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
Leicester City’s Jeremy Monga, who became the second-youngest Premier League player when he made his senior debut in Monday’s 3-0 loss to Newcastle United, had to wear a blank shirt because it is sponsored by an online cryptocurrency gaming platform.
Britain’s Gambling Act 2005, which underwent a review in 2020, prohibits players under 18 from wearing kits displaying gambling sponsors. Monga, an England U16 international, made his senior debut at 15 years 271 days old.
Arsenal’s Ethan Nwaneri remains the youngest Premier League player in history, having debuted in the competition when he was 90 days younger than Monga.
Leicester, who suffered an eighth straight loss in the league without scoring a goal, are 19th in the standings, 15 points below the safety zone.
-Reuters
Manchester United and Manchester City players came under fire for their amiable hugs and handshakes after playing out an entirely forgettable 0-0 Premier League derby draw at Old Trafford on Sunday.
In a match between teams limping through disappointing seasons, City failed to leapfrog Chelsea in their bid for Champions League qualification and remained fifth in the table while United languished in 13th place.
Pundits said the friendly post-game scenes were an indication of a lack of passion.
“I think the congratulations and love-in that I’m watching says both teams are happy with a 0-0,” former United captain Gary Neville said on Sky Sports. “The best Man City and Man United teams would be very disappointed with the way they’ve approached the end of that game.
“It looks like it’s Sunday afternoon and they’re going to go for a roast dinner together now.”
Former United midfielder Roy Keane agreed.
“They get interviewed after as if a draw isn’t too bad,” Keane said. “A draw doesn’t get you anywhere fast. This is not enough, this isn’t good enough.”
United manager Ruben Amorim shrugged off the comments with a smile.
“I understand that Gary Neville is critical about everything,” he said. “And then I understand that in the moment we are doing the worst (United) season in history. Manchester City who won everything in the past this season are struggling. So we are not in the best moments to give the best spectacle to every fan.
“And then when we are not fighting for the big things, of course, it’s different. You have to look at the context of the game, and I understand the critical aspect of the players that played in this game in a different way (such as Neville and Keane), because they were fighting every time for the titles, so it’s a different context.”
The mood was not entirely convivial, however, with
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola unhappy about the boorish chants by United fans aimed at his midfielder Phil Foden.
“A lack of class, but it is not United, it is the people,” Guardiola said. “We are so exposed, people who are now on the screen in world football – managers, owners and football players, especially.
“And, honestly, I don’t understand the mind of people involving the name of Phil’s mum in that. So it’s a lack of integrity, a lack of class and they should be ashamed. But it is what it is, so it’s happening everywhere, I would say, not just in UK.”
Guardiola said he was not concerned about Champions League qualification.
“Eight games. Crystal Palace (their next game on Saturday). We go for it,” he said. “I’d prefer to have 10 more points or 12 more points. In the previous season, there were five, six or seven games left, we were already fine, but it’s what it is.”
-Reuters
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Manchester United can claim a league double over Manchester City for the first time in five years and Ruben Amorim needs that victory more than ever in a season where the club are headed for their worst finish in Premier League history.
United have only two wins from their last seven games but form is rarely a factor in the Manchester derby and Amorim can take heart from the fact that his side snatched an unlikely victory the last time the two sides met.
But while City, who corrected their course after plummeting down the table, look primed to qualify for the Champions League and potentially win the FA Cup, United have lost their way to cast a pall of gloom over the home of the 20-times champions.
A 1-0 loss at Nottingham Forest on Tuesday left United 13th in the table after 13 defeats. A loss to Pep Guardiola’s City side would see the Old Trafford club equal their forgettable 2023-24 record of 14 defeats in a Premier League season.
With forwards Joshua Zirkzee and Rasmus Hojlund misfiring, a desperate Amorim threw defender Harry Maguire into the attack in the forlorn hope that a big man could strike against Forest.
The pressure has been mounting on the Portuguese manager who has admitted he does not have time to turn things around.
“We know that this season is going to be like that – win momentum, lose momentum. We continue going into the next match,” Amorim said.
But one big man he will not have to worry about is City striker Erling Haaland. The Norwegian netted twice on his last visit to Old Trafford but an ankle injury will keep him out until the end of the season.
That would come as a huge relief to any defender but United will still be on high alert with City’s January recruit Omar Marmoush on a hot streak having netted in his last three games.
“He has a good sense, good numbers for the short time he’s been with us. Dynamic, good pressing, really pleased for him,” Guardiola said after the Egypt international scored on Wednesday in City’s 2-0 win over Leicester City.
GABRIEL SIDELINED
Arsenal travel to Everton in the early game on Saturday without defender Gabriel, the third of Mikel Arteta’s players to have been sidelined with a season-ending injury.
The Gunners are 12 points behind Liverpool and running out of games to catch Arne Slot’s team, who need 13 points from their last eight games to seal the title.
“With eight games to go, every game is a challenge – starting with Fulham, who are having a very good season as well,” Slot said.
“We are not working on theories about how many points (are needed). We are taking the challenge of Fulham.”
Seventh-placed Aston Villa, who are three points off the top four, host Forest in third, with boss Unai Emery trying to balance domestic ambitions with their Champions League quarter-final against his former club Paris St Germain next week.
At the other end of the table, Tottenham Hotspur host bottom side Southampton, who are trying to avoid finishing the season as the worst team in Premier League history.
With 10 points from 30 games, a draw would bring Saints level with the 2007-08 Derby County side that finished the campaign with a paltry 11 points.
-Reuters
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