TheNewsGuru

Tag: Epl

  • Van Nistelrooy makes unwanted EPL history with absurd stat

    Van Nistelrooy makes unwanted EPL history with absurd stat

    Ruud Van Nistelrooy brought up an abysmal Premier League record following Leicester City’s 1-0 defeat to Chelsea on Sunday.

    The Foxes traveled to Stamford Bridge aiming to end their poor run of form but succumbed to Marc Cucurella’s decisive goal on the hour mark.

    In the process, the Manchester United legend set an unfortunate record as his team’s losing streak extended to five across all competitions.

    Among managers with at least 15 Premier League games in charge, only Mick McCarthy’s Sunderland (84%) and Russell Martin’s Southampton (81%) have a higher loss percentage than Van Nistelrooy of Leicester City (80%), who have lost 12 of his 15 matches at the helm.

    The former Premier League champions, currently mired in relegation trouble with just 17 points from 28 matches, will be seeking redemption in their next clash against Manchester United on March 16.

    Tribalfootball

  • EPL: Declan Rice rescues Arsenal from defeat

    EPL: Declan Rice rescues Arsenal from defeat

    Arsenal came from a goal down to draw 1-1 against Manchester United in the Premier League (PL), the second consecutive H2H to end level after 90 minutes as the Red Devils ended a four-match losing streak in league H2Hs.

    Fresh from their sensational midweek victory over PSV Eindhoven, Arsenal looked bright in the early stages and almost had an early opener when Mikel Merino fired marginally wide in the 10th minute.

    While Alejandro Garnacho caused occasional problems down the right, the visitors largely remained in control but struggled to break through the Red Devils’ backline, with Martin Ødegaard seeing his strike from range saved by André Onana.

    Thomas Partey then became the latest visiting player to have an unsuccessful shot from outside the box. Leandro Trossard then fired wide following an improvised touch and could only divert the ball from Ødegaard’s dinked pass into Onana’s grasp.

    Despite having offered very little going forward during most of the first half, United went ahead before half time as Garnacho won a free-kick that Bruno Fernandes sent flying into the top corner with his side’s first shot on target of the match.

    Ayden Heaven came on for his PL debut ahead of the restart having joined United from Arsenal in January, and the 18-year-old settled quickly.

    The Gunners still worked opportunities from corner variations, although Ødegaard and Rice were both unable to beat Onana.

    The hosts’ wing-backs combined shortly after as Diogo Dalot found Noussair Mazraoui, who forced a brilliant save from David Raya.

    The Gunners goalkeeper then stopped an instinctive flick from Zirkzee, before Trossard’s attempt at the other end trickled harmlessly wide.

    Rice eventually added the clinical touch the visitors had been craving, sending a first-time effort from Jurriën Timber’s pass in off the post.

    There wasn’t to be a second for either team as Onana palmed Gabriel Martinelli’s strike past the post.

    Rice and Gabriel Magalhães then made vital interventions to deny Rasmus Højlund, while Raya made a brilliant save to deny Fernandes in stoppage time as Arsenal played out their second consecutive draw in the PL, which leaves the Gunners 15 points behind leaders Liverpool.

    This was also United’s third draw after 90 minutes from their last four matches across all competitions, which was enough to take them up one place.

    Tribalfootball

  • EPL: Cucurella fires Chelsea back to top four

    EPL: Cucurella fires Chelsea back to top four

    Chelsea moved back into the Premier League top four as Marc Cucurella’s second-half strike sealed a scrappy 1-0 win against Leicester City at Stamford Bridge.

    It was the Spain left-back’s fifth goal of the season – and second in successive league games after netting against Southampton.

    Cucurella’s crucial goal came on the hour mark, beating visiting keeper Mads Hermansen with a left-footed effort from 25 yards.

    Chelsea had been frustrated until then, with Hermansen saving Cole Palmer’s penalty midway through the first half following a trip on Jadon Sancho by Victor Kristiansen.

