knock Man City off top spot. Fulham failed to cope with Spurs' relentless pressure from the front with Calvin Bassey losing possession on the edge of his box for both goals.


Postecoglou now has 23 points in his first nine games, which surpasses the previous best set by ex-Chelsea head coach Guus Hiddink and former Norwich boss Mike Walker (22). The Australian has transformed Spurs in less than four months and put them firmly in contention for Champions League qualification and perhaps more.

Fulham battled hard to fend off Spurs, and were denied by two fantastic Guglielmo Vicario saves in each half, but were always second best to Postecoglou's tireless Spurs team and failed to recover after the second goal. They stay in 16th with just two wins in their last eight league games.

Player ratings

Tottenham: Vicario (8); Porro (7), Romero (7), Van de Ven (7), Udogie (7); Hojbjerg (8), Sarr (8); Kulusevski (7), Maddison (9), Richarlison (7); Son (9).

Subs: Skipp (6), Emerson (6), Lo Celso (N/A), Johnson (N/A), Veliz (N/A).

Fulham: Leno (5); Castagne (6), Bassey (4), Ream (6), Robinson (6); Palhinha (7), Lukic (5); Decordova-Reid (6), Pereira (5), Willian (6); Vinicius (5).

Subs: Reed (5), Jimenez (5), Wilson (6), Cairney (N/A), Iwobi (5).

Player of the match: James Maddison (Spurs).

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Monday

PL hits & misses: Shot-shy City's concerns; errors cost Liverpool

09 October 0
Premier League hits and misses: Man City's attacking problems in evidence at Arsenal as Liverpool make errors at Brighton


Plus: Newcastle's strength in depth appears an issue after draw at West Ham; Hee-Chan Hwang takes centre stage for Wolves after scoring again

The stat was startling. Man City's total of four shots against Arsenal was the fewest by a Pep Guardiola side in over 13 years.

In fact they managed just one shot on target all game and that was Josko Gvardiol's effort five minutes in, which Declan Rice cleared off the line.

David Raya looked nervous in the Arsenal goal but City barely threatened him. It was an unusually blunt performance from City, lacking fluidity and connection in the final third.

With Erling Haaland, Phil Foden and Julian Alvarez on the pitch, City supporters would have expected more, although clearly the absence of Kevin De Bruyne in a fixture like this is important. And with Jack Grealish - not yet up to full flow after his own injury - on the bench, City were unable to create a spark.

When you add in the suspension for Rodri, who gives City control in the middle of the park and a platform to build from - as well as the odd decisive goal - it is easy to make a case for things to improve rapidly for City in attacking areas in the coming weeks. This is hardly a crisis point.

But eight games in, five teams have outscored them in the Premier League, Haaland has one goal in five games and with a tough run of fixtures back-to-back after the international break, City need to re-find their rhythm up front if they are to match the ambitious challengers to their crown.

It will come as a surprise to no-one that Newcastle struggled to click into gear in the game following their biggest result in a generation, but the Magpies looked particularly leggy for large parts of Sunday's 2-2 draw at West Ham.

Their tempo was sadly lacking in the first half at the London Stadium, a world away from the celebrations of Wednesday's stunning 4-1 win over PSG.

"We weren't ourselves," admitted Eddie Howe. He finally saw some signs of life as Alexander Isak - their brightest player all afternoon - took matters into his own hands with a quickfire double to put them ahead. It's always easier to play when you're winning.

But this is the limitation of Howe's squad, which is bigger than last season but still far from Chelsea 22/23 levels. Without Anthony Gordon or Harvey Barnes to call upon, Elliot Anderson started on the left of the front three and found life tough going.

There was only one change from the PSG win - and that was Gordon's enforced absence - just showing how little rotation opportunity Howe has without impacting the quality of his starting line-up.

Going to a West Ham team enjoying their joint-best start to a Premier League season, he can't be blamed for wanting to keep his best players on the pitch.

But that itself came at a cost - as Newcastle began to tire again late on, one mistake allowed Vladimir Coufal to run and cross for Mohammed Kudus... And West Ham denied them a fourth straight win.
Ron Walker

After scoring the winner against Manchester City last weekend to end the champions' perfect start to the Premier League season, Hee-Chan Hwang was at it again for Wolves at Molineux.

