Premier League
Brentford shock Chelsea 4-1 with Eriksen on target
A goal for Christian Eriksen, two from Vitaly Janelt and a late addition from Yoane Wissa earned Brentford a shock 4-1 comeback victory over west London neighbours Chelsea in the Premier League on Saturday.
It was Brentford’s first Premier League visit to Stamford Bridge and it looked to be going the European Champions’ way when centre back Antonio Rudiger brought the game to life after a dull first half with his screamer of a shot from about 35 metres flying in off the post.
A goal for Christian Eriksen, two from Vitaly Janelt and a late addition from Yoane Wissa earned Brentford a shock 4-1 comeback victory over west London neighbours Chelsea in the Premier League on Saturday.
It was Brentford’s first Premier League visit to Stamford Bridge and it looked to be going the European Champions’ way when centre back Antonio Rudiger brought the game to life after a dull first half with his screamer of a shot from about 35 metres flying in off the post.
The German raced to the bench and hugged coach and compatriot Thomas Tuchel but the home celebrations were short-lived, proving merely a prelude to 10 minutes of frenzied action from their lowly visitors.
Two minutes later on the break the lively Bryan Mbuemo put Janelt through to score.
Mbuemo then assisted Brentford’s second with a pinpoint pass to Eriksen for the Dane to score his first goal for his new team in the 54th minute.
Eriksen, whose career had been in doubt after he collapsed on the pitch during the European Championship last year, had also scored twice in two games for his country during the recent international break.
Janelt sent the away end of Stamford Bridge into raptures in the 60th minute with a looping shot from an Ivan Toney pass to put them on course for all three points and a move further away from the relegation zone.
Substitute Wissa put the icing on the cake in the 87th minute, condemning a lacklustre Chelsea to their first home defeat since September.
It was the first victory for promoted Brentford over Chelsea since 1939.
The home side, who had won their last five games despite the turmoil surrounding the club with sanctions against Roman Abramovich and the search for a new owner, looked off the pace from the start.
Hakim Ziyech had the best chance of the first half for Chelsea, letting rip a powerful shot from the right that David Raya tipped over the bar in the 38th minute.
Brentford had already sent out warning signs with Toney having three chances in the first 20 minutes, firing over the bar and testing Edouard Mendy with a shot that needed tipping round the post.
Chelsea, who had not lost in the Premier League since mid-January, remain third in the table but lost ground on leaders Manchester City and Liverpool who both won on Saturday. Brentford moved up to 14th,four places above the drop zone.
-Reuters
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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