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EPL: Arsenal extend league lead with routine win over Brentford

Arsenal tightened their grip on the Premier League summit with a controlled 2-0 victory over Brentford on Wednesday night, driven by goals from Mikel Merino and Bukayo Saka.

Mikel Arteta refreshed his starting XI with three changes from the Chelsea draw, introducing Ben White, Noni Madueke and captain Martin Ødegaard. The adjustments delivered immediate impact.

Merino breaks the deadlock

Arsenal took the lead in the 11th minute. White advanced on the right and delivered a precise cross that found Merino, who powered a header past Caoimhin Kelleher.

EPL: Arsenal extend league lead with routine win over Brentford
Mikel Merino opened the scoring for Arsenal – Getty image

Forced into a makeshift striking role due to injuries to Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus and Viktor Gyökeres, Merino continued his productive run.

The goal marked his 13th of 2025, the highest tally by any Arsenal player this calendar year.

Brentford came closest to responding when Kevin Schade’s header from a corner was tipped onto the crossbar by David Raya, but the visitors struggled to sustain pressure.

Saka seals the result

Arsenal doubled their advantage in first-half stoppage time. Merino slipped a well-weighted pass through midfield to Saka, who finished despite Kelleher’s initial touch.

The hosts maintained control after the break, though Arteta suffered two injury concerns, with Cristhian Mosquera and Declan Rice withdrawn after sustaining knocks.

The result extends Arsenal’s unbeaten streak to 18 matches in all competitions and marks their eighth consecutive home victory, reinforcing their strong position at the top of the league.

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LaLiga: Mbappe masterclass drives Real Madrid past Athletic Club

Real Madrid delivered one of their most assertive performances of the season as Kylian Mbappe led a dominant 3-0 victory over Athletic Club at San Mamés.

With both managers under criticism, it was Xabi Alonso who walked away with a statement win, while Ernesto Valverde was left with more questions than answers.

Mbappé strikes early to set the Tone

The match opened with Madrid’s attacking trident in full flow. Trent Alexander-Arnold initiated the breakthrough with a pinpoint diagonal pass that found Mbappé in space.

The Frenchman surged past two defenders before rifling a decisive finish into the bottom corner.

LaLiga: Mbappé masterclass drives Real Madrid past Athletic Club
Mbappe was invoiced in all three goals for Real Madrid, scoring two and assisting one – Photo from RuriBarlow on X

Madrid repeatedly exposed Athletic’s defensive structure, with Mbappé, Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Junior all finding room between the lines.

Madrid were inches from doubling their lead when the post denied Mbappé, and Unai Simón later produced a strong save to stop another chance.

Thibaut Courtois, meanwhile, produced his trademark highlight moment by denying Álex Berenguer with an elite low stop.

Fluent team move doubles the lead

Real Madrid’s second goal was a showcase of fluid, high-tempo football. Bellingham, Vinicius and Álvaro Carreras combined intricately before the ball was worked to Alexander-Arnold.

The right-back delivered a measured cross that Mbappé headed across goal, leaving Eduardo Camavinga to apply a simple finish.

Athletic rally fizzles out as Mbappé strikes again

Athletic started the second half aggressively, forcing Courtois into another sharp save from Mikel Jauregizar.

But just as they began to grow into the match, Mbappé crushed any hopes of a comeback. Given time outside the box, he unleashed a venomous strike that left Simón helpless.

The goal effectively sealed the contest. Madrid dropped deeper and absorbed pressure, while Athletic struggled to break them down.

Injuries to Alexander-Arnold and Camavinga created minor concerns for Alonso, though neither appeared serious.

Simón was tested again by a long-range Fede Valverde strike, but the final stages were marked by a subdued San Mamés crowd, a clear acknowledgement that the game was out of reach.

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AFCON 2025: Eric Chelle Releases Super Eagles’ Provisional Squad (Full List)

Eric Chelle, the Super Eagles coach, has unveiled his provisional squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

Chelle released the list in a post via Super Eagles’ official X account on Tuesday.

The list includes the likes of Victor Osimhen, Lookman Ademola and Tolu Arokodare to lead the attack.

The likes of goalkeepers Maduka Okoye and Stanley Nwabali are also included in the list.

The midfield are made up of the likes of Alex Iwobi, Wilfred Ndidi and Frank Onyeka.