West Midlands rivals Aston Villa were the latest victims to suffer at the hands of who Pep Guardiola infamously described as "the Korean guy" ahead of City's surprising defeat.

If Hwang wasn't well known then, he certainly is now. The 27-year-old is in sensational form for Wolves. After giving his side the lead against Villa with an instinctive finish, Hwang has now scored six goals in all competitions already this term. In his first two campaigns combined after joining from RB Leipzig in 2021, he managed to find the net just nine times.

The South Korea international is the first Wolves player to have been directly involved in a goal in five consecutive Premier League home games. He has become the star man in Gary O'Neil's team and will no doubt have a significant say in where Wolves finish in May.
Dan Sansom

Liverpool have revelled in doing things the hard way this season, conceding the opening goal in seven of their 11 games in all competitions.

Klopp's side deserve credit for winning five of those seven matches but their powers of recovery can only take them so far.

Liverpool did brilliantly to almost claim a draw at Tottenham last week despite being reduced to nine players and being the victim of an infamous VAR error, but ultimately left north London without a point.

It looked as though another comeback was on the cards at Brighton thanks to Mohamed Salah but Liverpool were again unable to hold onto the points, giving away a poor free-kick and compounding the error by failing to defend it effectively.

Liverpool look far better placed to launch a convincing title challenge than last season but Jurgen Klopp will know more than any manager that finishing above Manchester City will only be possible if his side cut out their unforced errors.
Joe Shread
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Friday

Impossible to replace James and Chilwell

29 September 0
Poch: Impossible to replace James and Chilwell


Mauricio Pochettino said it would impossible for Chelsea to replace injured pair Reece James and Ben Chilwell in the transfer market as they are "the best full-backs in the world".

Chilwell underwent a scan on Thursday on the hamstring problem that forced him off in the closing stages of the EFL Cup win over Brighton, with the manager confirming it "looks a bad injury" though he was unable to put a timescale to it.

New club captain James has not played since the 1-1 draw with Liverpool on the opening weekend of the Premier League season, and will not be fit to return before the next international break.

Both players missed significant portions of last season through injury, Chilwell playing 23 times in the league and James only 16, a contributing factor to Chelsea's worst finish in 30 years.

Malo Gusto has deputised for James but will miss Monday's game at Fulham after being red-carded against Aston Villa.

Marc Cucurella, Levi Colwill and Axel Disasi are all able to play at full-back but the manager said no deputy can be expected to bring what James and Chilwell do to the side.

"At all clubs, important players are missed when they don't play," he said. "If the question is 'do we miss them?' Of course. Reece is a top player and (Chilwell) also. When they're at their best, they are the best full-backs in the world.

"But all teams when they miss important players are affected (in their) performance. Why did we not sign another Ben Chilwell and another Reece James? Because there's only one Reece James and one Ben Chilwell.

"If you have in the squad one top player in one position, it's difficult to bring in another one in the same position to sit on the bench. It's about balance."
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Sunday

Something special in the air at Spurs ahead of north London derby

24 September 0
James Maddison: Something special in the air at Spurs ahead of north London derby with Arsenal


Tottenham midfielder discusses his "easy" transition at Spurs, the team's re-found momentum under Ange Postecoglou and why they have a point to prove at the Emirates Stadium this weekend; watch Arsenal vs Tottenham on Sunday, live on Sky Sports Premier League from 1pm; kick-off 2pm

James Maddison says there is "something special in the air" at Tottenham right now, with the club enjoying an impressive start to the season under new boss Ange Postecoglou.

With four wins from their first five matches, unbeaten Spurs have turned on the style this season, with Maddison at the heart of their re-found entertaining, creative football. The summer signing has two goals and two assists and will be a key figure when his new side make the short trip across north London to face Arsenal at the Emirates on Super Sunday.

Tottenham's rivals may have warmed up for the big one with a midweek thrashing of PSV in the Champions League but Spurs have momentum of their own after a dramatic injury-time comeback win over Sheffield United last time out in the Premier League.

"We don't want to get too carried away. It's our job to stay focused and keep going. But I'd be lying if I said it doesn't feel like there's something special in the air at the minute," Maddison told Sky Sports.

"Just because of the feeling and the way we won against Sheffield United… I've never experienced something like that."

