Premier League
ARSENAL STRIKE LATE TO BEAT WASTEFUL WEST HAM
Mikel Arteta praised Arsenal’s mental strength to strike late through Eddie Nketiah and beat West Ham 2-1 despite an underwhelming performance at the Emirates.
The Gunners move level with Everton and Crystal Palace on maximum points at the top of the table after two games, but were far from the standards they have set under Arteta.
After Michail Antonio cancelled out Alexandre Lacazette’s opener for the hosts, West Ham enjoyed the majority of the chances.
Antonio saw a second-half header come back off the bar, but Arsenal were ruthless with their chance to win the game as Dani Ceballos timed his run perfectly in behind the West Ham defence to square for Nketiah, who had the simple task of rolling into an empty net.
“I am really happy with the three points and it’s a time to analyse properly because we have a lot of issues,” said Arteta.
“What I like is the approach the boys had in the last 25 minutes where I could see they were a bit down and then they lift it and probably a few months ago we would have drawn or lost that game and today we win it.
“In the end you have to find a way because there will be games like this through the season.”
After winning the FA Cup and Community Shield and starting their season with a flourish by winning 3-0 at Fulham on the opening weekend, Arsenal were expected to swot aside a West Ham team that were easily beaten by Newcastle a week ago.
But David Moyes’ men deserved something to show for their performance and felt hard done by with some decisions that went against them.
After a relatively trouble free first weekend of the season for VAR reviews, the inconsistent application of what constitutes handball reared its head on Saturday.
Manchester United’s Victor Lindelof was penalised for handling inside the box during his side’s 3-1 home defeat to Crystal Palace, but West Ham were not awarded a penalty for what seemed a much more obvious handball from Gabriel Magalhaes early on.
“I definitely think we should have had a penalty,” said Moyes.
“But we don’t know the rules, really, do we?”
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang committed his future to Arsenal earlier this week by signing a new three-year contract and the Gunners’ prolific goalscorer was the creator for the opening goal as he just managed to stay onside from Bukayo Saka’s pass before crossing for Lacazette to power a header home.
That was the only clear opening the hosts created before half-time and West Ham levelled just before the break when Antonio outmuscled Rob Holding to turn home Ryan Fredericks’s inviting cross.
Antonio was a constant menace to the Arsenal defence and came close twice more in the second period.
Gabriel just did enough to take the sting out of his first effort for Bernd Leno to save on the line before Antonio powered a header back off the crossbar.
And West Ham were made to rue those missed chances as Arsenal were clinical with their only clear sight of goal in the second-half.
“Not to be rewarded with some points tonight is really hard on us,” added Moyes.
“For us just to turn off in the last five minutes, it’s criminal.”
Ceballos and Nketiah were involved in a spat during the warm-up at Craven Cottage last weekend, but showed they were back on the same wavelength as the Spanish midfielder unselfishly squared for the England under-21 international.
“We made up pretty quickly,” said Nketiah. “That’s what happens in life and it was nice for him to make the assist for me today, so it’s all love.”
-AFP
Thomas Partey, who formerly played for English Premier League soccer club Arsenal, has been charged with rape and sexual assault, London’s Metropolitan Police said on Friday.
Partey, a Ghana international, was charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, with the charges relating to three women and the offences reported to have taken place between 2021 and 2022, the statement said.
Partey’s management did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
He is due to appear at London’s Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Aug. 5.
Partey, 32, was signed by Arsenal from Atletico Madrid for 50 million euros ($59 million) in October 2020 and became a key member of Arsenal’s first team.
He was first arrested in July 2022, though he was not named at the time and continued to play for Arsenal while investigations were ongoing.
-Reuters
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
Five players including England forward Marcus Rashford and Argentina winger Alejandro Garnacho have informed Manchester United that they wish to explore a future away from the Premier League side, a club source said on Friday.
Brazilian midfielder Antony, Dutch defender Tyrell Malacia and England international Jadon Sancho are also looking to leave the club, the source added.
Rashford, who has made more than 400 senior appearances for United, has fallen out of favour with manager Ruben Amorim, played for Aston Villa on loan while United had their worst-ever Premier League campaign, finishing 15th in the standings.
Amorim had called Rashford’s work rate into question, saying he would rather put a goalkeeper coach on the bench than a player not giving their all.
Rashford said he was feeling fitter and better since joining Villa, where he scored two goals in 10 league appearances.
United also failed to qualify for the Champions League as they lost the Europa League final 1-0 to Tottenham Hotspur. Garnacho, who was a late substitute in the final, voiced his displeasure on social media after the loss.
“Up until the final, I played every round helping the team, and today I play 20 minutes, I don’t know,” he wrote in a post . “The final will influence (my decision), but the whole season, the situation of the club.”
Sancho was on loan at Chelsea, where he made 31 league appearances last season. Antony, who joined United from Ajax Amsterdam in 2022 for a reported initial transfer fee of more than $100 million, scored five goals in 17 LaLiga appearances on loan at Real Betis.
Malacia joined Dutch side PSV Eindhoven on loan in February.
-Reuters
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes turned down the opportunity to join Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal in order to keep playing “at the highest level”, he said on Tuesday.
The Portuguese midfielder admitted that he had considered the move, which media reports said was worth four times his current salary, after being contacted by Al-Hilal’s president.
“There was that possibility, the president of Al-Hilal called me a month ago to ask me about it,” Fernandes, who is preparing to face Germany with Portugal, told reporters on Tuesday.
“It was a big offer, very ambitious. There was a waiting period for me to think about the future.”
Fernandes ultimately decided to stay at United and said he was motivated by his desire to continue playing at the top level and encouraged by his family and the club’s coach Ruben Amorim.
“I would be willing to do it if Manchester United thought so,” Fernandes added. “I spoke to the coach Ruben Amorim who really tried to talk me out of it. The club said they would not be willing to sell me, only if I wanted to leave.
“I spoke to my wife and family, and she asked me what my personal goals were in my career.
“It would have been easy to move there but I want to keep myself at the highest level, playing in the big competitions and I feel capable of it. I am happy with my decision.”
The 30-year-old Fernandes scored 19 goals and provided 19 assists in 57 appearances across all competitions for United last season, winning the club’s Player of the Year award for the fourth time.
However, it was a season to forget for the team, as they finished 15th in the Premier League, their lowest league finish in half a century, and lost the Europa League final to Tottenham Hotspur.
-Reuters
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
- OBITUARY6 days ago
BREAKING: Nigerian Goalkeeping Legend Peter Rufai is dead
- Nigerian Football6 days ago
Football Agent John Shittu Demands Retraction and ₦250 Million Damages from Samson Siasia Over Bribery Allegation
- WAFCON4 days ago
Nigeria, Tunisia Set for High-Stakes WAFCON 2024 Clash in Casablanca
- OBITUARY4 days ago
Peter Rufai and I, Ike Shorunmu, pays tribute to late mentor
- OBITUARY6 days ago
Peter Rufai looked lean when I last saw him, says mourning NFF President, Gusau
- OBITUARY6 days ago
Family issues statement on Peter Rufai
- WAFCON3 days ago
WAFCON 2024: At last, Super Falcons break opening match losing streak
- IMMEMORIAL5 days ago
Peter Rufai’s Death Adds to Long List of July Tragedies in Nigerian Football