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Franco Baresi confirms AC Milan's plans to sign Fikayo Tomori on permanent deal

The former Red Devils captain believes the current generation of players do not care enough to cope with adversity

Roy Kane has slammed the lack of leaders in the Manchester United side and questioned the players' attitude following their 1-0 defeat to Arsenal  at Old Trafford on Sunday.

United are winless at home in the Premier League this season after their tepid loss to the Gunners – the north London side's first victory at Old Trafford since 2006 in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's 100th game as manager.

The defeat has left them languishing down in 15th place and former United captain Keane, working as a pundit on Sky Sports, gave a brutal and passionate assessment of their display, lambasting the lack of fight shown by the players.

The former Republic of Ireland international said United did not have anyone on the pitch who could "get in somebody’s face, smash somebody".

He said: "You're playing at United because you're expected to break these teams down, you’re expected to run back, you're expected to roll your sleeves up. That’s what characters at Manchester United are about.

"I don’t see men out there. I don’t see guys you want to be in the trenches with, guys you trust. Alex Ferguson always used to make the point that you need courage to be a Manchester United player - wanting the ball when you don’t really want it.

"Bravery doesn’t necessarily mean nailing somebody. Bravery means wanting possession, fans on your back, courage to pass the ball forward. We saw United players taking the easy option. They have to do better."

Keane, who made 480 appearances for the Red Devils between 1996 and 2005, claimed the current crop of players at Old Trafford do not appear to care enough when the going gets tough.

 "I'm just not convinced with these players. We often talk about characters with Manchester United - I just don’t see enough of them," he added.

"These are high-profile players. We give them a big build-up before the match. I tend to judge players by their actions and the actions I see from this team are nowhere near good enough.

"You roll your sleeves up at Manchester United. When things aren’t going your way that’s when you look at your leaders, your characters - and I don’t see any leaders out there, right through the whole team. It's a real, real worry for United now."

Joan Laporta claims Ousmane Dembele is better than Kylian Mbappe

The Nigeria midfielder had another fantastic showing for her side as they outclassed Djurgardens in Sunday's Damallsvenskan game
Original author: Samuel Ahmadu

Video: The resurrection of Harry Kane at Euro 2020

The Gunners boss was relieved to see his Gabon star get his name back on the scoresheet after a difficult patch in front of goal

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta admits he was glad to see Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's goal drought come to an end on Sunday in his side's 1-0 win over Manchester United

After going five league games without finding the back of the net, the Gunners forward converted a penalty in the 69th minute after Paul Pogba had fouled Hector Bellerin in the box

In striking from the spot, Aubameyang not only ended his goal drought but he also became the first Arsenal player to score a penalty at Old Trafford in Premier League history. 

With Arsenal failing to score in their past two league outings in defeats to Manchester City and Leicester City, Arteta was clearly relieved to see Aubameyang get his name back on the scoresheet at a crucial moment. 

"I’m glad it’s finished. Every striker needs goals and in these moments we have to create more for Auba. He has scored the crucial goal and it is going to lift his confidence," Arteta told BBC's Match of the Day. 

"I wanted to keep it quiet from the players. I wanted to generate belief and I asked them to be who we are as a team right now. I’m delighted because we played with a lot of courage and big personality.

"They played a really tricky formation with four midfielders and two that constantly strain your back four. We could have scored twice in the first half and when we scored the goal we had to manage those moments. There was high stress, it is different to any other ground.

"Individually you have to win the fights and step up to the occasion and the performance of every player today was top drawer."

The Gunners' narrow victory was their first at Old Trafford in the Premier League since 2006 and also the first time they've beaten a 'big six' side away from home in the league since January 2015. 

Arsenal's win sees them jump up to ninth on the table, while the Red Devils remain stuck in 15th - closer to the relegation zone than top of the table after six games. 

Original author: Josh Thomas

'We trust the process' - Aubameyang says Arsenal players fully behind Arteta after Man Utd win

The Gunners striker believes the club is on the right path under the Spaniard's leadership

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang says the Arsenal players have fully bought into Mikel Arteta’s methods and they “trust the process” the head coach is trying to implement.