Maddison credits Postecoglou with creating an exciting atmosphere around the Spurs squad and describes his boss as a "motivational speaker", able to galvanise the entire group of players with his team briefings.

"He's a bit different to anyone I've worked with before," said Maddison. "He's a down-to-the-point, straight-talking man and as a player that's what you want. You want honesty, someone to tell you how it is.

"He is really good at [motivational speeches]. You come out of a meeting with him ready to run through a wall. He's a very motivational speaker and it's a big quality of his. He gets all the players wanting to go and work for him. Everyone is on board and ready to work.

"There was a good example on Saturday with the winning goal. The move was four of the substitutes combined and [Dejan Kulusevski] scored the winner. They're going on hungry and wanting to do well. Long may that continue and I hope we have a successful period together."

Postecoglou's methods have certainly benefitted Maddison, who has looked instantly at home as a Tottenham player. He is speaking to Sky Sports in his family's box at the club's stadium, which has had a refurbishment to personalise it for the player.

Maddison was named as one of the club's vice-captains by Postecoglou ahead of the start of the season. Given he had only been at the club a matter of weeks, it was a sign of the authority the former Leicester City midfielder brings.

It's also a role Maddison relishes.

"It can be a difficult transition when you move to a new club. A new style of play, new surroundings but it's been fairly easy transition and that's down to the people at the club, the manager, the players - they've warmed to me early on - the fans. It's been an easy transition and one I'm loving," he says

"I'm feeling free, like I'm able to go and express myself and that comes from the manager and his coaching staff and the other squad members. I feel myself. Sometimes when you have new players come in it's almost like they try too hard to impress or try to do a bit too much to impress their team-mates or manager but they've made me feel so at ease I've just been myself naturally."


On his leadership in the group, he said: "I try to take out the fact I'm a new player. I'm quite experienced now. I'm 26. I'm not a kid anymore, I've played a lot of games. I've been around football a long time now. Anything I can add or feel will benefit the team, I won't just shout for a reason, if I have a message to get to the team.

"That leadership in the changing room is important. I think I'd do it anyway without the vice-captaincy. That captain's not the only leader. You can have leaders who don't wear the armband. It's just something I'll do. Anything I can say to help the team, I will say. Whether I've been in the door four years or four weeks."

Maddison says he would be "honoured" if fans eventually thought of him in a similar regard to former creative Spurs stars such as Paul Gascoigne, Christian Eriksen and Dele but to do achieve that status he knows he will need to deliver in big games, such as this weekend's north London derby.

Maddison and his team-mates go there with a point to prove.

"If you ask the Arsenal camp, I don't think it's a brilliant time that they'd want to play us because we've started the season well," he says. "I had a little bit of banter with Bukayo [Saka] and Rammers [Aaron Ramsdale] and Declan [Rice] on England duty, all in good spirit, and I'm really looking forward to the game.

"It's these big occasions where we have to show we can progress as a team and continue these results on the big occasions. We want to show the Tottenham way and the new way we've got of playing under this manager.

"We're still early in the manager's reign but if you're a fan that's been watching you'll have seen changes to the team. We're not at the end goal yet because it's a process and takes a long time.

"Just like you saw with Mikel Arteta, he went in and had a bit of a shaky start at times and now Arsenal are one of the most consistent performers in the league last year and were very close to winning the title."

Tottenham and Maddison will be aiming for a victory on Sunday to show they have the potential to reach the same level.
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Friday

Virgil van Dijk has been suspended for one additional match and fined £100,000

08 September 0

Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk has been suspended for one additional match and fined £100,000 after admitting he acted in an improper manner and used abusive and insulting words towards a match official after being sent off against Newcastle last month.

The Netherlands international was dismissed for a foul on Alexander Isak in the first half of Liverpool's 2-1 victory at St James' Park on August 27, but initially refused to leave the pitch - and then remonstrated with referee John Brooks.

An automatic one-match ban saw the centre-back suspended for the 3-0 win over Aston Villa before the international break, but he will now also serve an additional suspension and so miss the trip to Wolves on September 16.

A statement from the FA read: "Virgil van Dijk has been suspended for one match and fined £100,000 for breaching FA Rule E3.1 during Liverpool's Premier League fixture against Newcastle on Sunday August 27.


The defender admitted that he acted in an improper manner and used abusive and insulting words towards a match official after being sent off in the 29th minute, and the sanctions were subsequently imposed by an independent regulatory commission."