    The miss ended Palmer’s 100% record from the spot – having scored his previous 12 – and prolonged the playmaker’s goalless run to nine matches in all competitions.

    Leicester impressed during the first half and came close to opening the scoring in bizarre circumstances when Blues defender Tosin Adarabioyo headed against his own crossbar.

    But that was as close as the Foxes came, with Enzo Maresca’s men improving after the break and claim the winner to leapfrog Manchester City and take a two-point advantage over the reigning champions.

    Defeat for Leicester left them second bottom in the table, behind 18th-placed Ipswich on goal difference and six points adrift of Wolves in 17th.

    BBC

  • EPL: Blame ref Oliver if Liverpool fail to win title – Slot

    EPL: Blame ref Oliver if Liverpool fail to win title – Slot

    Liverpool manager Arne Slot told referee Michael Oliver he would blame him if the club failed to win this season’s Premier League.

    The Dutchman was shown a straight red card after he confronted Oliver and one of his assistant referees on the pitch following his side’s 2-2 Merseyside derby draw with Everton last month.

    Slot was given a two-match ban and fined £70,000 by an independent Football Association commission after accepting a charge of acting in an improper manner and using insulting and/or abusive words and/or behaviour towards both the match referee and an assistant referee.

    Oliver alleged Slot, while shaking the official’s hand, said: “If we don’t win the league, I’ll [expletive] blame you.”

    Slot disputed the alleged language used, claiming he instead said “if we don’t win the league, I will have you to thank for that”.

    But the commission decided it was “more likely than not that Arne Slot used the language alleged by the referee and the FA”.

    The FA argued the discrepancy didn’t make a material difference to the sanction because the words used still constituted Slot acting in an improper manner.

    Slot accepted that, and did not dispute stating “[expletive] disgrace” to the assistant referee as part of his angry outburst.

    The FA also alleged the Reds boss said Oliver “[expletive] give them everything”, and hoped the referee “was proud of that performance”.

    Slot acknowledged his actions were unacceptable and he let his frustrations get the better of him, because he felt certain decisions during the game went against his side.

    The commission acknowledged he had since made a sincere apology both privately and in public.

    Slot’s fine was reduced from £100,000 due to mitigating factors, including his apology, admitting the charge at the earliest opportunity and because he had no previous record of misconduct.

    Speaking before Liverpool’s Champions League last-16 first-leg match against Paris St-Germain on Wednesday, Slot said: “The moment it happened, I was quite emotional [about] everything that happened in the game.

    “I chose to go on the pitch instead of staying calm and staying inside to talk to Michael [Oliver]. I don’t have these emotions now so I should set a better example.”

    Slot’s assistant coach Sipke Hulshoff was also given a two-match touchline ban and fined £7,000 after the FA alleged he approached Oliver in an “extremely aggressive manner”, and said he was a “[expletive] disgrace”.

    Liverpool and Everton were both charged with failing to ensure their players did not behave in a way which was improper or provocative.

    The late chaos at Goodison Park began after James Tarkowski scored a dramatic 98th-minute equaliser for Everton, which was awarded after a video assistant referee (VAR) check.

    Liverpool were adamant the goal should have been disallowed because of a shove by Toffees striker Beto on Reds defender Ibrahima Konate in the build-up.

    Everton midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure then celebrated in front of the Liverpool fans at the final whistle, before being confronted by visiting midfielder Curtis Jones, with both players sent off for second yellow-card offences.

    Slot and Hulshoff were both shown the red card after approaching Oliver on the pitch.

    After serving the touchline ban, Slot’s first domestic game back in the dugout will come after the international break when his side face Newcastle in the Carabao Cup final on 16 March.

    Liverpool, who are 13 points clear at the top of the Premier League, host Everton at Anfield on 2 April.

    BBC

  • EPL: West Ham win dents Arsenal title hopes

    EPL: West Ham win dents Arsenal title hopes

    Arsenal missed the chance to close the gap on Premier League leaders Liverpool as West Ham ended a four-match winless run with a stunning victory at Emirates Stadium.

