Tag: goals

Arsenal end nightmare streak as Gabriel Jesus continues incredible resurgence

Arsenal have avoided an alarming stat stretching to a tenth game as they began 2025 in the perfect manner.

Mikel Arteta‘s side picked up a big three points as they overcame Brentford 3-1 at the Gtech Community Stadium on New Year’s Day.

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Arsenal picked up a big three points away to BrentfordCredit: Getty

It was Brentford who stole a surprise lead in the 13th minute as Bryan Mbeumo scored his ninth goal at home in the Premier League this season.

With the Bees ahead, it left the Gunners with an uphill battle to work their way back into the contest.

History was not on Arsenal’s side either, as they had failed to win their last nine away league games whenever the opposition had scored first.

Thankully for Arteta’s side, that worrying run did not extend to a tenth game.

Gabriel Jesus netted the equaliser for the Gunners in the 29th minute to spark jubilant scenes in the away end.

The Brazilian was on his toes to nod home the rebound after Bees goalkeeper Mark Flekken made an impressive stop to deny Thomas Partey from range.

Jesus’ goal was his sixth in his last four games for the Gunners across all competitions.

The tally matched Jesus’ haul from his previous 48 games for the club, emphasising the impressive form he’s enjoyed of late.

Arsenal then ripped the contest away from Brentford with two strikes in the space of three minutes early in the second half.

Mikel Merino found himself in the right place at the right time as Brentford failed to clear their lines from a cross, smashing home from close range after the ball pin-balled around inside the hosts’ 18-yard box.

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Martinelli notched his fifth Premier League goal of the campaign against the BeesCredit: AFP

Gabriel Martinelli added Arsenal’s third in the 53rd minute when Brentford once again could not deal with a cross.

The Bees defended Ethan Nwaneri’s whipped ball into the box but it landed straight at Martinelli, who controlled the ball before unleashing an unstoppable volley.

Martinelli’s strike was his third in his last three away starts for Arsenal and helped to give Arteta’s side some needed breathing space against Brentford.

Arsenal’s third goal sucked the life out of the Brentford fans and the team, who simply could not handle the visitors changing gears.

The win lifted Arsenal back up to second in the Premier League table, leapfrogging Nottingham Forest in the process.

However, they remain six points behind league leaders Liverpool, who also have a game in hand over the Gunners.

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Arteta and his stars were all smiles having moved back up to second in the tableCredit: AFP

As for Brentford, the loss extended their winless run to a fifth match and was their second-consecutive defeat at home having previously been unbeaten all season long.

Despite the defeat, the Bees remain 12th on 24 points.

Thomas Frank’s side have a golden chance to snap their winless run when they travel to last-placed Southampton on January 4.

Arsenal are also in action on the same day as they make the trip down south to Brighton, who are in the midst of a run of seven games without a win.

Gabriel Jesus’ last six games for Arsenal

December 11 vs AS Monaco (Champions League): Assist

December 14 vs Everton (Premier League): N/A

December 18 vs Crystal Palace (Carabao Cup): Three goals

December 21 vs Crystal Palace (Premier League): Two goals

December 27 vs Ipswich Town (Premier League): N/A

January 1 vs Brentford (Premier League): Goal

Total: Six games, six goals, one assist

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January 1, 2025
‘I was right’ – Rory Jennings doubles down on Haaland verdict amid dreadful run

Rory Jennings wants the football public to apologise, insisting he was ‘right’ about his controversial Erling Haaland verdict.

Jennings made headlines when, three years ago, he infamously predicted Haaland would fail to live up to expectations ahead of his move to Manchester City.

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Despite a blistering start to the campaign, Haaland has struggled for formCredit: Getty

He also felt it was ‘disrespectful’ to anoint Haaland is a shoe-in for the golden boot, especially when established Premier League superstars like Mohamed Salah and Harry Kane were already competing for the honour.

“He isn’t the player everybody thinks he is,” Jennings said in 2022. “He’s profligate, he’s wasteful in front of goal at times. His build-up play isn’t good enough at the moment to play in a City team.”

However, Haaland erased any doubts about whether he’d hit the ground running in English football as he smashed in 52 goals across all competitions in his first season at the Etihad Stadium.

