Premier League
ARSENAL BOSS, ARTETA IS FRUSTRATED
Mikel Arteta admitted Arsenal were unrecognisable from the side that has made plenty of progress in his first year in charge as Aston Villa stormed to a comprehensive 3-0 Premier League win at the Emirates on Sunday (Nov 8).
Bukayo Saka’s own goal and a double from Ollie Watkins took Villa up to sixth, just three points off the top of the table with a game in hand.
Arsenal had beaten Manchester United at Old Trafford for the first time in 14 years the previous weekend in what appeared to be the latest sign the Gunners are heading in the right direction under Arteta.
But the Spaniard suffered the joint heaviest defeat of his managerial career in a chastening evening for the hosts, who were second best from start to finish.
A second consecutive home defeat for Arsenal sees them slip to 11th, four points off their major target for the season of a top-four finish.
“We performed below our standards and I have to say it’s the first time I’ve seen us play and we weren’t a team,” said Arteta.
“We lost all the races, the duels and we were sloppy on the ball.
“It is a frustration. It takes a lot to build momentum, to build a way of being, living and performing and when something like that comes up, it’s a hard one to take.”
Villa thought they had taken the lead inside the first minute when John McGinn rifled into the roof of the net from Jack Grealish’s pass.
However, after a VAR review lasting over four minutes, the goal was ruled out for Ross Barkley in an offside position standing in front of Arsenal goalkeeper Bernd Leno being ruled to be interfering with play.
VILLA RUN RIOT
Villa had lost their last two matches after a stunning start to the season that included a 7-2 thrashing of Liverpool a month ago.
But Dean Smith’s side did not look like a team lacking confidence as Arsenal struggled to cope with the movement of Grealish, Barkley and Watkins.
“We’re a threat with them in the team. They’re all blossoming really well but there’s more to come from them,” said Smith.
Barkley’s pass freed Matt Targett down the left and his cross was turned into his own net by Saka as he desperately tried to stop Trezeguet from applying the final touch.
Alexandre Lacazette wasted Arsenal’s best chance to get back into the game when he wastefully headed over Kieran Tierney’s cross just before half-time.
There was a further blow to the hosts at the break as £45 million (S$59 million) new signing Thomas Partey had to be replaced by Ceballos due to a thigh injury.
Villa remained the bigger threat in the second half as Leno was forced into saves by Trezeguet and Grealish.
The visitors finally killed the game off as a contest 18 minutes from time when Watkins – who scored a hat-trick in the famous win over Liverpool – headed home Barkley’s excellent volleyed cross.
Ceballos saved Arsenal moments later with a goal-line clearance when Grealish seemed set to get the goal his performance deserved.
A brilliant counter-attack then did give the scoreline the reflection Villa deserved as Grealish drove forward before feeding Watkins to fire past Leno.
“You’ve seen tonight and against Liverpool, we’re a great side and we can beat anyone,” said Watkins.
-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
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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
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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
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