Van Dijk told Dutch reporters following the Netherlands' win over Greece on Thursday that it was out of character.

That was not typical for me," he said.

But it was the red card anyway. I've never got one before at Liverpool, and I think only about four times in my entire career. But apart from that I still started the season well."
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Tuesday

Henderson move was sports washing : Peter Frankental

05 September 0
Amnesty: Henderson move was sports washing


Peter Frankental, Amnesty International UK’s Economic Affairs Director, said: “Jordan Henderson is of course free to play football wherever he wishes, but it’s glaringly obvious that his move to Al-Ettifaq falls squarely within Saudi Arabia’s mega-money sportswashing project.

“Like other footballers who’ve made the move to Saudi Arabia, we’ve urged Henderson to counter the sportswashing effect and use his privileged status to speak out about human rights issues in the country.

“At the same time that it’s ramped up spending on overseas footballers, Saudi Arabia has cracked down on human rights at home, with peaceful activists jailed, as many as 196 people executed last year alone, and Jamal Khashoggi’s murder still the subject of a state cover-up.

“Just last week, news emerged that the retired teacher Mohammad bin Nasser al-Ghamdi has been sentenced to death by a Saudi court for his entirely peaceful remarks on Twitter and YouTube. Meanwhile, the Leeds University PhD student Salma al-Shehab is still languishing in jail after being given a decades-long sentence for tweeting her support for Saudi women’s rights activists.

“Having respect for a country’s religion and culture shouldn’t mean turning a blind eye to serious human rights violations like the criminalisation of homosexuality or the jailing of human rights defenders.

“We’re not expecting sporting figures like Henderson to reinvent themselves as human rights experts, but we’d ask them to publicly acknowledge the plight of people such as Salma al-Shehab and Mohammad bin Nasser al-Ghamdi whenever the opportunity arises.”
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I would have stayed if Liverpool wanted me

05 September 0
Henderson: I would have stayed if Liverpool wanted me


Former Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson has revealed he would have stayed at Anfield if the club wanted him.

Speaking to The Athletic, Henderson said: "There were a few things that sent alarm bells ringing. I’ve got a very good relationship with Jurgen (Klopp). He was very honest with me. I won’t go into detail about the conversation because it’s private, but it put me in a position where I knew that I wasn’t going to be playing as much. I knew there were going to be new players coming in my position.

"And if I’m not playing, as anybody will know, especially the manager, that can be quite difficult for me and especially when I’ve been at a club for so long, I’ve captained the team for so long. Especially when England’s a big thing for me. You’ve got the Euros coming up.

"And then there was an approach from Al Ettifaq to the club to see if it would be possible for me to go there. The reaction from the club again wasn’t to say no. At that moment I felt as though my value or the want for me to stay, with the manager and within the club, maybe it had shifted. I knew that time would come at some point. I didn’t think it would be now. And I had to accept that.

"If one of those people said to me, 'Now we want you to stay', then we wouldn’t be having this conversation. And I have to then think about what’s next for me in my career. Now, that’s not to say that they forced me out of the club or they were saying they wanted me to leave but at no point did I feel wanted by the club or anyone to stay.

"I’m at the latter stage of my career and I want to be happy playing football. I want to play. I don’t want to be sitting on the bench and coming on for 10 minutes in games. And I knew that would have an effect on my chances of playing for England.

"I was working so hard [in the training regime over the summer] and people saw the shape that I came back in. But when I got back, it was still the same situation, which made me think, 'Actually, this time, does it matter what I do?'


"I think a lot of clubs would have known there was a possibility of me leaving because it was speculated over the summer. I’d love to sit here and say that every club under the sun was wanting me. But the reality was that they weren’t. Liverpool is where my kids were born, I’ve achieved so much there. I love the club, I love the fans and the thought of playing against them would have been a different challenge in a different way. And it wasn’t something that I felt was right for me.

"And this opportunity with Stevie (Gerrard) in a totally different league and totally different culture was something completely different, that maybe it would excite us in terms of the project that was put in front of us, in terms of the league and using my experience to try to help with that in many different areas and feeling that people value. It’s nice to feel wanted. I know Stevie really wanted me. I know the club really wanted me to go and they wanted us to try and build over the next few years — something that is here to stay and be one of the best leagues in the world."
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Henderson: Saudi move wasn't solely about money

05 September 0
Henderson: Saudi move wasn't solely about money | I understand LGBTQ+ anger


Jordan Henderson has revealed money was not the "sole reason" behind his move to Al Ettifaq in Saudi Arabia this summer.