The Norwegian’s absurd debut season goal haul included 36 in the Premier League, earning him the golden boot award, and also set a new record for the most Premier League goals scored in a single season.

The 24-year-old followed up his sensational campaign by scoring 38 goals in 45 games across all competitions in his second season for Man City.

Although Haaland scored just 27 league goals from 31 games, it was still enough to win the Premier League golden boot for a second year running.

That all made Rory look very silly. He even admitted live on air that he ‘misjudged’ the Norwegian.

However, was Rory right all along?

It certainly looked like Haaland would be well on his way to a third-straight Premier League golden boot when he banged in ten league goals in City’s opening five games, this term.

But ever since his goal against Arsenal in a thrilling 2-2 draw in September, Haaland’s well of goals has run dry.

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Jennings believes he’s finally been proven right on his controversial Haaland claim

Following a 1-1 draw against Newcastle on September 28, Haaland has scored just three goals in his last 13 league appearances.

What is more concerning is the fact Haaland has just one goal in his last seven league fixtures.

It’s not as if Haaland isn’t getting chances to get on the scoresheet, either.

According to WhoScored, Haaland has missed 11 clear-cut goalscoring opportunities since that wild result against Arsenal in September.

No Premier League player has missed more.

Additionally, Haaland’s expected goals figure (xG) for the last 13 league games sits at 8.2, so his three goals represents an alarming underperformance in front of goal.

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Outside of Haaland’s penalty, he had just one shot against Everton

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Haaland struggled to get involved in City’s attack against the Toffees

He also could – and perhaps should – have found the back of the net against Everton on Thursday, only to be denied from the penalty spot by Jordan Pickford.

With Haaland’s barren run coinciding with City’s alarming form slump that now reads as one win in their last 13 matches across all competitions, Jennings took the opportunity to remind fans about his prophetic call all those years ago.

He also went one further by insisting the Norwegian isn’t anywhere close to being the best striker in Premier League history, saying he can’t lace the boots of the division’s legendary marksmen.

“I think Haaland is a very good player,” Jenning said on talkSPORT.

“I also think he’s one of the best strikers around at the moment. But I think people have gone crazy.

“You know when people start comparing Haaland to any striker of a bygone era. There’s no way Haaland is a better striker than Alan Shearer was. There’s no way Haaland is a better striker than Robbie Fowler was. There’s no way Haaland is even a better striker than Les Ferdinand. I don’t think he’s anywhere near that.

Pep Guardiola reveals Manchester City’s plans for the January transfer window

“I think playing for a brilliant team has obviously helped. Having the likes of Kevin de Bruyne, Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva putting them on a plate for you has helped. He obviously also knows where the back of the net is.

“But people have gone mad with the praise.”

When asked by talkSPORT co-host Majestic whether people should call up and apologise, Jennings replied: “I don’t hold my breath for that because one thing I’ve learned about the football-supporting public in this country is they don’t like to apologise.

“But yes, I do. I was correct, basically. I was right.”

Luckily for City and Haaland, the January transfer window may offer some reprieve for their recent struggles.

Kyle Walker, Jack Grealish, Ederson, Matheus Nunes and John Stones were all absent from the matchday squad for the 1-1 draw against Everton.

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Guardiola has an almighty job on his hands to turn City’s stumbling season aroundCredit: Getty

The five omissions added to the absences of Ruben Dias, Rodri and Oscar Bobb, highlighting just how depleted City’s stocks have become.

With more players on the sidelines with every passing week, City boss Pep Guardiola confirmed he intends to bring in some fresh faces in January.

However, the Spaniard stressed getting any deals done in January is ‘not easy’.

“If we can, we have to add players, definitely,” Guardiola told Amazon Prime.

“We struggle, especially in the back, in the middle.

“Saying that, I don’t know what’s going to happen. Because in the transfer window in winter, it’s not easy. But everybody’s aware.

“I think even the players asked us, ‘We are going to add some players, please.”

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December 27, 2024
Top at Christmas as stats suggest Liverpool and Mohamed Salah will be champions

Liverpool sit top at Christmas having mauled Tottenham and fans are dreaming of more title glory.

However, it remains to be seen whether they keep up their lightning start to finish top of the pile come May.

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Arne Slot couldn’t have wished for a better start after succeeding Jurgen Klopp at AnfieldCredit: Getty

The Reds’ 6-3 victory in north London extended their advantage over Chelsea to four points despite having played a match less.

