Petr Cech believes Arsenal have disproved accusations they lack leaders by beating Manchester City and reaching the FA Cup final. But Cech has warned his teammates winning the FA Cup for a third time in four years would still not excuse them failing to qualify for next season’s Champions League. Arsenal will face Chelsea in the final at Wembley on May 27 after goals from Nacho Monreal and Alexis Sanchez sealed a 2-1 win in extra-time against City, who had earlier led through Sergio Aguero. City were dominant for the best part of an hour at the national stadium but…
Author: David Folami
Wayne Rooney made his 551st Manchester United appearance and scored his 251st goal for the club in a 2-0 win at Burnley on Sunday. No player has scored more in United’s 139 year history, while only five footballers have played more games for the club — all of them, unlike Rooney, youth-team graduates. It was a good day for Rooney and it was a good day for United. Rivals Liverpool and Manchester City both lost. They’ll both finish this season empty-handed, while United will make it three trophies (albeit that one is the Community Shield) if they can overcome Celta…
Antonio Conte has backed newly-crowned PFA Player of the Year N’Golo Kante to emerge as a leader at Chelsea in the coming seasons, though he admits that the France international has a different personality to departing captain John Terry. Kante saw off competition from teammate Eden Hazard to claim the award in a ceremony on Sunday, with fellow professionals rewarding the 26-year-old for helping to propel Chelsea clear at the top of the Premier League after powering Leicester City to a fairytale title triumph last season. Conte revealed last week that he is searching for new leaders within his Chelsea…
Jurgen Klopp is in a strange position at Liverpool. On the one hand, he has managed to take arguably the weakest squad in the Premier League’s top six to the brink of Champions League qualification. But, on the other, he is in danger of seeing reality bite over the final four games of the season, with the end result seeing his team slip out of the top four and finish up fifth. Fifth, after trailing in eighth last season, would be progress for Klopp and Liverpool, but it will not feel like it if that elusive Champions League place slips…
Antonio Conte has claimed that Chelsea’s climb to the top of the Premier League this season is proof that spending the most money is no guarantee of success. Chelsea spent £123.45 million on four players last summer, of which three — N’Golo Kante, David Luiz and Marcos Alonso — have become key contributors to a team that remains on course to win a Premier League and FA Cup double this season. But the Blues were only the Premier League’s third-highest spenders last summer, with Manchester City (£174.05m) and Manchester United (£149.55m) both struggling to secure Champions League qualification despite significantly…
Nollywood actress Stella Damasus is a year older today, April 24, 2017. Her husband, Daniel Ademinokan took to Instagram to celebrate her with touchy-feely words. Daniel who caught the love bug wrote, “I can never have enough words to express what I feel for you or what you mean to me. My best friend, confidant, prayer partner, co-conspirator, baby mama, wifey, personal motivator and leader of my cheerleading squad. Stellz, as you celebrate this new age, the heavens are definitely rejoicing with you because they are fully aware you’re stepping closer to that divine destiny mapped out for you from…
The wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari, on Monday called for sustained investment in the education and development of out-of-school children in the country. The president’s wife made the call at the sideline of the just concluded 50th Session of the United Nations Commission on Population and Development, (UNFPA) in New York. The theme of the event was: “Investing in out-of-School-Teenage Girls, a priority for achieving demographic dividend and sustainable development goals in Africa.’’ The programme was organised by UNFPA, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Nigeria’s Permanent Mission to the United Nation. It was to showcase Nigeria’s rich experience…
Nigerian singer Davido is currently heartbroken over the death of his uncle, Senator Isiaka Adeleke. The music star took to his various social media accounts today, April 24, 2017, calling him his hero. “Heartbroken.. Rest In Peace My dear uncle …. SHERUBAWON,” he wrote on Instagram. Meanwhile, the government of Osun has said it is still in shock over the sudden death of the first civilian Governor of the state, Alhaji Isiaka Adeleke. The government described as a nightmare, the news of the death of one of the illustrious sons of the state. In a statement signed by the Director,…
Television host and actress, Marcy Dolapo-Oni is going to be a mum soon! The media personality is expecting her first child with husband, Prince Adegbite Sijuade and she is rocking her bump in style. The Sijuade princess was seen glowing over the weekend at Schick magazine launch on Saturday, April 22, 2017. Marcy announced she was pregnant on Sunday, March 26, 2017 via an Instagram post. Oni wrote tagging her husband Prince Sijuade with a simple caption, “God has blessed us @thegbi #AwesomeGod,” accompanied by an image with a baby feet. The parents to be got hitched in October 2015…
The Chief Security Officer to President Muhammadu Buhari has been reportedly barred from the Presidential Villa also known as the Aso Rock. According to TheCable, Olalekan Adetayo, the state house correspondent of The Punch Newspaper was expelled over a story on the state of the President’s health. It was further reported that Adetayo’s expulsion from the state house in Abuja and other activities in the Villa is not unconnected with the detailed report which Sunday Punch ran on the absence of the president in some key occasions since he returned to the country on March 10, 2017. There had been…