Aubameyang’s second-half penalty was enough to earn Arsenal a 1-0 victory against Manchester United on Sunday. It was their first win away at a ‘big six’ side for five years and their first win at Old Trafford since 2006.

Breaking that duck is another significant milestone achieved during Arteta’s tenure as Gunners boss, with next month marking a year since the Spaniard succeeded Unai Emery in north London.

The Gunners were in the bottom half of the table when Arteta took charge, with the 38-year-old guiding the club to FA Cup and Community Shield success, as well as an eighth-place finish in the Premier League.

Three defeats from their first seven Premier League matches this term suggests the team is still plagued by inconsistency, but Aubameyang insists Arteta retains the full backing of the players and his long-term vision for the club.

“We knew since the beginning that we had to trust the process,” he told the club’s website. “Mikel is bringing something very nice and everyone wants to follow him.”

Reflecting on Sunday’s win, which saw him become the first Arsenal player to score a penalty in the Premier League at Old Trafford, the Gabon striker added: “It's been a very tough night but I'm really happy because the team played very well tonight. It's been a long time without a win here, so of course it's a big win.

“I work a lot on penalties in training with Laca [Alexandre Lacazette], so I’m pretty confident. As I said, the team did a great job. I'm really happy with all the boys. Everyone was giving their best today and that's why we won.

“At half-time we were concerned we hadn't scored but we knew that in the second half we had to score because we had some opportunities in the first half. We managed the first half well and then in the second half we managed to score. After that, everyone wanted to defend as a squad. We did that well and I'm happy.”

Original author: Goal

Tottenham 2-1 Brighton and Hove Albion: Bale heads winner for Mourinho's men

Tottenham overcame Brighton and Hove Albion thanks to Gareth Bale's first goal for the club since rejoining on loan from Real Madrid.

Gareth Bale scored his first goal since returning to Tottenham as Jose Mourinho's side bounced back from their Europa League disappointment with a 2-1 Premier League win over Brighton and Hove Albion.

Spurs suffered a shock 1-0 defeat to Royal Antwerp on Thursday and Mourinho demonstrated his dissatisfaction with that result by making nine changes for the visit of Graham Potter's side, with Bale demoted to the substitutes' bench and Dele Alli dropped from the squad altogether.

Mourinho's new-look starting XI went ahead with a 13th-minute penalty from Harry Kane before Tariq Lamptey's first senior goal pulled Brighton level shortly before the hour mark.

Bale came off the bench to head home in the 73rd minute, though, to help Tottenham move up to second place, two points behind leaders Liverpool. The Seagulls, meanwhile, remain in 16th having won just once so far this season.

Tottenham were rewarded for a bright start with their early spot-kick after a VAR review determined Adam Lallana's clumsy jump into the back of Kane had taken place just inside the penalty area.

Kane kept his focus to slam home his 149th Premier League goal for the club.

Brighton responded well to that early setback but struggled to break down Tottenham's defence, Potter's side ultimately ending the first half without a shot on target.

The Seagulls pulled level shortly before the hour mark when Lamptey slotted into Hugo Lloris' bottom-right corner from 10 yards, the goal eventually given after referee Graham Scott had undertaken a lengthy pitchside video review to assess if there had been a foul on Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg in the build-up.

Erik Lamela then struck the right-hand post with a low drive from distance before Kane hit the opposite upright after a corner had fallen kindly to him.

Those misses were soon forgotten about when Bale scored his first Premier League goal since May 2013, just three minutes after being introduced for Lamela.

The Wales international found space in the area to meet his former Real Madrid team-mate Sergio Reguilon's cross from the left with a thumping header from eight yards to seal all three points for his side.

What does it mean? Spurs just do enough against spirited Seagulls

It was not always pretty against a determined Brighton outfit, who enjoyed 56.3 per cent of possession, but securing a return to winning ways after their dismal Europa League showing in midweek is what will concern Mourinho the most.

Tottenham have now lost just one of their last 13 Premier League games and with Bale back amongst the goals, the Portuguese might just allow himself to start thinking about a title tilt.