Arne Slot‘s side have suffered just one defeat in the league so far this term ahead of their home clash with Leicester on Boxing Day.

Here, talkSPORT looks at the stats behind Liverpool‘s remarkable season so far and how history suggests the campaign may end.

Top on Christmas Day

Sunday’s result means Liverpool will be top of the Premier League on Christmas Day for the seventh time since the Premier League’s creation in 1992.

However, despite being champions of England 18 times prior to that, the Reds have only won the trophy once, during the 2019/20 season.

Overall, exactly half of sides to have topped the table at Christmas have become champions – 16 out of a possible 32.

Of those, Chelsea, Manchester City and Blackburn have won the title every time they have been top on December 25.

City’s task

City also have the distinction of being one of the four sides to have won the league after being outside the top four at Christmas.

Last season’s fourth title in a row came after they reached the big day in fifth place.

The champions sat six points behind leaders Arsenal with a game in hand before going on to claim the title.

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Liverpool will need to snap some unwanted history on their seventh time atop

City are once again outside the Champions League places this year.

After losing to Aston Villa on Saturday, Pep Guardiola’s side are down in seventh and 12 points adrift of Liverpool.

The result also extended their poor run of form to just one win in 12 matches across all competitions.

Record-breaking Salah

Much of Liverpool’s success this season is thanks to the form of Mohamed Salah.

The forward scored twice and provided a pair of assists against Spurs to make Premier League history.

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Salah has been in a league of his own so far this season

Salah is the first player ever to record more than ten goals and assists in the Premier League before Christmas Day.

Meanwhile, he has now scored 229 goals in 373 appearances for the club to surpass Billy Liddell in Liverpool’s all-time scoring charts.

Now the Reds’ fourth highest scorer, Salah remains behind Gordon Hodgson (241), Roger Hunt (285) and Ian Rush (346).

Unbeatable

Liverpool have made it to Christmas with just one defeat from their opening 16 Premier League matches.

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Salah will go down as one of Liverpool’s greatest players of all time

Troy Deeney doubles down on ‘world-class’ Mohamed Salah claim and names Liverpool star’s one weakness

Their 1-0 reverse against Nottingham Forest in September came at Anfield, with the Reds still unbeaten away from home this term.

It is just the third time that feat has been achieved by the club since they were founded in 1892.

However, fans may have to wait a while for a repeat, with each time so far coming in a different century.

Liverpool were unbeaten on the road at Christmas in both the 1893/94 and 1987/88 seasons.

Both of those campaigns ended with the club winning the league they were in.

From their eight away matches so far this term, Slot has seen his team win six times and draw on two occasions.

The Reds will have the chance to extend that record away to West Ham on Sunday evening.

On Boxing Day, talkSPORT has ten commentaries from the Premier League, beginning with Manchester City vs Everton at 12:30pm

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December 24, 2024
Salah achieves Premier League record with assist and surpasses Liverpool legend

If you thought Mohamed Salah couldn’t set yet another record, think again.

Salah continued his blistering form this season with an assist against Tottenham, as he set up Liverpool teammate Dominik Szoboszlai’s goal.

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Salah has put himself into the record books once againCredit: Getty

After James Maddison gave Spurs some hope, Szoboszlai put Liverpool 3-1 up just before half time as he nutmegged the onrushing Fraser Forster with a left footed strike.

Szoboszlai was put clean through by Salah’s deft pass, which proved to be a record-breaking moment for the Egyptian.

Thanks to his assist, Salah is the first player in Premier League history to reach double figures for goals and assists before Christmas.

He now has 13 goals and ten assists to his name.

On the record, Salah said: “I didn’t think about it before the game but I’m glad I have done it, something that makes me proud, I’ll keep working hard.”

The 32-year-old nearly added to his goal tally in the first half having struck the crossbar with a fierce right-footed drive.

He also had a goalbound shot blocked by Spurs defender Djed Spence in what was a dominant first-half performance by Liverpool.

They took the lead midway through the first half when Luis Diaz nodded home as he latched onto a sublime Trent Alexander-Arnold cross.

Alexis Mac Allister made it 2-0 with a header of his own as he received the ball from Szoboszlai, who cushioned a looping cross from the left to the Argentina international.