    Jarrod Bowen got the winner against a Gunners side who later had Myles Lewis-Skelly sent off.

    Victory would have moved Arsenal to within five points of Arne Slot’s team, who visit champions Manchester City on Sunday, but they struggled badly against a Hammers side who defended magnificently and created the better openings over the 90 minutes.

    Bowen started and finished the move that led to the winner late in the first half, collecting a loose ball on the edge of his own box and feeding Aaron Wan-Bissaka before stooping low to nod the full-back’s cross into the net for his 50th Premier League goal.

    It was the first time Arsenal had trailed in a home Premier league game at half-time this season, but they showed no discernible improvement after the interval – despite pinning West Ham back for much of the second period.

    Leandro Trossard had a low shot saved by the feet of Alphonse Areola, but the Gunners’ hopes of a route back into the contest were dealt a major blow when Lewis-Skelly was sent off for a professional foul on Mohammed Kudus near the halfway line.

    Referee Craig Pawson initially cautioned the 18-year-old for dragging Kudus to the floor, but the video assistant referee (VAR) ruled that Lewis-Skelly had denied the Ghanaian a clear goalscoring opportunity and the yellow card was upgraded to a red.

    West Ham held on comfortably in the end to move 13 points clear of the bottom three and level with Manchester United in 15th – although they stay 16th because of their inferior goal difference.

  • EPL: Man Utd have ‘more problems than solutions’ – Amorim

    EPL: Man Utd have ‘more problems than solutions’ – Amorim

    Manchester United currently have “more problems than solutions”, says head coach Ruben Amorim.

    The Red Devils suffered a 1-0 defeat at Tottenham on Sunday, taking their tally to 12 Premier League defeats in 25 matches so far this season.

    They have won only four of the 14 league games since Amorim took charge in November and travel to Everton on Saturday, with the Toffees rejuvenated since David Moyes – who succeeded Sir Alex Ferguson as Manchester United manager – took charge.

    Much has been made about United’s issues at both ends of the pitch – keeping only seven clean sheets at the back and netting just 28 goals up front.

    Asked what is working for his side at the moment, Amorim told BBC Sport: “What I feel is that sometimes you don’t feel improvement in the team but some games you think we can play and create situations. That is a good thing.

    “In this moment when you watch the games, you see more problems than solutions. That is clear. When we play some games, I see things are there and we are capable but we have to be consistent.”

  • EPL: Liverpool move eight points clear after Villa draw

    EPL: Liverpool move eight points clear after Villa draw

    Liverpool moved eight points clear at the top of the Premier League after being held to a gripping draw at Aston Villa.

    The Reds have not lost in the Premier League since being beaten 1-0 by Nottingham Forest at Anfield in September, but were almost undone by sloppy defending and a lack of cutting edge.

    Youri Tielemans and Ollie Watkins cancelled out Mohamed Salah’s 29th-minute opener, before Trent Alexander-Arnold levelled 16 minutes after the break.

    Having extended their lead over second-placed Arsenal, Arne Slot’s side go to Manchester City on Sunday in what could now be a defining week in the title race.

    The Gunners host West Ham on Saturday knowing victory, and a defeat for Liverpool at Etihad Stadium, would put them within striking distance of the leaders with a game in hand.

    Villa, with Marcus Rashford starting for the first time, remain in ninth place and five points adrift of the top four.

    Rashford was bright for the hosts and his cross was turned into his own net by Virgil van Dijk after 17 minutes, only for the forward to be correctly ruled offside.

    Salah then miscued a header, but he was on hand to open the scoring from Diogo Jota’s centre when Andres Garcia’s awful pass gifted the Portuguese forward the ball.

    Yet the lead lasted just nine minutes when Tielemans struck after the visitors failed to clear Rashford’s free-kick. After Jota wasted a fine chance, Watkins nodded Villa ahead in first-half injury time following a fine Lucas Digne cross.