Hojbjerg dominates the midfield battle

Bale gets the headlines but Hojbjerg's contribution in midfield cannot be overlooked. The former Southampton man completed more successful passes than any of his team-mates (50) and gained possession eight times - a joint team-high with Moussa Sissoko.

Sluggish showing from Ndombele

There have been signs this season that Tanguy Ndombele is adapting to life in the Premier League, but this performance was reminiscent of last term's underwhelming displays. The 23-year-old completed just 16 successful passes and lost possession on 11 occasions before he was replaced by Giovani Lo Celso in the 64th minute.

Key Opta stats

- Tottenham, with 14 points from seven games, sit second in the Premier League table for the first time since February 2019 under Mauricio Pochettino.
- Thanks to his opener, Tottenham's Kane has moved into the top 10 all-time Premier League goals list, notching his 149th strike to move level with Les Ferdinand.
- Only the current bottom three sides (Sheffield United, Fulham, Burnley) have lost more games in the Premier League this season than Brighton (4), whilst only league leaders Liverpool (15) have shipped more goals than the Seagulls (14).
- Of the 12 players to have taken at least 25 Premier League spot-kicks, only Matt Le Tissier (96 per cent) and Thierry Henry (92 per cent) have a higher penalty conversion rate than Spurs striker Kane (88 per cent, 22/25).
- Pascal Gross, who set up Lamptey for the equaliser, has now assisted 16 Premier League goals for Brighton, double that of any other player at the club.

What's next?

Tottenham travel to Ludogorets in the Europa League on Thursday before facing West Brom in the Premier League three days later. Brighton, meanwhile, host Burnley in the league on Friday.

Bony: Former Manchester City striker leaves Saudi club Al Ittihad

The Saudi top-flight giants have parted ways with the 31-year-old attacker after a 10-month working relationship

Former Manchester City striker Wilfried Bony has ended his brief spell in the Saudi Professional League with Al-Ittihad.

On Sunday, the 31-year-old announced that he reached a mutual agreement with the King Abdullah Sports City outfit to terminate his contract after 10 months at the club.

Bony joined Al-Ittihad on a one-and-a-half-year contract in January, after he was released by Championship club Swansea City and he returned five goals in 10 Saudi Pro League matches he featured in.

“The board of Directors of Al-Ittihad and I have come to a mutual agreement to terminate our contractual relationship. I would like to thank the club, the players and the fans for all their support and the time spent together. I wish Al-Ittihad all the best in the future,” he tweeted.

Bony did not play a match for Fabio Carille's side since the start of the 2020-21 campaign with Al-Ittihad grabbing just a win in three league outings.

His exit came a week after the Tigers signed Egypt centre-back Ahmed Hegazi on an initial loan deal from West Bromwich Albion for the rest of the season.

Before moving to Saudi Arabia earlier this year, the Ivory Coast international trained with League Two club Newport County to maintain his fitness levels when he was in Wales.

Bony, born in Bingerville, started his European career at Sparta Prague where he won the Czech top-flight title, and he subsequently had spells at Vitesse and Swansea City before moving to Manchester City in 2015.

He spent two years at the Etihad Stadium which include a loan stint at Stoke City after he struggled to secure regular playing time in Manchester.

Before leaving England, Bony scored 35 goals in 115 Premier League games. It remains to be seen where the Ivorian star will continue his career and a return to Europe could be on the cards.

Original author: Taiye Taiwo

Nantes’ Simon ruled out of Nigeria’s game with Sierra Leone through injury

The jet-heeled winger will play no part when Gernot Rohr’s men take on the Leone Stars, having suffered an injury against PSG on Saturday

Moses Simon will miss Nigeria’s double-header Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Sierra Leone through injury.

In Saturday’s 3-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in a French elite division clash, the 25-year-old was replaced by Kader Bamba after 25 minutes having suffered what looked like a groin injury.

Nine minutes earlier, the winger fluffed a golden opportunity to put the Yellow House ahead, missing an open net after Thomas Basila’s cross had reached him.

