Pep Guardiola has challenged the big names left out of Manchester City’s 2-1 victory over Sunderland to convince him they deserve a place in his squad. Yaya Toure, Samir Nasri, Wilfried Bony and Eliaquim Mangala were among those left out Guardiola’s 18-man squad for the Catalan coach’s first game in charge on Saturday. England keeper Joe Hart was also left on the bench — with reserve keeper Willy Caballero starting in goal — casting further doubts over the future of the City No. 1. Guardiola doesn’t expect any of his players to be happy about his decision but insists there…
Author: David Folami
Liverpool’s Philippe Coutinho is hoping for his best goal-scoring season yet after starting the 2016-17 campaign how he means to go on. The Brazil international scored a brace at Emirates Stadium in the Reds’ thrilling 4-3 win over Arsenal on Sunday in their Premier League opener. Coutinho drew Liverpool back level in the first half with a long-range free kick before grabbing his second goal of the day in the 56th minute by finishing off a well-worked move from Jurgen Klopp’s side. The attacker found the back of the net 12 times last term and now feels confident that he…
Jurgen Klopp accepted responsibility for almost letting his side’s “deserved” 4-3 win over Arsenal slip away at the Emirates Stadium. Klopp’s men took a 4-1 lead in the second half, and the Liverpool manager celebrated Sadio Mane’s fourth goal by giving the debutant a piggyback — but Arsenal pulled two goals back to set up a tense finish. Speaking to Sky Sports after the game, the German admitted he had got carried away after the three points looked to have been all but secured. “OK, the Premier League has started — nothing is sure until the final whistle,” Klopp said:…
Arsenal target Alexandre Lacazette has admitted that he would leave Lyon this month if the French club receive an acceptable offer from the right team. On Sunday, Lacazette gave a timely reminder of why he is in demand by netting a hat trick in his side’s 3-0 win over Nancy on the opening weekend of the new Ligue 1 season. Late last month Lyon issued a statement to say that they had rejected Arsenal’s bid of €35 million for the 25-year-old striker. Speaking after Lyon’s win, Lacazette confirmed French press reports which had stated that he would be interested in…
Bayern Munich gave new coach Carlo Ancelotti a winning start by beating arch-rivals Borussia Dortmund 2-0 to claim the German Supercup on Sunday in the Italian’s first competitive game in charge. Midfielder Arturo Vidal and forward Thomas Mueller scored in the second half for the German double winners after Dortmund, contesting the match as league runners-up and playing in their own Westfalonstadion, enjoyed the better of the first half. Former Real Madrid, AC Milan, Juventus, Paris St Germain and Chelsea coach Ancelotti has taken over from Spaniard Pep Guardiola, who won three Bundesliga titles in as many seasons with the…
Liverpool’s 4-3 win at Arsenal might have been the highlight of the opening weekend of the Premier League in terms of drama, but there were plenty of deficiencies for the managers to ponder. Arsenal’s Arsene Wenger, bemoaning the ill effects of the European championship on his pre-season, will hope returning players give his squad a lift, even as he was given new injury headaches. Wenger had to field an inexperienced centre-back pairing of Calum Chambers and debutant Rob Holding, with Laurent Koscielny given an extended rest after reaching the Euro 2016 final with France little more than a month ago.…
Jose Mourinho believes Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s influence on his Manchester United teammates will be just as crucial as his inspirational contribution on the pitch. Ibrahimovic marked his Premier League debut for United in memorable fashion as the flamboyant Swedish striker hammered a 25-yard strike past Bournemouth goalkeeper Artur Boruc to cap his new team’s 3-1 win at Dean Court on Sunday. The 34-year-old has now scored on his maiden appearances in the Premier League, Serie A, La Liga, Ligue 1 and the Champions League. While maintaining that impressive statistic served as a notable introduction to English football, Ibrahimovic has his sights…
Luis Suarez insisted the Spanish Super Cup is not Barcelona’s yet after helping his team shoot down Sevilla 2-0 to give them a comfortable lead after Sunday’s first leg of the final. The Uruguayan opened the scoring early in the second half, making amends for two earlier misses, before Munir El Haddadi sealed the win when he ran on to a Lionel Messi through-ball and fired home. Having been beaten 4-0 by Athletic Bilbao in the first leg of last year’s final, Barcelona were determined to improve on that showing, setting themselves up nicely for the return at Camp Nou…
Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Cech’s day went from bad to worse as he conceded four goals in a 4-3 defeat by Liverpool on Sunday before crashing his car into a pillar. The former Czech Republic international, 34, was beaten four times at the Emirates Stadium as Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool came from behind to condemn Arsenal to defeat in their opening Premier League game. Philippe Coutinho’s double inspired Liverpool to come from behind and beat Arsenal 4-3 in an action-packed clash of Premier League heavyweights at the Emirates Stadium. After seeing a penalty saved by Simon Mignolet, Theo Walcott put Arsenal ahead,…
Embattled chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ali Modu Sheriff, has vowed not to let the Rivers state Governor, Nyesom Wike and his Ekiti counterpart, Ayo Fayose hijack the party. Sheriff said this following reports that the Northern caucus of the PDP has given their support for the party’s convention slated for August 17 in Port-Harcourt, Rivers state. He said he is ready to step down if the executives of the party agree to his call for the convention to hold in Abuja. According to the embattled chairman, he never begged to become chairman, adding that the party leaders…