The 2025 AFCON will commence later this month and will end in January, 2026.

Full list of Super Eagles’ provisional squad include;

Goalkeepers: Stanley Nwabali (Chippa United, South Africa); Amas Obasogie (Singida Blackstars, Tanzania); Maduka Okoya (Udinese FC, Italy); Adebayo Adeleye (Volos FC, Greece); Francis Uzoho (Omonia FC, Cyprus); Ebenezer Harcourt (Sporting Lagos);

Defenders: William Ekong (Al-Kholood, Saudi Arabia); Olaoluwa Aina (Nottingham Forest, England); Calvin Bassey (Fulham FC, England); Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (Hull City, England); Bright Osayi-Samuel (Birmingham City, England); Bruno Onyemaechi (Olympiakos, Greece); Chidozie Awaziem (Nantes FC, France); Zaidu Sanusi (FC Porto, Portugal); Igoh Ogbu (Slavia Prague, Czech Republic); Felix Agu (Werder Bremen, Germany); Ryan Alebiosu (Blackburn Rovers, England); Adekunle Adeleke (Abia Warriors);

Midfielders: Alex Iwobi (Fulham FC, England); Frank Onyeka (Brentford FC, England); Alhassan Yusuf Abdullahi (New England Revolution, USA); Wilfred Ndidi (Besiktas FC, Turkey); Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge, Belgium); Christantus Uche (Crystal Palace, England); Tochukwu Nnadi (Zulte Waregem, Belgium); Fisayo Dele-Bashiru (SS Lazio, Italy); Ebenezer Akinsanmiro (Pisa SC, Italy); Usman Muhammed (Ironi Tiberias, Israel); Peter Agba (Maccabi Haifa, Israel); Tom Dele-Bashiru (Gençlerbirligi SK, Turkey)

Forwards: Ademola Lookman (Atalanta BC, Italy); Samuel Chukwueze (Fulham FC, England); Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray FC, Turkey); Simon Moses (Paris FC, France); Chidera Ejuke (Sevilla FC, Spain); Tolu Arokodare (Wolverhampton Wanderers, England); Akor Adams (Sevilla FC, Spain); Olakunle Olusegun (Pari Nizhny Novgorod, Russia); Sadiq Umar (Real Sociedad, Spain); Kelechi Iheanacho (Celtic Glasgow, Scotland); Taiwo Awoniyi (Nottingham Forest, England); Victor Boniface (Werder Bremen, Germany); Paul Onuachu (Trabzonspor AS, Turkey); Terem Moffi (OGC Nice, France); Nathan Tella (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany); Cyriel Dessers (Panathinaikos FC, Greece); Abdulrasheed Shehu (Niger Tornadoes); Rafiu Durosinmi (Viktoria Plzen, Czech Republic); Ekeson Okorie (Nasarawa United); Chisom Orji (Warri Wolves); Chukwubuikem Ikwuemesi (OH Leuven, Belgium); Philip Otele (FC Basel, Switzerland); Salim Fago Lawal (NK Istra 1961 (Croatia); Emmanuel Michael (Linzer Athletik SK, Austria)

 

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LaLiga: Mbappé matches Ronaldo record as Real Madrid star enters elite goal-scoring club

Kylian Mbappé has entered yet another rarefied Real Madrid bracket, joining Cristiano Ronaldo as the only players in club history to score more than 53 goals in a calendar year.

The milestone came on Sunday during Real Madrid’s La Liga clash with Girona, a match in which Xabi Alonso’s side were under considerable pressure after a stuttering run of form.

Mbappé delivers at a critical moment

Real Madrid trailed at halftime after Azzedine Ounahi punished them with a well-taken opener.

But when Vinícius Jr. earned a second-half penalty, Mbappé assumed responsibility, converting confidently to level the score and tilt momentum back toward the visitors.

Exclusive company with a club legend

According to La Liga statistician MisterChip, only two players have ever hit 53 or more goals in official competitions for Real Madrid within a single calendar year:

Cristiano Ronaldo (five times)

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Chelsea 1-1 Arsenal: ten-man Blues grind out point in fiery top-of-the-table showdown

Chelsea delivered a high-resilience performance to secure a 1-1 draw against league leaders Arsenal at Stamford Bridge, despite playing almost an entire half with ten men.

Arsenal arrived looking to widen their advantage at the top of the Premier League standings, but the contest quickly turned tense.