After a goalless first half inside La Beaujoire-Louis Fonteneau, Christian Gourcuff’s men ended on the losing side thanks to goals from Ander Herrera, Kylian Mbappe and Pablo Sarabia.

Simon will now remain in France during the international window for further treatments as he is expected to be out of action for at least three weeks.

Speaking to Goal, a reliable source very close to the player in France, who pleaded anonymity, confirmed Simon would miss the games against the West Africans coached by John Keister.

“Moses [Simon] was unable to go for a test today [on Sunday] to know the severity of his groin injury, but I can confirm to you that he won’t be available for Nigeria’s games against Sierra Leone,” the source told Goal.

“He will commence treatment as soon as possible and he will return stronger and better in the coming weeks.”

With this development, coach Gernot Rohr could call-up Genk’s Paul Onuachu to replace the former Gent, Trencin and Levante man.

He is expected to miss his club's next Ligue 1 outing against Lorient on November 8. Nantes are eighth on the French top-flight log with eight points for eight outings.

It would be recalled that Simon did not make the country’s cut for the 2014 Fifa World Cup Russia owing to injury worries.

The three-time Africa champions take on the Leone Stars at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City on November 13 before heading to Freetown for the return leg four days later.

With six points from two games, Nigeria lead Group L with six points and victory in both games will assure the three-time Africa champions a place at the 2022 Afcon in Cameroon.

 

 

Original author: Shina Oludare

Kirk: Everton goalkeeper MacIver should be England's number one

The 22-year-old starred in the Toffees' Women's FA Cup final defeat to Man City and her club boss believes she should be first choice for her country

Everton manager Willie Kirk believes Sandy MacIver showed her credentials to be England's number one goalkeeper in the Toffees' Women's FA Cup final defeat to Manchester City.

Kirk's side were beaten 3-1 in extra time by City, who won the competition - which was initially suspended by Covid-19 but then resumed and completed when the new 2020-21 season began - for the second year running.

However, it was MacIver who was named player of the match at Wembley Stadium, despite the result. 

The 22-year-old has been called up to recent England camps under Phil Neville, but has yet to make her first senior appearance, with Covid-19 restricting the Lionesses to just three games in 2020. Kirk, though, believes that she should be first choice for her country.

"Outstanding. From start to finish, outstanding," Kirk said when asked about MacIver's performance.

"She took knocks, she did everything she could to keep the ball out of the back of the net. Sometimes It wasn't pretty. Sometimes it was a punch, it was a slap at times. I think there was one cross that she was at full stretch, and she just had to get something on it.

"But I thought she was outstanding today and very much showed that she's, for me, England's number one.

"She went through a lot throughout that 120 minutes. She took knocks, she made great saves, she was on end of the wrath of me, I think, when she played long when we needed to keep the ball. She went through about everything today.

"She showed that she's a top goalkeeper. She showed that she's going to continue to develop her game. She deserves the player of the match [award] and she'll learn a lot from that. That will be a great memory for her, a great experience for her to go on and achieve big things in the game."

MacIver made one particularly important save when the score was just 1-0 to City - minutes before Valerie Gauvin's equaliser in normal time - by throwing herself instinctively in the path of Chloe Kelly's goalbound shot from close range.

Then, as the 90 minutes came to a close and City were pushing for a late winner, MacIver again pulled out a world-class save when she tipped Steph Houghton's header onto the post.

Unfortunately, in the end, it wasn't enough to help Everton win their first major trophy for 10 years, though, as City scored twice in extra time to retain their title.

"They gave absolutely everything they had in the tank. [I'm] very, very proud of them," Kirk said.

"Obviously there has to be a loser. You never want to be that loser. But, in terms of what we did on the pitch, and what we asked of them, I'm immensely proud of the players and staff and the club, in terms of support we've had.

"I don't think we could have done much more today, but that will inspire us to come back."

Original author: Ameé Ruszkai

Man City boss Taylor sets unique challenge to his players after Women's FA Cup win

After defending their title at Wembley Stadium with a win over Everton on Sunday, the Citizens have their eyes on a unique feat

Manchester City head coach Gareth Taylor has challenged his team to make a unique piece of history by winning two FA Cup titles in one season.