Spurs pulled one back on 41 minutes through Maddison’s well-taken effort from distance after Mac Allister was dispossessed by Dejan Kulusevski.

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This goal by Szoboszlai proved to be an historic moment for SalahCredit: Getty

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Salah then got in on the goalscoring act in the second halfCredit: AFP

Szoboszlai’s goal restored Liverpool’s two-goal lead and their star man in Salah wasn’t to be denied a goal after the break.

He tapped home from close range after Szoboszlai had a goalbound shot cleared off the line before getting his second of the afternoon when he slotted home with his right foot with a near enough open goal to aim at after Szoboszlai teed him up to give Liverpool a 5-1 lead.

The brace means Salah is now on 229 goals for Liverpool, surpassing club legend Billy Lidell in the Reds’ goalscoring charts. Ian Rush (346) and Roger Hunt (285) and Gordon Hodgson (241) are the only players ahead of Salah in the all-time goalscoring charts with the Merseyside club.

On becoming Liverpool’s fourth all-time scorer: “It’s great to achieve that at such a big club, but the most important thing is that we won the game. Wherever I am going to end my career I am happy about it.”

Salah’s goal tally of 15 has him leading the Golden Boot race alongside Erling Haaland, who is on 13 in the league.

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Salah has been in a league of his own so far this season

Ally McCoist claims Arsenal star Bukayo Saka is behind Liverpool’s Mo Salah in the Ballon d’Or race

The Manchester City star has scored just one Premier League goal in his last six games.

Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka also was ahead of Salah in terms of assists with ten, but the Liverpool superstar has since equalled him.

Dejan Kulusevski and Dominic Solanke restored some pride for Spurs before Diaz added the final goal of the game to secure Liverpool a 6-3 victory and a four-point lead at the top of the Premier League at Christmas.

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December 22, 2024
Saka says he has Henry and Ronaldo shirts in his home alongside childhood side

A heart-warming admission proved Bukayo Saka will never forget his footballing roots.

Saka has cemented himself as a homegrown hero at Arsenal, having made almost 250 appearances for the Gunners since his debut in 2018.

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Saka has not forgotten where his football career beganCredit: Getty

The 23-year-old has also represented England at two European Championships and the 2022 World Cup.

Safe to say, Saka has come a long way from when he began his football journey with Greenford Celtic in west London.

But no matter how far he travels across the globe and the staggering calibre of opponents he plays against, his hometown club will always hold a special place in his heart.

In a promotional video for American bank Chase, Saka caught up with Colin Nixon, who was the England international’s first coach.

As the pair caught up, Saka revealed he still has a Greenford Celtic shirt in his possession – and it’s in excellent company.

“In my house, I have some very special shirts, some big names,” Saka said.

“[Thierry] Henry, Cristiano Ronaldo, also a shirt that’s up there is my Greenford Celtic shirt that I wore when I was playing under Colin.

“It’s where I started this whole journey. I’m here today because Colin was one of the people who gave me an opportunity to play football, and from there I got scouted.

“So it was an honour to link up with Colin again.”

Saka has played Ronaldo three times in his career, with all of their encounters taking place in the Premier League during CR7’s second spell with Manchester United.

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Saka was reunited with his first football coach from boyhood club Greenford Celtic – his old shirt is one of his prized possessionsCredit: Sky Sports

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One of Saka’s ‘very special shirts’ belongs to Cristiano RonaldoCredit: Getty

Ronaldo scored twice in their first game against one another as United emerged 3-2 victors in the 2021/22 season.

Arsenal exacted their revenge by beating United 3-1 in the reverse fixture, with Saka scoring the Gunners’ second.

Ronaldo had to make do with a spot on the bench for the third game in which he faced off against Saka, although the Red Devils won 3-1.

As for Henry, Saka certainly has happier memories of his encounters with the Gunners icon.

Henry coached Saka during his days working in the club’s academy, but not even he could have foreseen the 23-year-old going on to enjoy the career he has to date.

“He’s my favourite player,” Henry told the BBC.

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Saka is already producing some special numbers this season

“He’s been there for so long and he’s so nice. I never thought he would reach the levels we are seeing.

“He’s a starter for Arsenal, he’s a starter for England. I remember when he started he was playing wing-back and the evolution of his game is outstanding because he used to be so lively, to now scoring goals and assists.”