Factional leader of the Peoples Democratic Party, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, has claimed ignorance of the party to have a repeat of national convention in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. In a report by Tribune Newspaper, Sheriff maintained that he is not aware of the plan by the party to have another national convention by the National Caretaker Committee led by Senator Ahmed Makarfi. Speaking on his behalf, Sheriff’s Special Assistant on media and publicity, Inuwa Bwala, said Sheriff was not interested in the convention as he was busy fixing the party. “We don’t have to be reacting. He is doing…
The former Chairman of the House of Representatives committee on appropriation, Abdulmumin Jibrin has asked for the All Progressives Congress (APC) family and leaders to forgive him for helping Yakubu Dogara emerge as Speaker. Jibrin said he started avoiding Dogara when he realised that the House Speaker was involved in some fraudulent deals. He said this in a letter he wrote to the APC Chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun. He said “I wish to state that I deeply regret the role I played in the emergence of Yakubu Dogara as Speaker. I seek the understanding and forgiveness from you, our leaders and…
A group under the aegis of Concerned Christians of Nigeria and Northern Nigerian Christians have threatened to petition the EFCC over some activities of Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor during his reign as he President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN). The clerics under the Concerned Christians of Nigeria and Northern Nigerian Christians said they are also reverting their membership to join the pre-independence Northern Nigeria Christian Association over what was termed improprieties of CAN and its immediate past leader. Speaking on Sunday, the leader of the aggrieved clerics, Luka Shehu said, “We are writing to EFCC to come and investigate…
The Ekiti state Governor, Ayo Fayose, has alleged that President Buhari is doing nothing to improve the economy of Nigeria. Governor Fayose also said the country is in the hands of bad managers who do not have a clue of what to do. He said Nigerians are suffering, adding that the economy has totally collapsed under the present administration. Fayose, speaking through his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, said “The only qualification to hold key positions in the Presidency is to know a certain nephew of the President or be a member of his family,…
Presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu, has said President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration is being affected by bad luck. He said “In addition to hard work, all leaders need luck on their side to create what is sometimes seen as economic miracles. As leader, President Buhari never had the luxury of high oil prices as did his predecessors in office. “When he first emerged as the military Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari saw oil price, the mainstay of the nation’s economy sank to as low eight Dollars a barrel. “He rolled up his sleeves, worked on diversification strategy of the economy only…
The militant group, Niger Delta Avengers has said President Buhari is insincere and should not be trusted. The militant group also called on the Niger Delta elders to stop asking them to negotiate with the Federal Government. The militants also dared the Nigerian military to come and get them in the creeks of the oil rich region. According to the group’s spokesman, Agbinibo Mudoch, “To the elders of the Niger Delta, hope it is clear to you our elders that the Buhari-led government is unreliable, unreasonable and irresponsible. Can you tell the world the government official you have been dialoguing…
The Kaduna state Governor, Nasir El-Rufai has threatened to imprison parents who refuse to send their children to school. Governor El-Rufai also said parents who do not want to send their wards to school, can leave Kaduna state. He said this on Saturday, August 13, 2016, during the screening of a documentary titled: He named me malala. The Kaduna Governor mandated parents in the state to enrol their children in schools by September 2016. El-Rufai said “You can leave Kaduna State if you don’t want to send your child to school next month. No street begging again. All our children…
The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Mr Usani Uguru Usani, says the contractors handling Section iii 0-15 km from Port-Harcourt to Onne junction in Rivers have been mobilised back to site. Usani confirmed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Uyo. He said the project was awarded to the Reynolds Construction Company (RCC) Nigeria Limited. Usani said that the ministry was concentrating on the road projects that are of economic importance to the nation in spite of so many development projects to be executed by the ministry. He said that upgrading the existing…
The Lagos State Government on Sunday said it had sealed off the Western Lodge Hotel, located on Isawo Road, in Ikorodu area of the state, over alleged illegal and criminal activities. This is contained in a statement issued by the state’s Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Steve Ayorinde. According to Ayorinde, recent security investigations in the Ikorodu area of the state have revealed that the hotel has been associated with criminal activities. He said that the state government had decided to seal it until further notice. The commissioner said that government would immediately reinforce the presence of security agents…
The Chief of Army of Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, has charged personnel of the army to be committed and keep fit always, saying there is no room for laxity in the military. Buratai gave the charge while addressing 200 cadets of Regular Course 63, who had concluded their training, shortly after inaugurating the Nigeria Defence Academy (NDA) base camp in Jos. He also reminded them that the military had done the country proud and must be ready to continue to make the military proud. “I want to tell you that in the military there is no room for laxity. Whatever…