The former Liverpool captain was widely criticised for the move due to the country's conflicting position on LGBTQ+ rights.

Speaking to The Athletic, Henderson said: "People will see this club come with loads of money and he’s just gone, 'Yeah, I’m going'. When, in reality, that just wasn’t the case at all.

"Don’t get me wrong, when you move, the business deal has to be tight. You have to have financials, you have to feel wanted, you have to feel valued. And money is a part of that. But that wasn’t the sole reason. And these possibilities came up before money was even mentioned.

"The [£700,000-a-week] numbers aren’t true. But, again, it had to work out for us financially as well. I’m not saying that it didn’t and I’m not saying, 'Oh, I’m not on good money' because it’s good money and it was a good deal but it wasn’t the numbers that were reported. No.

"It was just difficult to make that decision. I’d been at a club for so long, a club that I love and have a lot of respect for the fans, the owners, the manager, my team-mates — to leave my team-mates was a big thing. But in the end, I felt as though it was the right thing for them as well.

"I do care about different causes that I’ve been involved in, and different communities… I do care. And for people to criticise and say that I’d turned my back on them really, really hurt me.

"[I had second thoughts about the move], about the situation with the LGBTQ+ community and with everything that is being reported in Saudi, my family, footballing decisions, team-mates...

"So, basically, I had to make the decision on what was best for me and my family... So do I go somewhere to try something new, to grow the game that I love in another country, and grow the league into one of the best in the world? That excites me because I want to grow the sport all over the world. And that got me going, really.

"And obviously the LGBTQ+ community. I can understand the frustration. I can understand the anger. I get it. All I can say around that is that I’m sorry that they feel like that. My intention was never, ever to hurt anyone. My intention has always been to help causes and communities where I felt like they have asked for my help.

"Now, when I was making the decision, the way that I tried to look at it was I felt as though, by myself not going, we can all bury our heads in the sand and criticise different cultures and different countries from afar. But then nothing’s going to happen. Nothing’s going to change.


"I think people know what my views and values were before I left and still do now. And I think having someone with those views and values in Saudi Arabia is only a positive thing.

"I wouldn’t rule [out wearing Rainbow Laces in Saudi Arabia]. But, at the same time, what I wouldn’t do is disrespect the religion and culture. If we’re all saying everybody can be who they want to be and everybody is inclusive, then we’ll have to respect that. We’ll have to respect everyone. And by doing something like that, if that did disrespect the religion, then no, I’m not going to do that. But if the opportunity comes where I can do it and it doesn’t, then yeah, because that’s my values."
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Erik ten Hag believes 'everything' went against his team during dramatic late defeat

05 September 0
Arsenal 3-1 Man Utd: Erik ten Hag believes 'everything' went against his team during dramatic late defeat

Erik ten Hag believes Alejandro Garnacho's second-half goal should have stood claiming the 'wrong angle' was used by VAR to rule out the on-field decision to award the goal; Ten Hag also felt Man Utd should have had a penalty and Declan Rice's late strike ought to have been disallowed

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag lamented a hat-trick of decisions which went against his side during Sunday's pulsating 3-1 defeat to Arsenal.

Declan Rice and Gabriel Jesus fired the Gunners to a stunning stoppage-time victory as a thrill-a-minute clash came to an unforgettable conclusion.

The match looked set to end in an absorbing draw after a penalty for a foul on Kai Havertz was overturned following a pitchside review, before the VAR ruled out substitute Alejandro Garnacho's late winner for narrowly straying offside.

Image:Alejandro Garnacho beats Aaron Ramsdale but his effort is ruled out by VAR for offside

Ten Hag blamed United's defeat on various refereeing decisions, saying "everything went against us."

The Dutchman told Sky Sports: "The performance was alright from us. I thought we played a very good game but everything went against us - then you don't win the game.

"We needed a little bit more luck to win the game. It was not offside [for Alejandro Garnacho goal]. It was the wrong angle.

