Premier League
Awoniyi steers Nottingham Forest out of drop zone, but compounds Onuachu’s woes at Southampton
Two Super Eagles’ players had contrasting fortunes Monday night at the English Premier League.
For Nottingham’s Taiwo Awoniyi, it was a big escape. But for Paul Onuachu’s Southapmton, the woes were further compounded.
Nottingham Forest’s Premier League survival hopes got a massive boost as Taiwo Awoniyi’s brace helped them to a 4-3 home win over bottom club Southampton whose 10-year stay in the top flight looked to be coming to an end on Monday.
A nerve-jangling City Ground clash exposed the defensive frailties of both sides with Nigerian striker Awoniyi scoring twice within four minutes early on to give his side control before Carlos Alcaraz hit back for the visitors.
A Morgan Gibbs-White penalty restored Forest’s two-goal lead in the 44th minute but Forest’s fans were on edge again when a Lyanco header gave Southampton renewed hope.
Southampton were threatening an equaliser but Forest struck on the break in the 73rd minute with Danilo finishing off a flowing move. Forest had a Felipe goal ruled out for offside before Saints captain James Ward-Prowse ratcheted up the tension by converting a stoppage-time penalty.
Forest held out for the three points that lifted them out of the relegation zone to 16th with 33 points from 35 games.
Southampton have 24 points from 35 games and are eight points below the safety zone with three games left. Failure to beat Fulham in their next game will condemn them to the drop.
It was a joyous night for Forest although manager Steve Cooper’s fingernails, not to mention those of the club’s vociferous fans, would have taken a battering.
Two-time European champions Forest’s first season back in the top flight has been a struggle but they can finally see light at the end of the tunnel.
Victory against Southampton was imperative and it was achieved largely thanks to Awoniyi’s first goals since January and superb displays by Gibbs-White and Brennan Johnson.
“The most important thing was the win, I just felt we showed some good attacking moments and recovered from mistakes because at times we didn’t cover ourselves in glory,” Cooper said.
“But we stuck together and got over the line.”
Johnson’s sizzling pace caused Southampton problems all night and his superb low cross was struck home by Awoniyi in the 18th minute. Three minutes later Forest turned the screws when Danilo flicked the ball towards Awoniyi who swivelled to smash a superb volley past Alex McCarthy.
Southampton had looked the better side up until Awoniyi’s quickfire double and got back into the game when Stuart Armstrong set up Alcaraz to fire past Keylor Navas.
Chances went begging at both ends before Johnson was quick to a loose ball in the area and was tripped by Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Gibbs-White thumped home the penalty.
Ward-Prowse’s delivery was headed in by Lyanco and Forest were hanging on before a sensational flick by Gibbs-White played in Danilo to beat McCarthy with a clinical finish.
It was never going to be that straightforward though and Forest’s hearts were in their mouths after Ward-Prowse’s late penalty led to a late Southampton siege.
With relegation looking a near-certainty, Ruben Selles, Southampton’s third manager of a dreadful season, said he was not sure what his future held.
“I can tell you what we are going to do for the next weeks, we are going to just keep working as much as we can and keep the situations for the future for the people that need to be responsible for that,” he said.
-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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