Although Saka has cemented himself as one of Arsenal’s most vital stars, he has some way to go before he matches Henry’s feats.

Throughout his two stints with the Gunners, Henry registered 228 goals and 93 assists in 377 appearances across all competitions.

Henry also helped Arsenal to two Premier League titles and two FA Cup triumphs.

The French icon also finished second and third in the Ballon d’Or rankings in 2003 and 2006 respectively, highlighting his status in the global game.

Darren Bent calls Bukayo Saka world class as he praises the Arsenal star for his consistency

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December 19, 2024
Postecoglou slams Tottenham player’s ‘unacceptable’ performance against Rangers

Ange Postecoglou described a Tottenham forward Timo Werner’s performance against Rangers as ‘not acceptable’ in a stinging spray.

Postecoglou’s side drew 1-1 with Rangers in the Europa League, meaning the Scottish club are still yet to beat an English Premier League club in European competition since November 1992.

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Postecoglou’s side remain winless in five games after a 1-1 draw against RangersCredit: Getty

It was Rangers who struck first in the 47th minute as Hamza Igamane lashed home an inviting cross by James Tavernier from the right.

However, Tottenham’s Dejan Kulusevksi ensured the visitors would leave Ibrox with a point when he scored 15 minutes before the end.

Kulusevski began the contest on the bench but was thrown on at the start of the second half.

The Swede came on in place of Timo Werner, who was largely ineffectual for the opening 45 minutes and gave Postecoglou little reason to keep him on.

Postecoglou didn’t mince his words on Werner’s performance and he certainly let the German know it.

“He wasn’t playing anywhere near the level he should,” Postecoglou said in his post-match press conference.

“When you’ve got 18-year-olds it’s not acceptable to me. I said that to Timo. He’s a senior international, he’s a German international.

“In the moment we’re in right now, it’s not like we’ve got many options. I need everyone to at least be going out there trying to give the best of themselves.

“His performance in the first half wasn’t acceptable.”

Postecoglou added: “We need everybody including him to be contributing, because we don’t have the depth to leave people out if they’re performing poorly.

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Ange Postecoglou was not pleased with Timo Werner’s performanceCredit: Getty

“We need them to play their part. Especially the senior guys. When I’m asking younger guys to do massive jobs.

“I expect a level of performance from some of the senior guys and today wasn’t that.”

Werner’s blank against Rangers meant his goal tally this season remained at just one from 19 appearances across all competitions.

It was far from a perfect performance from Tottenham, whose defensive issues were exposed once more.

In fact, Igamane’s strike ensured Postecoglou’s side had kept just one clean sheet from their last 11 games.

Rangers also finished the contest with more shots and shots on target than their Premier League counterparts despite having 41 per cent possession.

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Werner has scored just once from 19 appearances this season for Tottenham

The display, especially defensively, left former Tottenham player Jamie O’Hara feeling like he’s ‘had enough’.

“My patience is wearing thin,” O’Hara said on The Sports Bar.

“Patience is wearing thin. Ange Postecoglou, mate. I’ve had enough.

“You know, we go on and like, oh yeah, the football’s great. Is it? Is it great?

“I’m not watching Barcelona. I’m just watching a good team, you know, in moments, have some decent spells, but you know, every team plays good football.

“It’s not like I’m watching Barcelona play, but can’t defend, but when we’ve got the ball, it’s just, you know, it’s brilliant to watch. All I’m watching is a Tottenham team that I’ve watched a million times before. Boring.

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Jamie O’Hara felt Tottenham have become ‘boring’Credit: Getty

Spurs fan, Majestic, believes Ange Postecoglou’s time is up at Tottenham after 4-2 defeat Vs Chelsea

“There’s nothing special.”

Postecoglou will hope Tottenham’s winless run doesn’t stretch to a sixth game on Sunday as they travel to lowly Southampton.

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December 12, 2024
Amorim explains why post-match argument between Man United duo is ‘perfect’

Ruben Amorim believes Rasmus Hojlund’s post-match blow-up at Amad Diallo is a ‘very, very good sign’ his players care.

Hojlund was captured having a heated debate with Diallo after the full-time whistle had sounded as the former’s double helped Manchester United to a 2-1 win over Czech side Viktoria Plzen in the Europa League.