 

The key flashpoint came shortly before the interval when Moises Caicedo saw his initial yellow card upgraded to red after VAR flagged a dangerous challenge on Martin Zubimendi.

 

The dismissal tilted momentum toward Arsenal, at least on paper.

Chelsea strike first against the odds

Down a man, Chelsea showed no appetite for damage control. Two minutes into the second half, Trevoh Chalobah found space at the near post and guided a looping header beyond David Raya to put the Blues ahead.

Arsenal hit back but cannot finish the job

Arsenal responded inside 15 minutes. Bukayo Saka whipped in a precise delivery that Mikel Merino nodded past Robert Sánchez for the equaliser.

But despite sustained pressure, Mikel Arteta’s men lacked the cutting edge to turn one point into three.

The draw leaves Arsenal still atop the table but frustrated, while Chelsea walk away with a morale-boosting result earned through discipline and defensive

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EPL: Isak breaks drought as Liverpool halt losing streak at West Ham

Liverpool snapped their alarming slump with a 2-0 win over West Ham United at the London Stadium, as Alexander Isak finally scored his first Premier League goal for the club since his £130million move from Newcastle.

The champions entered the fixture on the back of nine defeats in 12 matches across competitions, their worst spell in more than seven decades, prompting questions over manager Arne Slot’s future.

Slot responded by dropping Mohamed Salah for the first time in the league since April 2024, and his reshuffle yielded the breakthrough Liverpool desperately needed.

Isak delivers under pressure

After being denied by a superb first-half save from Alphonse Areola, Isak broke the deadlock on the hour mark.

Found in space by Cody Gakpo, the striker produced a calm, clinical finish that justified his record transfer fee and relieved weeks of tension around the squad.

Gakpo then completed the job deep into stoppage time, smashing a loose ball past Areola to end a professional away performance and move Liverpool up to eighth, now just two points off the top four.

West Ham reduced to ten

West Ham’s hopes deteriorated further when Lucas Paquetá was sent off in bizarre fashion.

The Brazilian, returning from suspension, received a yellow card for dissent after disputing a challenge, then immediately talked himself into a second caution as he continued protesting.

Down to ten men, the Hammers struggled for rhythm on an emotional day marked by the passing of club legend Billy Bonds at age 79.

The club adjusted their pre-match playlist to honour their former captain and manager.

Liverpool still a work in progress

Despite the victory, Liverpool remain short of their peak levels. However, the result stops the bleeding after a chaotic run and provides a platform from which Slot’s side can attempt to rebuild momentum.

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EPL: Manchester United rally from behind to end Selhurst Park struggles

Manchester United produced a fine second-half turnaround to defeat Crystal Palace 2-1 at Selhurst Park, breaking a four-year winless run at the ground and climbing back into the Premier League’s top six.

United had not scored at the venue since Bruno Fernandes’ strike in January 2023 and had not won there since July 2020, when Anthony Martial was among the scorers.

When Palace went into half-time ahead after a dominant display, few expected Ruben Amorim’s side to flip the script.

New penalty retake rule takes centre stage

Palace’s opener came from Jean-Philippe Mateta, who benefitted from a newly enforced Premier League rule.

The striker initially converted a penalty nine minutes before the break, only for VAR to alert referee Rob Jones that Mateta had kicked the ball twice before it crossed the line, now an automatic retake.

The law, in effect from this season, had its first real application, triggering confusion among both sets of players and supporters.

Mateta showed no nerves, sending Senne Lammens the wrong way a second time to give Palace the lead.

Zirkzee answers critics with fierce equaliser

United entered the clash on the back of three winless games and a damaging defeat to 10-man Everton. Their response required character, and it came from an unlikely source.

Joshua Zirkzee, heavily criticized since joining the club and largely written off after a string of off-colour performances, vindicated Amorim’s decision to keep faith with him.

The Dutchman lashed a swerving strike from a tight angle nine minutes into the second half, beating former United goalkeeper Dean Henderson for his first Premier League goal in almost a year.

The finish may prove crucial for Zirkzee, whose minutes have dried up and whose international prospects with the Netherlands have stalled

Mount completes the comeback

United’s momentum surged, and just nine minutes later, Mason Mount struck the decisive blow. A quick, smart free-kick from Fernandes caught Palace unprepared, allowing Mount to drill a low shot into the bottom corner.