Manchester United will monitor Ander Herrera’s fitness ahead of the Manchester derby this week, sources have said. Herrera played 90 minutes as United beat Burnley 2-0 at Turf Moor on Sunday, but he was left hobbling by the end of the game after taking a heavy knock on his ankle. The midfielder is set to be assessed on Monday, although United are hopeful he will be able to shake off the problem in time to face Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Thursday. Manager Jose Mourinho is facing an injury crisis ahead of a game that could see United…
The President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, has called for comprehensive educational system reform aimed at meeting the demands of employers in the public and private sectors. Saraki said this statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Yusuph Olaniyonu on Monday in Abuja. Saraki said such reform became necessary to ensure that Nigerian students and schools engage more in global competition. “What we all want to see is an educational system that is meeting the demands of the employers in both the public and private sectors. “Considering the economic situation in the country, and the…
Michael Keane is on Manchester United’s radar ahead of Jose Mourinho’s summer rebuild but they face the prospect of losing out to Liverpool, sources have said. Keane has impressed enough for Burnley this season for Mourinho to ask United to monitor the defender’s situation. The 24-year-old, who made his England debut in March, is expected to leave Turf Moor at the end of the season, and United are in the running to bring back a player who left Old Trafford permanently in 2015. However, they will have to beat any offer Liverpool make to secure a deal. Sources have said…
Gerard Pique says there is no question Sergio Ramos deserved to be sent off as Barcelona beat Real Madrid in Sunday’s Clasico, with Barca sporting director Robert Fernandez calling for Ramos to face an investigation for the way he reacted to his 77th-minute red card. Referee Alejandro Jose Hernandez Hernandez took the decision to dismiss Ramos after he lunged in two-footed on eventual match-winner Lionel Messi by the halfway line. Ramos didn’t go quietly, though, and left the Santiago Bernabeu pitch gesturing, applauding and directing comments at someone. “I am sure when he gets home he will realise it was…
Juan Mata has hinted that he could return to the Manchester United team before the end of the season. Mata underwent groin surgery last month and has missed the last seven games. Jose Mourinho had suggested Mata would not be fit to return until the end of May, ruling him out of the bulk of the run-in. But the 28-year-old is hopeful he may be able to play some part as United chase the Europa League and a place in the Premier League’s top four. He wrote on his blog: “As you can imagine, this month has been a bit…
Actor Chris Attoh is simply not bothered about the numerous reports that his marriage to Nigerian actress Damilola Adegbite has hit the rocks. According to him, he was not perturbed about the reports because his home is still intact. In March this year, there were reports that Damilola had walked out of the marriage. The divorce reports gained currency after Chris posted several photos of his wife on social media, wishing her a happy second wedding anniversary on February 14, but Damilola failed to respond or do same. But putting to rest the numerous reports, Chris, in an interview with…
A civil society group, the National Coalition of Patriots for Positive Change has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to seek a second term in office following his ‘sterling performance’ since May 2015. In a statement made available to Pulse, the group’s national president, Charles Mbani noted that President Buhari had fulfilled his campaign promises to Nigerians. “After a critical assessment of the administration of President Muhammdu Buhari in the past two years, we have no doubt whatsoever that he has performed creditably well,” the group said. “President Buhari deserves our commendation and also another term in office because of his sterling…
First-half goals from Anthony Martial and Wayne Rooney saw an under-strength Manchester United through to an extremely comfortable 2-0 victory at Turf Moor on Sunday. Burnley have now won just one of their last 11 matches and a comeback was never likely. The Clarets weren’t even able to muster a single shot on target. With Bournemouth, Hull City and Swansea City having collected important home victories earlier in the weekend, Sean Dyche’s side are left five points above the relegation zone and while they should stay up, there are nervous weeks to come. The Clarets started the game very well…
Burna Boy discloses next project title as “Outside”. This follows a fan’s tweet praising him for his first and second albums “L.I.F.E” (2013) under label Aristokrat records and “On A Spaceship” under his own floated label (2015). Burna in 2016 released a 7-track EP titled “Redemption” which had singles like ‘Pree me’ that got a lot of good reviews. 2016 also saw Burna Boy stage a sold out concert in the UK – a homecoming concert. In 2017, he released his first single ‘Hallelujah’, a song of thanksgiving to God.
Dancehall artist Cynthia Morgan is not here for her critics anymore and is not shy to let them know. She took to her Instagram to share the photo below. She captioned it: “To whom it may concern…if you don’t know me, nor have a genuine care nor genuine interest in me. Don’t mention my name nor make friends with my name.you don’t know what I been through. f*ck you.#Mayyourwordschokeyou #Impenitent#Elegido”