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Diallo chose not to square the ball to Hojlund in the middle late in the gameCredit: TNT Sports

The Dane could and perhaps should have had a third in second-half stoppage time.

With Plzen committing numbers forward in search of a late equaliser, United had several opportunities to put the result beyond doubt via counter-attacks.

One of those fast breaks forward included Diallo having the chance to square the ball from the right into the path of Hojlund, who had squeezed in front of his marker.

Had Diallo done so, Hojlund would have been in a strong position to score his third of the evening.

Hojlund’s frustration at Diallo for not playing the ball and giving him a chance to record a hat-trick was evident, as the two had words after the final whistle.

Some fans easily could have viewed the incident as a sign of disharmony among the players.

But Red Devils boss Amorim loved what he saw.

“For me, it’s perfect,” Amorim said in his post-match press conference.

“We need to feel something. In this moment, we need to feel something.

“If we need to fight each other, it’s like a family. For me, it’s a very, very good sign.

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Hojlund bagged a brace against Viktoria Plzen but could have had a hat-trickCredit: Getty

“We need to feel something and that is important.”

When asked if Hojlund and Diallo’s squabble was a sign that his players care, Amorim believed the incident proved ‘that is clear’.

“When you don’t, you do nothing,” Amorim said.

“When you care, you fight. With your brother, with your mother, with your father.

“For me, it’s a very good sign.”

Amorim also added he prefers his players to sort it out amongst themselves whenever they have a disagreement.

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Amorim believed his players fighting amongst one another was a ‘very good sign’Credit: Anadolu via Getty

“I let the players and the captain to calm down the things,” Amorim said.

“If I see that it is too much, I will go inside the dressing room.

“But it’s their space, they have to talk, to fight. Again, for me, it’s a very important thing.”

The win over Viktoria Plzen also cemented Amorim as one of just three United managers to win their first two matches in a major European competition.

Only Sir Alex Ferguson and Sir Matt Busby had achieved the sensational feat prior.

Nicky Butt says Ruben Amorim already has more character than Erik ten Hag

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December 12, 2024
Chelsea fans spot unseen moment where Jackson stops teammate getting yellow card

Chelsea star Enzo Fernandez had Nicolas Jackson to thank for avoiding a disciplinary tightrope.

Fernandez scored Chelsea’s third in a thrilling 4-3 victory over Tottenham on Sunday, marking his third goal in his last four league games.

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Fernandez scored Chelsea’s third against Tottenham on SundayCredit: AFP

The Argentinian was on hand to smash home a thumping left-foot strike after Cole Palmer’s initial effort was blocked.

Given his goal put Chelsea ahead 3-2 after they had gone 2-0 down inside 11 minutes, Fernandez was ready to celebrate in a manner that matched the importance of his strike.

As he wheeled away, Fernandez began to pull his shirt over the top of his head.

However, Jackson held on to the bottom of Fernandez’s shirt so he could not take it off.

Had Fernandez removed his shirt, he would have received a yellow card.

A number of Chelsea fans spotted Jackson’s quick thinking and shared their thoughts on social media.

One user wrote on X: “Never thought I’d see the day Nicolas Jackson is the levelheaded one when it comes to receiving needless yellow cards.”

Another said: “Wait Jackson stopped him taking off his shirt and getting booked.”

Thankfully the Chelsea vice-captain had not picked up a booking earlier in the contest, so he would not have been sent off.

Fernandez also wouldn’t have been at risk of picking up a suspension through yellow cards accumulated given he has only been booked once this season.

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Jackson was not going to let his Blues teammate pick up a needless yellow cardCredit: Getty

But the Argentinian now knows Jackson will have his back when it comes to avoiding a needless yellow card, so long as he is in close proximity.

Tottenham had raced out to a two-goal lead thanks to strikes from Dominic Solanke and Dejan Kulusevksi, with Blues defender Marc Cucurella culpable for both.

But Chelsea winger Jadon Sancho kickstarted the comeback in the 17th minute with a driven shot from the edge of the box.

Cole Palmer equalised in the 61st minute from the spot before Fernandez put Chelsea not long after.

Palmer scored the visitors’ fourth with a cheeky Panenka as Heung-Min Son’s stoppage-time effort proved to be nothing more than a consolation.