From that point, United shifted into game-management mode, exploiting Palace’s fatigue after their European fixture less than three days earlier.

The home side, who would have moved into the top four with a win, ran out of energy and ideas.

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Former Super Falcons Coach, Randy Waldrum Challenges NFF Over Use Of $960,000 FIFA World Cup Grant (Video)

Former Super Falcons head coach Randy Waldrum has called on the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to account for the $960,000 he says FIFA disbursed to all participating nations in October 2022 to prepare for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

In a video that has gone viral on social media, Waldrum accused the federation of failing to organise a proper pre-tournament training camp despite receiving the grant.

“I have a real close contact here in the US that is very connected with some of the board at FIFA.

“This person told me that in October, every country was given $960,000 from FIFA to prepare for the World Cup. Where is that money?” he asked.

Waldrum criticised what he described as poor planning around the team’s October 2022 friendly in Japan, saying the logistics left his squad physically exhausted.

“We went to Japan, we flew in, played the game, and went home. Some of our players didn’t arrive until the morning before the game. Five players who were going to start for me arrived the night before, after travelling 16 hours. We wasted the last five days of that window to train,” he said.

He also raised concerns about the size and capacity of Nigeria’s technical staff, insisting the federation had failed to meet standards permitted by FIFA. According to him, FIFA allows teams to travel with up to 22 technical personnel, yet Nigeria’s contingent included only about 11.

 

“I don’t have an analyst, and I scout. The US has a scout in Europe watching teams. We don’t even have scouts going with us to Australia. Everything I have to do is on videos and what I can pick up online,” he lamented.

 

Waldrum further argued that FIFA allows business-class travel and later deducts the cost from federations’ prize money, insisting there was no justification for inadequate travel arrangements or poorly organised training camps.

While his allegations reignited debate over the team’s preparation, records showed that the Super Falcons did participate in various activities before the World Cup. They played international friendlies against the USA in August 2022, Japan in October 2022, and Mexico in February 2023.

The team also camped in Turkey in April 2023, where they defeated New Zealand 3–0 and Haiti 2–1, and later held a training tour on the Gold Coast in Australia from July 4 to 11, playing a friendly against Lions FC before moving to their official FIFA camp in Brisbane.

Despite the concerns raised by their former coach, the Super Falcons went on to deliver one of their most impressive World Cup runs in recent years. They held Canada and Ireland to goalless draws, defeated co-hosts Australia 3–2 in a dramatic encounter, and progressed to the Round of 16, where they lost 4–2 on penalties to eventual finalists England after a tense 0–0 draw.

The NFF has not yet issued an official response to Waldrum’s renewed allegations.

Watch the video below…

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I Don’t Have To Play Against Him – Calvin Bassey Happy Over Osimhen’s Failed Premier League Move

Nigerian defender Calvin Bassey has praised Victor Osimhen as a “deadly” striker, noting that he is relieved his national teammate did not make a move to the English Premier League.

Bassey sees Osimhen at the same level as Manchester City goal machine, Erling Haaland.

Before settling for Turkish giants, Galatasaray, Osimhen was heavily linked with the likes of Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal.

But none of the speculated moves could materialise and Bassey, who plays his football at Fulham, expressed mixed feelings about his international teammate’s move.

“He’s unbelievable. What he does for the country, what he’s done in the Champions League is amazing, a deadly striker,” Bassey said to Stadium Astro.

“I was kind of happy and upset at the same time that he didn’t come to the Premier League.

“It would have been good for him, but I’m happy I don’t have to play against him.”

Bassey confirmed that Osimhen is very much interested in moving to the Premier League.

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Arsenal Winger, Bukayo Saka Proposes To Long-Term Girlfriend, Tolami Benson

Bukayo Saka, the world-famous Arsenal winger, has proposed to Tolami Benson, his long-term girlfriend.

According to the UK Sun, Saka popped the question at a top hotel in London.

The couple are both 24 years and have been dating for at least give years.

Although they have kept their relationship out of the spotlight, they were first publicly seen together during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Tolami also cheered Saka on during Euro 2024 and they shared a pitchside kiss after England’s draw with Slovenia earlier this year.

The pair are now planning for the rest of their lives together following a “special” night.

Saka is reported to have gone “all out” on the proposal and picked an “absolutely enormous” engagement ring.

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