The Citizens defended their crown on Sunday with a 3-1 win over Everton in extra time, winning the competition that carried over from the 2019-20 season into the new campaign, having been initially suspended because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

It was the club's third FA Cup win and Taylor's first trophy since taking charge of the team back in May. Now, he is hungry for more, especially with a special achievement possible this year.

"It means everything," Taylor said after the game. "I'm fresh to this. I was just talking before saying that, I've not even hit double figures yet for games under my belt. I think it's amazing.

"I've been blown away by the support. I've been blown away by the girls and the level of attitude and application, and this [win] just reinforces the message.

"We want to achieve big things. We want to make history. [We'll] challenge the players to probably do what no other club is likely to ever do again and win the FA Cup twice in one season. It'll be tough. I know it will be because everyone wants to win.

"I just [have a] mixture of emotions at the minute. I don't think it's quite sunk in because of the game and how it evolved. But I'm really, really proud at this moment."

The scores were level at 1-1 after 90 minutes, with a header by City midfielder Sam Mewis cancelled out by Everton striker Valerie Gauvin.

Then, in extra time, substitutes Jess Park - who only turned 19 a few weeks ago - and Georgia Stanway linked up to give Taylor's side the lead, before Janine Beckie made sure with the last kick of the game.

It was another huge moment for Park, who was handed her first Women's Super League start last month in a huge clash with reigning champions Chelsea. It was also another sign of the trust Taylor - who was City's Under-18s head coach before this job - is willing to put in young players.

"She's an exciting player. I mean, how can you not get excited about Jess when she's on the ball?" the Man City head coach added.

"She's learning. The good thing is she's having to really fight for minutes, which is great, alongside other players, other really, really good players that we have in the squad.

"When we go into these periods [with a] high volume of games, we're going to need everyone, so everyone will get their opportunity. But I think having some real experience around those young players is only going to help them grow. For her to put in a performance like that was beyond her years.

"To show that maturity for someone who's so young, and that performance, and how she got Everton on the back foot... She's a player that's growing and improving and she'll really improve playing ahead of Lucy Bronze, next to Sam Mewis and, at times, Ellen White, playing off her as a number nine."

Original author: Ameé Ruszkai

'More problems than solutions' - Neville blames Man Utd for midfield logjam and Sancho 'error'

The former Red Devils defender says that the club are paying for their transfer dealings

Gary Neville says that Manchester United have "more problems than solutions" in midfield as the Red Devils continue to struggle in the Premier League while adding that it may have been an "error" to not bring in Jadon Sancho.

United's Premier League frustrations continued on Sunday as they fell to Arsenal in a 1-0 defeat. 

The Gunners sealed all three points thanks to a goal from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who fired from the penalty spot to continue United's misery at Old Trafford this season.

With the loss to Arsenal, United have won just two of their first six Premier League games as the club sit 15th in the table, with just seven points thus far.

And Neville says that the midfield is a particular area of concern, as is the right wing due to the club's inability to sign Borussia Dortmund star Jadon Sancho this summer.

"There are more problems than solutions," Neville told Sky Sports. "You have six midfield players at the club: Nemanja Matic, Fred, Scott McTominay, Bruno Fernandes, Donny van de Beek and Paul Pogba, and you've somehow got to get them into a system, which is forcing Ole to play a diamond.

"I think there was an element today of him thinking he could just put four players in that diamond and it would work after what happened in midweek but McTominay on the right-hand side wasn't working after five minutes.

"You have to be comfortable moving out into that wide area; [Aaron] Wan-Bissaka's already a bit awkward on the ball at right-back so you need someone to balance it and the balance on the right is a real problem for United.

"When [Mason] Greenwood went off it was even worse. They wanted Jadon Sancho obviously to play on that side and it looks like a real bad error in not getting that position recruited."

United are off to a perfect start in the Champions League, having beaten Paris Saint-Germain in France before crushing RB Leipzig 5-0 at home to seal six points from two games.