The win was Chelsea’s fourth-straight in the league and was also the first time since April 2018 they had came from two goals down to take the three points.

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Despite being four points off league leaders Liverpool, Maresca doesn’t think Chelsea are in a title raceCredit: Offside via Getty

It also took Chelsea to 31 points, which puts them just four behind league leaders Liverpool.

Despite reducing the gap to the Reds, Blues boss Enzo Maresca refused to be drawn on declaring his side being in the title race.

“After the game, my message to the players was to be focused day by day, in our session, the next game on Thursday and then Sunday,” Maresca said.

“The main focus has to be to enjoy the day off and when we come back, 100 per cent, train well, go for the game.

“The fans can dream because from the outside, it is quite clear and inside, the reality is we are not ready but the important thing is we improve day-by-day.”

Maresca’s side will look to keep the momentum rolling on Thursday when they travel to Kazakhstan for a Europa Conference League match against Astana.

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December 9, 2024
Ruben Amorim fires warning to Marcus Rashford and hints at position change

Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim refused to rule out further tweaks to his team and it could impact Marcus Rashford.

Rashford started as the lone striker for the Red Devils in Amorim’s first game in charge and got on the scoresheet in a 1-1 draw against Ipswich Town last Sunday.

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Rashford snapped a seven-game goal drought against IpswichCredit: AP

The 27-year-old’s goal was his fifth of the season across all competitions and ended a run of seven consecutive Premier League fixtures without scoring.

Amorim’s choice to place Rashford up top deviated from how his predecessor Erik ten Hag used him, which was on the left wing in a front three.

Although Rashford scored during a rare berth up front in Amorim’s favoured 3-4-2-1 formation, the Portuguese boss revealed it isn’t the long-term plan.

Amorim is also determined to get Rashford back to the blistering form he enjoyed during the 2022/23 campaign when he netted 17 times in 35 league appearances, but insisted it will only happen if the English star heeds a two-word demand.

Read more Man United news

“I will try to help him,” Amorim said.

“That position is not the best one for him, especially in a game like that. We have to kick with high pressure, we have to kick the ball so many times and it was like fighting with two giants.

“We’ll try to find the right solution for him, as for the other players. But he has to be Marcus, first of all, to try to return to that moment and then he will have all the help of the staff, the club and the fans because he’s a Manchester United boy.

“But he has to be the first one to want it.”

Amorim also hinted Rashford is likely to be dropped from the starting line-up for United’s Europa League clash against Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt on Thursday.

However, Rashford’s axing would not be performance-related as Amorim seeks to speed up the acclimatisation process for all of his stars.

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Amorim has confirmed he will make several changes to his starting team against Bodo/GlimtCredit: PA

“We have to do it (rotate), especially in this moment because we have a lot of games, and we are in the beginning of something,” Amorim said.

“They have to feel that they are part of the team, so they are international players, they will rotate.

“We will try to manage to try and win every game and not just focus on this game, have a clear idea of how to play and everybody has to be on the same page.”

Danish striker Rasmus Hojlund looms as the next option to start up top for the Red Devils as he was the man who replaced Rashford in the 68th minute against Ipswich.

Hojlund, who joined in July last year for an initial £64million from Atalanta, had a disrupted start to the season as he worked his way back from a hamstring injury.

The 21-year-old has since scored just twice in 13 appearances for United across all competitions this term and will be desperate to impress if chosen to lead the line against Bodo.

Manchester United’s strikers compared in 24/25

Marcus Rashford: Five goals, three assists from 19 appearances

Rasmus Hojlund: Two goals, zero assists from 13 appearances

Joshua Zirkzee: One goal, two assists from 18 appearances

Polarising summer recruit Joshua Zirkzee is another who could fill the central striker role in Amorim’s formation.

After netting the winner in his Red Devils debut against Fulham, Zirkzee has failed to score in the following 17 games for United.

It leaves Amorim with a serious conundrum as he looks to ignite his misfiring striking unit.

United’s clash against Bodo at Old Trafford kicks off at 7pm as Amorim’s side look to make it six games unbeaten across the board.

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November 27, 2024
Haaland’s year saw him break 87-year record and could even match Ronaldo stats

There was a period when it looked like we’d never again witness players as great as Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.