    Liverpool hit back, though, with Jota hitting the bar before Salah teed up Alexander-Arnold for a deflected low effort that beat Emi Martinez.

    Substitute Darwin Nunez missed a golden chance to win it when he blazed over from five yards with 21 minutes left, while Villa’s Jacob Ramsey had a goal disallowed for offside.

    BBC

  • EPL: Merino double keeps Arsenal title hopes alive

    EPL: Merino double keeps Arsenal title hopes alive

    Arsenal closed to within four points of Premier League leaders Liverpool as substitute Mikel Merino’s two late goals gave them 2-0 victory at struggling Leicester City.

    The Gunners’ striker shortage threatened to be exposed by the Foxes until Merino, on for the desperately out of sorts Raheem Sterling, stole in at the far post to break the deadlock.

    Merino’s 81st-minute goal was created by Arsenal’s outstanding player, 17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri, who hit the woodwork twice in the second half and was their main threat throughout.

    Spanish midfielder Merino then struck again at the far post three minutes from time to wrap up a vital win and keep Arsenal’s title pursuit on track.

    It was tough on Leicester, who fought hard throughout and almost took the lead, only for Myles Lewis-Skelly to get a vital touch with Bobby de Cordova-Reid waiting to tap in Jordan Ayew’s cross.

    Arsenal’s celebrations carried an element of relief as for a long time it looked like their lack of strikers, made worse by Kai Havert’s hamstring injury sustained on their break in Dubai, was threatening to undermine them – until Merino stepped up.

    BBC

  • EPL: Arsenal suffer new Saka shocker

    EPL: Arsenal suffer new Saka shocker

    Winger Bukayo Saka is set to miss another eight weeks as Arsenal’s injury crisis worsens.

    The winger’s hamstring injury, sustained in December, could keep him out until mid-April.

    Arsenal had initially hoped he would return next month, but his recovery has been slower than expected.

    Photos from the club’s training camp in Dubai showed Saka working through rehab drills, per The Sun.

    Mikel Arteta is now left with just Leandro Trossard, Raheem Sterling, and Ethan Nwaneri as experienced attacking options.

    With Saka’s explosiveness dependent on his right leg, Arsenal are unwilling to take any risks, meaning his total absence could stretch to four months.

  • Arsenal suffer huge blow as Havertz is ruled out for season

    Arsenal suffer huge blow as Havertz is ruled out for season

    Arsenal striker Kai Havertz has been ruled out for the season after picking up a hamstring injury during the club’s Dubai training camp this week.

    Manager Mikel Arteta is now without a recognised centre-forward in a major blow to their Premier League title hopes after failing to sign a backup striker this winter. Havertz’s teammate Gabriel Jesus ruptured his ACL earlier this season which prompted the club to seek reinforcements that never materialised.

    The German striker is Arsenal’s top scorer this season with 15 goals in all competitions and now with scan results are confirming that he is unlikely to play again this season it could mean the club’s shot at the title is over as their attacking threat is nulled.

    The Gunners jetted off to Dubai for a warm-weather training camp to give Arteta’s squad a much-needed break after an intensive run of games in January. This move seems to have backfired however as Arteta will now be forced to deploy one of Leandro Trossard, Ethan Nwaneri or Raheem Sterling in the centre forward role.

    Arteta spoke on Nwaneri recently who is just 17 years old and now has a lot of pressure to perform for the North London side.

    “I think he can develop into a No 9,” Arteta said in December. “He has got the goal in front of him and he looks at the goal and he has a tremendous ability to put the ball in the back of the net.”

    Saka traveled with the club to Dubai and was pictured working in the gym but is not expected to return for at least another month after picking up a hamstring injury much like Havertz. Arteta will have some serious planning to do ahead of their clash with Leicester City this weekend where the Foxes may feel they have more of a chance to snatch a result now Arsenal have been dealt another huge blow.

    Tribalfootball