Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has said he views Jesse Lingard as more of a central player than a wide man. Lingard impressed in the No. 10 role for Thursday night’s 1-1 draw against Liverpool in the Europa League and began Sunday’s 1-0 win over Manchester City in the central role, with Juan Mata moving out to the right. The 23-year-old performed well before being shifted out wide later in the match and when asked about the player’s fine showing in the centre after the game, Van Gaal said: “Yes, that is why I have put him there, but…
Author: David Folami
Italy boss Antonio Conte has told reporters he is still assessing his options despite claims he has already agreed to join Chelsea this summer. Sources told ESPN FC last month that Conte had held talks with Chelsea, and Italian coaching chief Renzo Ulivieri recently criticised an unnamed club for the manner in which they had pursued the former Juventus boss. On Monday, Conte spoke for the first time since time since it was confirmed that he will step down from his current position as Italy boss at the end of Euro 2016, and he talked openly and at length about…
Barcelona extended their lead at the top of La Liga to nine points over Atletico Madrid despite blowing a two-goal advantage to draw 2-2 at Villarreal on Sunday. Real Madrid closed to within 10 points of Barca in third ahead of the meeting between the two sides in two weeks, as Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema all scored in a 4-0 win over Sevilla. Meanwhile, Valencia boss Gary Neville was called a “donkey” and urged “to go now” by the club’s fans after losing 2-0 at home to Celta Vigo. Yet, Villarreal were more than worthy of a…
England assistant coach Gary Neville has delayed joining up with Roy Hodgson’s squad for this month’s friendlies against Germany and the Netherlands so he can focus on putting things right with his beleaguered Valencia team. Neville’s struggling side suffered a third consecutive league defeat on Sunday in a 2-0 home loss to Celta Vigo and supporters at the Mestalla chanted “Neville go now” in unison for the first time since he took charge in December. “I have just spoken to Roy Hodgson and am going to stay back in Valencia. I feel it’s the right thing to do,” Neville told…
Van Gaal said he did not know whether captain Wayne Rooney will be fit to return from his knee injury after the international break. But the United manager’s selection problems pale in comparison to those troubling his City counterpart Manuel Pellegrini, who lost winger Raheem Sterling to a groin problem and goalkeeper Joe Hart to a calf injury. Pellegrini estimated that both would be out for “three or four weeks”, which would rule them out of England’s forthcoming friendlies against Germany and the Netherlands and potentially next month’s two-legged Champions League quarterfinal against Paris Saint-Germain as well. City’s fourth defeat…
Mauricio Pochettino has warned Leicester that title-chasing Tottenham are ready to step on the gas as the race for pole position in the Premier League hots up. Thanks to Harry Kane’s latest heroics in Sunday’s swaggering 3-0 win over Bournemouth, Pochettino’s second placed team are just five points behind Leicester heading into the final seven games of a gripping title battle. Kane took just 44 seconds to open the scoring at White Hart Lane and he added a superb second before Christian Eriksen made it three. For the first time since winning the English crown in 1961, Tottenham find themselves…
Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal believes that his team have a “big chance” of finishing in the Premier League’s top four following their 1-0 win at Manchester City. United’s season looked to be on the rocks after they were knocked out of the Europa League by Liverpool last Thursday, but teenage striker Marcus Rashford’s clinically taken 16th-minute strike got them back on track at the Etihad Stadium in Sunday’s derby. As well as ending a run of four games without victory in all competitions, the result took United to within a point of City, who currently occupy the fourth…
At the other end of the table, Valencia remain just six points above the relegation after a third consecutive league defeat. The forceful reaction from the fans provoked a rethink from Neville over his initial decision to join up with the England squad in his role as an assistant coach to Roy Hodgson as he will now stay in Valencia until Thursday before meeting up with the national team. “Obviously it’s not an ideal situation,” said Neville. “I’m the assistant coach for the national team of England, with 60 million people, but I understand the two or three million people…
Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri once again played down his team’s Premier League title chances after their seventh win in nine games kept them five points clear of second-placed Tottenham after the latter’s win over Bournemouth on Sunday. For the Italian, “focus” continues to be the buzz word as one of the most open Premier League seasons in the recent past enters a potentially dynamic and dramatic final stretch. The 64-year-old manager underlined his side’s small-team tag and adhered to the cautious stance he has embraced right from the point underdogs Leicester jumped into the fray as title contenders. “There…
Jurgen Klopp refused to write off Liverpool’s hopes of forcing their way into the top four despite squandering a two-goal lead at Southampton. Liverpool’s 3-2 defeat meant they were unable to take advantage of Manchester City’s home loss to Manchester United and move to within four points of Manuel Pellegrini’s side who lie fourth having played a game more. But Klopp insists that with nine games remaining, his side can still challenge although he conceded they cannot afford a repeat of their second half performance at St Mary’s Stadium. “There are 27 points still to play for,” said the Liverpool…
There are reports that one of the officials deployed by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to Rivers State for the Federal and State Assembly rerun has been killed. According to a recent report, the official was reportedly killed in Abonnema area of Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State. The report further revealed that electoral officials who were on duty were attacked on arrival at the area, which led to the death of the official, whose identity can’t be confirmed as at time of filing this report.