Next up, United will face Istanbul Basaksehir in Turkey before then taking on Everton next weekend at Goodison Park.

MTN8: 'SuperSport United are still alive' - Tembo upbeat after Bloemfontein Celtic draw 

The Zimbabwean tactician also discussed the return of lethal marksman Evans Rusike,, who was introduced in the second-half 
Original author: Austin Ditlhobolo

'Ole will lose his job working with these players' - Keane fears for Solskjaer future after latest Man Utd defeat

The former United midfielder did not hold back in his scathing assessment of the current side and the consequences it could have for the manager

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will be sacked as Manchester United manager sooner rather than later unless the players dramatically improve their performances, says former Red Devils captain Roy Keane.

A Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang penalty was enough to earn all three points for Arsenal on Sunday and inflict on United a third defeat from six Premier League games so far this season.

It is their worst start to a campaign for seven years and leaves them languishing down in 15th place in the table.

Keane was scathing of United’s performance after the game, though he directed his ire at the players rather than manager Solskjaer.

"I am really, really worried about Manchester United now," Keane told Sky Sports.

"Where do you want me to start? A lack of energy, of enthusiasm, and a real lack of quality. That really concerned me. No quality, no composure.

"Some of the performances were really poor. Have they turned a corner? It's the longest corner ever. I am just not convinced by these players.

"I don't see any leaders out there. There's a real lack of quality. There's a long way back for this club.

"I looked at [Marcus] Rashford closely today. His body language was shocking. Shrugging his shoulders when things didn't go his way? You roll your sleeves up when you play for Manchester United.”

Though he says the players need to shoulder the blame, Keane believes Solskjaer will ultimately pay the price if performances and results don’t change in the coming weeks.

"We were almost building up this season as make-or-break for Ole, but at this moment in time it's not looking good for him,” he added.

“I scratch my head at players who don't have enthusiasm for a game of football.

“Sometimes you say 'there's no reason to panic'. But the results and performances suggest you should be panicking.

"I judge the players by their actions and I just don’t see it. I never looked at a manager expecting to motivate me, that comes from within.

"Ole will lose his job working with these players as night follows day - that's what is going to happen.”

Original author: Goal

Sources: U.S.' Dest reconsidering Villarreal offer

The Indomitable Lioness is enjoying her best scoring form in the Norwegian top-flight after finding the back of net on Sunday

Ajara Nchout scored her ninth goal of the season in a Norwegian Toppserien fixture to seal Valerenga's 4-2 victory against Lillestrom on Sunday.

Before the encounter, the Cameroon international had netted a quadruple in Valerenga's 7-0 win over Klepp on September 27.

On returning from the international break, Nchout was brought on as a substitute for the second time this term and she gave a good account of herself to ensure her side's 10th win of the season.

Synne Jensen broke the deadlock thanks to an assist from Marie Dolvik Markussen to put the hosts ahead in the 28th minute.

On the brink of half-time, Rikke Marie Madsen set up Sigrid Heien Hansen to fire the ball past the goalkeeper to double the lead.

After the restart, Dejana Stefanovic slotted in the third goal of the match from close range through Rikke Marie Madsen's fine pass four minutes into the second half of the encounter.

Lillestrom, however, Sophie Roman Haug pulled one back for the champions off a pass from Emilie Woldvik in the 74th minute.

Nchout stepped forward to score the fourth goal of the match at Intility Arena, with her 75th-minute strike, courtesy of an assist from Netherlands midfielder Sherida Spitse.

Five minutes from full-time, Thea Kyvag reduced the deficit but it was not enough to ruin the victory for Valerenga in the six-goal thriller.
 
Nchout, who played the final 23 minutes after replacing Jensen, has now scored nine goals in 16 appearances this season for Valerenga.

The result means Valerenga have opened a one-point lead at the top of the log with 35 points from 16 matches. 

Original author: Samuel Ahmadu

Jury fails to reach verdict in Giggs assault trial

The Red Devils have failed to win in their opening four Premier League games at Old Trafford this season
Original author: Charlotte Duncker

Delort at the double as Montpellier edge Strasbourg in seven-goal thriller

The striker helped his charges to qualify for the Fufa Big League after getting his name on the score sheet

Calvary FC midfielder Jamil Asega has revealed he dedicated his goal to his late father owing to the influence he had in his life.