"It was then a penalty on [Rasmus] Hojlund and then we concede a goal that's a foul on Jonny Evans. It's so clear and obvious.
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Sunday

8 best football streaming websites for soccer lovers

03 September 0
8 best websites to stream soccer live for free. Which one is the best choice for users in 2023?


It is no secret that football is among the most popular and widely watched sports. Everybody who likes football tries to find the best platform for free soccer streaming. So, what are the best free sports streaming sites? We are going to answer this question. On this page, you can find a detailed overview of the most widespread soccer streaming websites. Keep on reading and make the best choice for you.
Don’t forget about the VPN

Some of the websites mentioned in this list have some limitations concerning viewing opportunities. One of them is that users from certain areas may not have access to such platforms. The most popular way to get around these restrictions is to download a VPN.

There are lots of free service providers to choose from. For the best experience, we suggest using trial options so that you can see which service works the best. You can try how it works on your mobile device or your smart TV and pick the most reliable provider. The user experience with smart TV VPN opens numerous football streaming opportunities for fans worldwide. Services like VeePN ensure safe and hassle-free access to all the websites for free football streaming.

What are the best sites for streaming live football?

Here is a list of football streaming websites that are definitely worth your attention.

1. Live Soccer TV

This is a user-friendly website where you can stream or watch replays of many American and European sports, not only football. Among this platform's benefits, we can mention high-quality graphics and visuals that provide viewers an excellent experience. What is more, there is both a website and a mobile application that supports many languages. The highlight of this website is a list of upcoming events most users find helpful. You don’t need to sign up to live-stream games. The only drawback is pop-up ads. If it is not available in your region, try downloading VeePN for Smart TV to access this streaming platform.


2. Live TV

This is one of the major sites where you can watch live football for free. According to the statistics, it has over 20 million visitors every month. This is an amazing platform as it has gone far beyond simply streaming football. It offers plenty of helpful options for football fans, such as the latest news, football highlights, forums, etc. To access all the extended features, users need to create an account. This website has a highly responsive interface and a search option that ensures an excellent viewer experience. Moreover, this platform ensures it is available from anywhere in the world, so you don’t need to have a VPN on TV to stream there.

3. Sky Sports

Sky Sports is an excellent platform if you want to livestream your favorite sport without registering. It is available for free, and importantly, ads on this platform are limited. Apart from live streams, there are football and sports news, paper talk pages to exchange the latest rumors or news, etc.


4. Sport Plus

Sport Plus is a platform offering live streams of different sports events all over the world. Users can access this website without using any VPN apps. Except for football, there are also hockey, basketball, tennis, and many other events. Users don’t need to register to watch games. However, some content and options are available to paid users only.

5. SONY LIV

This is a top-notch platform most viewers are excited about. It allows watching soccer live stream free in high quality and without any lags or hassle. Moreover, there are mobile apps for iOS and Android. There are many other sports available like racing, tennis, etc. Its key feature is a user-friendly, intuitive, and smooth interface. There is plenty of other content except for sports like entertainment, and news, sponsored by Sony Pictures.

6. Hotstar

Hotstar is an online streaming platform that offers an amazing user experience. It has a highly functional interface and a wide range of streams to choose from. This is one of the top soccer streaming services for such reasons as amazing content quality and numerous sports available. Importantly, there are no pop-up ads.

Hotstar offers both free and paid subscriptions to its users. The only disadvantage is that users in some countries need VPN apps to livestream on this website. But having installed VeePN for Smart TV, you have no problems with this platform.

7. Facebook Watch

This is a relatively new platform, and many users may not even know about its existence. In a nutshell, it resembles a YouTube inside of Facebook. It is available on both computers and mobile devices. Its key features are a user-friendly interface, a personalized search option, and numerous languages'; support. It has no geo-restrictions, so you don’t need to use any additional VPN apps. The disadvantage is the advertisements that can bother you while watching.


8. SportRAR

Last but not least, SportRAR is a completely free platform for football streaming. It has an easy-to-use and responsive interface and enables streaming soccer games in HD quality. Apart from football, you can also stream tennis, hockey, and basketball games. SportRAR also offers such perks as game analysis, live score, etc. Users get direct links to the streams, which is also great. This is an incredible option to watch games in high quality for free and without ads.

These are the platforms to take into account while searching for the best football streaming website. The content on all of them is great, and we hope you will pick the website meeting all your requirements.

