Premier League
Salah scores his 100th Premier League goal
Mohamed Salah’s 100th Premier League goal helped Liverpool cruise to a 3-0 victory at 10-man Leeds United on Sunday (Sept 12) in a match that was marred by a nasty injury to teenager Harvey Elliott.
After a lightning-fast start to the game, Salah became the 30th player to join the Premier League’s 100-goal club in the 20th minute, tapping home from close range from a Trent Alexander-Arnold cross.
The visitors missed a host of chances to make it two in the first half, before Fabinho made one count early in the second period to put Juergen Klopp’s side on course for three points in West Yorkshire.
There was a worrying sight later in the half as Elliott needed lengthy treatment on the pitch following a tackle from Leeds’ Pascal Struijk, with the hosts’ substitute shown a straight red card for the challenge by the referee.
Elliott was taken off on a stretcher with what appeared to be a serious leg injury, receiving applause from Leeds fans as he was taken down the touchline.
Liverpool regained their composure to add a stoppage-time third through Sadio Mane to put the seal on a victory that moved them above Manchester City into third in the standings, while Leeds sit 17th without a win from four league matches this season.
-Reuters
Premier League
Ten Hag’s Man United future not my call, Ratcliffe says
Manchester United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe said a decision about under-fire manager Erik ten Hag is not his call, and was reticent about whether he still has faith in the team’s boss amid their worst start to the Premier League season since 1986-87.
“I don’t want to answer that question,” Ratcliffe told the BBC. “I like Erik. I think he’s a very good coach but at the end of the day it’s not my call, it’s the management team that’s running Manchester United that have to decide how we best run the team in many different respects.
“That team that’s running Manchester United has only been together since June or July. They weren’t there in January, February, March or April — Omar (Berrada, CEO), (Sporting Director) Dan Ashworth — they only arrived in July.
“They’ve only been there . . . you can count it in weeks almost — they’ve not been there a long time so they need to take stock and make some sensible decisions.”
Ten Hag’s job was the subject of speculation for much of last season en route to the team’s lowest Premier League finish of eighth. After an FA Cup final victory over Manchester City and an end-of-season review, however, Ten Hag signed a new contract to extend his stay at Old Trafford until 2026.
“Our objective is very clear, we want to take Manchester United back to where it should be, and it’s not there yet, obviously, that’s very clear,” Ratcliffe said.
Ten Hag continues to plead for patience from fans with the team languishing 13th in the Premier League table, having lost three of their six opening games. They were headed towards defeat by Porto in the Europa League on Thursday before Harry Maguire scored a last-gasp goal to salvage a 3-3 draw.
-Reuters
Premier League
Saka says this is Arsenal’s year after back-to-back Premier League misses
Arsenal can go all the way and end their 21-year wait for a Premier League title this season, winger Bukayo Saka said after his side beat Ligue 1 champions Paris St Germain 2-0 in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Arsenal finished runners-up in 2022-23 and took the Premier League title race to the final day last season before once again finishing second behind Manchester City.
The north London side are in the mix this season, sitting third in the league standings, and their impressive victory over French heavyweights PSG underlined their title credentials, with Kai Havertz and Saka scoring in the match.
“I don’t want to put too much pressure on us but I do think that this is the year (that we can win the title),” Saka told CBS Sports.
“I think we’ve been close the last two years and we’re getting closer but this hopefully will be the year.”
Saka, who has established himself as a key player at Arsenal and was their top-scorer in the Premier League last season, said the club’s near misses had left him hungry for success.
“Previous years, I’ve come runners-up a lot. It’s just that spirit in me that I want to win this season and of course, I believe in myself a lot,” the 23-year-old told Amazon Prime.
“With those two things, it helps. We believe in ourselves, we believe we’re a top team. We showed that tonight (against PSG). I did tell the boys we have to make a statement when big teams are coming to the Emirates.”
Arsenal next host 19th-placed Southampton in a league match on Saturday.
-Reuters
Premier League
In ‘Battle of Four Super Eagles’ Aina and Awoniyi are lost in the Forest as Bassey and Iwobi triumph
Four Super Eagles players were in a contest Saturday night in an English Premier League battle that paired two on both sides.
Calvin Bassey and Alex Iwobi were in the Fulham side that raided Nottingham Forest who paraded the duo of Ola Aina and Taiwo Awoniyi.
It was one of the late Premier League matches of the day. Iwobi and Bassey were in the winning side as Nottingham lost 1-0 at home.
Awoniyi had a good chance to score in the 19th minute after getting on the end of a nice pass. Unfortunately for him, he smashed his volley just wide.
The first half did not see many chances and it ended goalless. Awoniyi had just one shot on goal and by the break, coach Nuno Espirito Santo decided to take him off for Anthony Elanga.
However, that did not give Forest the attacking edge they were looking for.
Rather, just three minutes into the second half, they conceded a penalty. Fulham striker Raul Jimenez made no mistake as he converted with aplomb to make it 1-0 to his side.
Iwobi had a good chance to score in the 61st minute after a nice build-up from the midfield.
But his strike was blocked by a defender. Despite the fact that they were searching for goals, Nottingham Forest failed to create much in the final third.
Aina was decent, but could not do much in the attacking third. On the other hand, Bassey was sturdy at the back for Fulham. After 90 minutes, the game ended 1-0 to Fulham.
-
AFCON1 week ago
Nigeria confirms Eguavoen as Super Eagles head coach
-
International Football4 days ago
Why FIFA banned Samuel Eto’o
-
Governing Bodies1 week ago
CAF gives Yoruba and Arabic interpretations of ‘OLA’ the Super Cup 2024 Official Match Ball
-
WOMEN'S FOOTBALL1 week ago
Justin Madugu takes over from Waldrum as Super Falcons coach
-
CAF Super Cup1 week ago
Ahly and Zamalek set for epic CAF Super Cup showdown in Riyadh
-
Governing Bodies1 week ago
Zimbabwean set to become first African and woman president of IOC
-
CHAN1 week ago
CAF confirms Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania as CHAN 2024 Hosts
-
World Cup1 week ago
For World Cup sake, Saudi set to welcome Lesbians and gays