The youngster was on target as his team defeated Northern Gateway 2-0 in the final playoff on Saturday to gain promotion to the Fufa Big League.

He went on to explain why he dedicated his strike to his late father.

"I dedicate the goal scored for Calvary against Northern Gateway to my father, the late Hashim Babu," Asega revealed after the game.

"He was such an influential figure in my life. He encouraged me to train and play with one heart. Today, I celebrate him even if he is long gone."

The midfielder has also lauded all involved to ensure the campaign was a success. 

"Football is teamwork," Asega, who also played for Buwekula in the Masaza Cup, noted.

"I thank the technical team led by coach Ahmed Borine Olima, his assistants, management, my teammates, and the fans. The reward of teamwork has paid off."

Other teams promoted to the Fufa Big League are Luwero United who hail from Buganda region, Terrazzo and Tiles from the Western region, and Gaddafi who are from the Eastern region.

Luwero qualified after overcoming CATDA from Kampala region by a solitary goal scored by Joseph Justus Nkabirwa. The Buganda representatives, however, finished the game with 10 men after the sending off of Sadat Mukembo.

Luwero had qualified for the final after defeating Buwambo 7-6 in post-match penalties while CATDA qualified after emerging 2-0 victors.

Gaddafi FC also eliminated Jinja City after claiming a 3-0 win. Patrick Asiku, who has since retired from active football, Mark Bamukyaaye, and Roland Bithum Nsumbiano scored the goals.

Prior to the final, Gaddafi had defeated Admin 4-0 while Jinja had defeated Team Church 5-4 in post-match penalties after settling to a goalless draw in regulation time.

The final spot was secured by the Western region's Terrazzo and Tiles who defeated Booma of Kitara region 4-3 in a penalty shootout. Regular time had ended in a goalless draw and the match had to be settled through penalties.

The team had settled to a 0-0 draw again in their initial game against Kigezi and went on to win 4-3 on post-match penalties. Booma had beaten Kasese's Asingya FC 3-1 to set a date with Terrazzo and Tiles.

Aldrine Kambale managed to get a brace in that game, with Clinton Asiimwe scoring the other.

The consolation goal for Asingya was scored by Shami Muhammed. 

 

 

 

  

  

Original author: Seth Willis

Revealed: Kaizer Chiefs' XI against Wydad Casablanca - Blom returns, Ngcobo dropped

The defender believes the Red Devils must figure out their own problems as they continue to struggle at Old Trafford after losing to Arsenal

Harry Maguire admitted that Manchester United "needed to do more" during Sunday's loss to Arsenal while adding that the club will have to "look within" and not make excuses.

United were undone at Old Trafford on Sunday, falling 1-0 to the Gunners thanks to a Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang penalty in the second half.

With the loss, United now sit 15th in the Premier League with seven points through six games, marking the club's worst start since David Moyes was in charge.

The Red Devils have struggled at Old Trafford so far this season, with Sunday's defeat meaning that United have failed to win any of their opening four top-flight games at home for the first time since 1972-73.

And, following the most recent defeat, Maguire says that United must find a way to sort out their issues at home as they look to make Old Trafford a fortress once again.

"It's hard to put your finger on it. It was disappointing from us. It was a cagey game, a game of few chances," Maguire told Sky Sports.

"We needed to do more, we needed to create more.

"We were confident going into the game. It was important to start the game well. We just gave the ball away too much.

"It's not good enough, we've got to go work hard tomorrow at training.

"We can't find excuses, we've got to look within.

"We haven't won in the league at Old Trafford this season. It's disappointing, we want teams to have a tough time coming here."

Maguire has featured in eight games for United this season, his second with the club, but the Red Devils have struggled mightily in Premier League play.

This season, United have lost to Crystal Palace, Tottenham and, now, Arsenal, having only earned wins against Newcastle and Brighton in the Premier League.