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Thursday

Rice delivers on every level

25 August 0



Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta told a colourful tale about taking various routes into work every morning to illustrate his belief that every game tells a different story.

The Gunners' 3-1 win over Manchester United at Emirates Stadium had several plot twists in stoppage time alone, but one central character deserved his top billing as this chaotic game's headline act.

Arteta was reacting to suggestions he had started to over-complicate the strategies that had made Arsenal such impressive title challengers and long-time Premier League leaders last season before they cracked under relentless pressure from Manchester City at the final fences.

What is beyond dispute it that Declan Rice, at £105m from West Ham United, is the game-changing signing Arteta had in mind when he put such time and effort into the pursuit of his top summer transfer priority.

Rice was signed for games like this, moments like this, when Arsenal had been largely frustrated by Manchester United. They even thought they might suffer defeat until the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) ruled substitute Alejandro Garnacho had started his run just too early before scoring what he thought might be the winning goal in the 88th minute.

The 24-year-old Rice had been the game's outstanding performer, bringing composure and order to a game in which both sides seemed riddled with tension, falling short of the standards Arteta and United counterpart Erik ten Hag would normally expect.

Rice then made the decisive contribution deep into added time, lurking unattended at the far post at a corner and beating United keeper Andre Onana at the near one, via a slight but crucial deflection off substitute Jonny Evans.

Gabriel Jesus' solo goal - as a stunned United pushed for an equaliser - was a flourish that eased any late nerves.

But the Arsenal fans knew who was the driving force behind this win.

Big players deliver the big moments to decide the big games. Rice delivered on every level.

A thunderous roar swept around Emirates Stadium before it echoed to the new Rice anthem - a predictably re-worded rendition of Vanilla Ice's hit 'Ice Ice Baby'.

Rice took in the acclaim at the final whistle and once more when he appeared for post-match media duties. No-one has doubted the England man's playing ability or mental strength to deal with his huge price tag and greater expectations. This performance and victory provided the proof.

He could barely remove the beam from his face when he said: "Arsenal is a massive club and you feel the pressure but I try to put in performances.

"I am eager to learn and improve and we want to push to the next level. Everyone's been amazing. I like to have a laugh and speak to people and I've settled in well."

Arsenal certainly needed Rice to make the difference here because, for much of this game, they missed the fluency and pace that saw them set the pace for so long last season before that late collapse.

There were questions about Arteta's tinkering - especially the introduction and role of new signing Kai Havertz.

So this win not only settled nerves but sent Arsenal into the international break on a high when it looked like it could all be so different as they waited for the VAR verdict on Garnacho's strike.

Havertz does have his doubters among Arsenal's fanbase who question why Arteta felt the need to pay Chelsea £65m for a player who is talented but inconsistent, arguably an excessive luxury item in what had been a settled system.

None of those doubts went away here, though, as Havertz was anonymous apart from a horrendous early fresh air shot with the goal at his mercy.

Then when he went down under a challenge from Aaron Wan-Bissaka in the second half only to see a penalty, initially awarded by referee Anthony Taylor, chalked off by VAR.

Arterta has no such doubt, but it is fair to ask what Havertz's best role is in this Arsenal team and what he adds to the potent combinations of last season.

There is not a single question surrounding Rice.

Few players are a guarantee at £105m - an excessive fee admittedly but the result of market forces - but Rice is one and he has been demonstrating how significant he will be even as Arsenal's early-season form was tentative.

As for Manchester United, this was a chastening experience after Marcus Rashford gave them a 27th-minute lead only for Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard to equalise seconds later.

There was some hope in a bustling cameo from £72m striker Rasmus Hojlund on his debut, the 20-year-old putting himself about to good effect and suggesting he could be the physical presence and focal point United have sorely missed.

And there was a brutal reminder of their current reduced circumstances when injuries to Victor Lindelof and Lisandro Martinez saw them end up with Harry Maguire, effectively an unwanted outcast under Ten Hag, and the 35-year-old emergency signing Jonny Evans manning the defensive barricades in those crucial closing phases.

The outburst of relief and celebration from Arsenal's fans at the conclusion was in sharp contrast to the despair in the corner of United supporters.

But Rice had shown why the Gunners paid the big bucks and it is certain there will be more instalments in future.
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