Then along came Erling Haaland.

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Haaland is a history maker with Norway and Ronaldo might be getting worriedCredit: AFP

While the pair of football legends were fighting out in El Clasico and setting records that looked insurmountable, Haaland was making blips on the radar at Molde and Salzburg that later became seismic at Borussia Dortmund and Manchester City.

At the latter side, the Norwegian striker has done it all, winning City’s first Champions League and European treble in his debut season in 2022/23 with an astonishing 52 goals in 53 games.

He hasn’t let off ever since, and is, by most accounts, the best goalscorer in world football.

Haaland’s first blip on the radar came when he scored a ridiculous nine goals for Norway in a 12-0 win over Poland as a teenager at the U20 World Cup.

read more on erling haaland

However, despite going off the charts at Salzburg and Dortmund in the following years, Haaland hasn’t quite hit the same heights for Norway, until now.

With 11 goals in ten games for his country this calendar year, Haaland is living up to the hope pinned on him by a nation.

No player has more goals than the 24-year-old in the current Nations League campaign, taking his total up to seven in six games with a hat-trick against Kazakhstan promoting Norway to League A.

In fact, earlier in the campaign, against Slovenia in October, he became his country’s all-time top scorer with two goals surpassing an 87-year-old record held by Jorgen Juve.

Haaland is now accelerating well past that feat, and with 38 goals in 39 caps, the sky is the limit.

However, getting to the very top will be a tough ask, particularly considering the man there is still adding to his total.

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It’s hard to imagine anyone beating Ronaldo’s stunning figures for Portugal but Haaland might

Ronaldo is the second highest scorer in the 2023/24 Nations League with five goals, and he now has 135 for his country, putting him clear of Argentina captain and old rival Lionel Messi who is in second with 112.

The 39-year-old Al Nassr striker also recently became the first footballer in history to score 900 goals, and by all accounts he looks ready to aim for 1000.

Haaland, though, is already chipping away at a number of his records, particularly in a competition that Ronaldo made his own with five titles, the Champions League.

The no.9 is the fastest and youngest player to 40 goals, and for the first time Ronaldo’s record of 140 goals in Europe’s top tier competition looks like it could be under threat.

However, Haaland has been able to do that by playing for arguably the greatest manager of all time at potentially the best team in Europe since he joined, something that can’t be said of his situation with the national team.

Even with fellow elite talent, the Arsenal star Martin Odegaard, and a number of other high calibre stars in the Norway squad, the Scandinavian team are miles away from Portugal, and therefore a guarantee of extra tournament games for Haaland to fill his boots.

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Haaland is a machine in front of goal with a rate no other striker can match

Haaland is currently scoring goals for Norway at a rate of 0.97 per-game as opposed to Ronaldo’s 0.62, meaning that if Haaland maintained that rate he would beat the Portugal captain’s record in his 140th game.

Reaching 140 games is a far from guarantee given the game time, and there are doubts whether that will change any time soon.

Norway haven’t been at a major tournament since Euro 2000 and even with Haaland and Odegaard firing, they haven’t seen the level of improvement needed.

Missing out on Euro 2020 by four points in qualifying, they then missed out on the 2022 World Cup qualifying play-offs by three points to Turkey.

Even with their Nations League success, in terms of major tournaments things are on a downturn, with Norway then dropping to six points behind Scotland in Euro 2024 qualifying, meaning a 2026 World Cup berth is in no way a certainty.

Such disadvantages mean that Haaland plays an average of 6.5 international games per-year, as opposed to Ronaldo’s 9.7, at that rate, Haaland wouldn’t reach the 140 game mark until 2040 when he will be 40.

Simon Jordan claims Haaland will smash Premier League record but he’s no Messi or Ronaldo

Given Ronaldo turns 40 in February, the maths suggest Ronaldo’s record is indeed under threat, particularly if Norway can improve enough to give their star man the extra games required.

Ronaldo, though, is known as one of the fittest players to ever play the game, and has remained largely injury free throughout his career, unlike Haaland who was blighted by a number of issues at Dortmund.

However, all caveats aside, it’s clear fans are witnessing a level of greatness once again that many thought it was impossible, and Ronaldo may well have to stick around a bit longer if he’s to keep one of his most famous records under lock and key.

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November 19, 2024