There are reports that the Secretary to the Rivers State Government, Kenneth Kobani has been arrested during the Federal and State Assembly rerun. According to a recent report, Kobani was arrested by men of the Nigerian Army for allegedly stalling the distribution of electoral materials in an area in the state. The report also revealed that the state’s SSG had allegedly stormed a Registration and Accreditation Centre in his area having gathered that the original result sheets have been carted away. It was reported that the military later arrested him for stalling the electoral process.
The former Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Alhaji Bala Mohammed, has denied speculations that he decamped from People’s Democratic Party (PDP) after losing national chairmanship position. Mohammed made the denial at a stakeholders meeting to mend fences and fractions in the party in the state. He said that politicians should not allow prolong malice and animosity to interfere with the political will among members, which would hinder the success of the party. “Just because I lost the national chairmanship, I will not leave PDP because this is not my kind of politics. “I have never said that I was leaving…
There are reports that top members of the Peoples Democratic Party and other political parties in Nigeria are threatening to implicate ex-president Goodluck Jonathan should the EFCC come after them over campaign funds. According to a recent report, some politicians and members of the former President’s campaign organisation that got funds to campaign are angry that the ex-president is too silent over the probe on funds that was allegedly given to them as campaign funds. The politicians are said to be angry with the ex-president silence and have vowed to expose his deals should the anti-graft commission invite or probe…
A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP has revealed that ex-President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan should be queried for the corruption allegations levelled against many of his aides by EFCC. In a recent report, a PDP chieftain disclosed that Sambo Dasuki, the embattled National Security Adviser to ex-President Jonathan, shouldn’t be the only one invited by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. The PDP chieftain, whose name was not disclosed further said that apart from the CBN, other government agencies such as Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, the Office of the National Security Adviser and the Nigerian National Petroleum…
Ex-Vice President, Atiku Abubakar and the ex-Governor of Lagos State, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, are set to contest for the chairman of the All Progressive Congress’ Board of Trustees. According to a report by Daily Trust, members of the Board of Trustees, BoT, are already preparing to cast their votes as they elect a new Chairman. It was gathered that the members of the BoT would use the opportunity of meeting at the APC National Secretariat in Abuja to elect both the chairman and secretary of the Board. Also joining the candidates vying for the seat is an APC chieftain in…
Rivers Deputy Governor Ipalibo Banigo has commended the peaceful conduct of the legislative rerun election in Obuama, Degema Local Government Area. Banigo made the remark in a statement signed by her Press Secretary, Paul Damgbor, in Port Harcourt on Saturday. The statement said that the deputy governor voted in Ward 14, Unit 10 in Obuama at about 12.40p.m. Banigo lauded the people of Obuama for their peaceful conduct during the legislative rerun election. She said that the electorate conducted themselves orderly, but noted that there was an initial apprehension on the validity of the result sheets for the House of…
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike and the Minster of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi have reportedly clashed on Sunday, March 20, 2016 as they await the results of the legislative polls. According to a recent report, both political leaders stormed Mile 1 Police station over result for Ward 10 after PHALG Collation officer, Mrs Ekwe Adebisa allegedly ran into the police station for safety. While the governor was accompanied by ex-Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chief Austin Opara, former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chairman Local Government Service Commission, Mr Azubuike Emeregini, Senatorial candidate of the PDP for Rivers…
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has suspended the re-run legislative elections in two more local government areas of Rivers. Resident Electoral Commissioner for the state Aneidi Ikoiwak said that the elections were suspended due to irregularities and violence. He told newsmen in Port Harcourt on Sunday that the commission had earlier suspended the re-run elections in six local governments. He said the eight affected areas are Eleme, Bonny, Andoni, Asari-Toru, Etche, Tai, Khana and Gokana. “ INEC is currently auditing personnel and materials sent to the field. We will also meet with critical stakeholders before a new date will…
Unknown gunmen went on rampage shooting sporadically at Abonnema area of Port Harcourt as the results of the legislative election rerun were been collated. In a report by Vanguard Newspaper, the shooting lasted for 30 minutes and left many running for cover around Mile 1 and Azikiwe. As residents scampered to safety, security operatives reportedly man the collating centres to wade off erring political thugs. This is happening a day after the federal and state legislative rerun elections held on Saturday, March 19, 2016. It was further reported that the cause of the ear deafening shots was yet to be…