United have been strong in the Champions League, meanwhile, kickstarting their European run with a win over Paris Saint-Germain at the Parc des Princes as well as a 5-0 battering of RB Leipzig at Old Trafford.

Next up for United will be a visit to Istanbul Basaksehir as they look to make it three wins in three games in the Champions League.

After that, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side will look to climb up the Premier League table as United face off with Everton next weekend. 

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The midfielder gave away a spot kick when he tripped Hector Bellerin, allowing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to score the winning goal

Paul Pogba admits he made a "stupid mistake" when he tripped Hector Bellerin to concede a penalty in Manchester United's 1-0 defeat to Arsenal.

The midfielder clipped the Gunners full-back's ankle in the United box, prompting the referee to point to the spot.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang converted the spot kick to seal the victory for the away side, consigning the Red Devils to their third Premier League defeat of the season.

Pogba admits his side were not at their best in the clash at Old Trafford and suggested he gave away the penalty because he was "out of breath".  

"We know it's a poor performance. Myself, I cannot give a foul away like this," he told BBC Sport .

"I thought I would touch the ball but I didn't. I cost us the goal today with the penalty.

"Like I say, details. We have to do better, the team, myself, it starts with me.

"I felt like I touched him a bit, I knew I was in the box, I shouldn't have given a penalty away like that. Maybe I was a bit out of breath, it made me do this stupid mistake

"I will learn from that, I'm not the best defensively in the box, I can work on that.

"We also need to do more with the ball creating chances. We didn't expect to be man for man, but after this we can adapt, we have to find a solution but we didn't. That's why we weren't dangerous with the ball.

"But like I say, the team performance needs to be a lot better."

United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was disappointed in the France international for making such a mistake.

He told Sky Sports : "He needs to stay on his feet. Paul [Pogba] knows it’s a soft penalty to give away, similar to Nemanja [Matic] who almost got a penalty."

United will look to recover from their latest defeat on Wednesday when they travel to Istanbul to face Basaksehir in the Champions League.

They will then return to Premier League duty with a trip to Goodison Park to face Everton on November 7.

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The Gabon international reached another landmark with his second-half effort in Manchester on Sunday

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has become the first Arsenal player to score a penalty at Old Trafford in a Premier League game with his match-winning effort on Sunday.

The 31-year-old stepped up to score only the goal that handed Mikel Arteta's side a 1-0 win over Manchester United after Hector Bellerin was brought down by Paul Pogba in the 18-yard-box.

It was the third penalty attempt the Gunners have had at Old Trafford in the English top-flight with Robin Van Persie and Gilberto Silva not the hitting the target in the previous two, in 2011 and 2006, respectively.

The 69th-minute strike was Aubameyang's second goal of the season and it ended his five-game goal drought in the league, his first was against Fulham on an opening day.

The Gabon captain was in action for 87 minutes before he was replaced by Shkodran Mustafi, however, he was shown a yellow card by referee Mike Dean for time wastage.

Former Nigeria international Odion Ighalo did not make Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's squad for the encounter while Ghana's Thomas Partey alongside Egypt's Mohamed Elneny played the duration for the Gunners. Ivory Coast's Nicolas Pepe watched on from the bench.

Sunday's victory was also Arsenal's first Premier League win at Manchester United since September 2006 and their maiden league triumph over a "big six" club since January 2015.

The Red Devils dropped to 15th on the league standings with seven points after six matches while Mikel Arteta's side climbed to eighth with 12 points after seven outings.

Aubameyang will shift his attention to Arsenal's Uefa Europa League outing against Norwegian club Molde on Thursday, before they host Aston Villa at the Emirates Stadium on November 8.

The 2015 African Footballer of the Year has scored four goals in nine matches across all competitions so far this campaign.

Original author: Taiye Taiwo

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You have to go all the way back to 2015 for their last win on the road at one of the division's leading sides

Arsenal have finally ended their long wait for a win at one of the other Premier League ‘big six’ sides, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s goal against Manchester United enough to break a duck that stretches back five years and 29 games.

Aubameyang sent David de Gea the wrong way from the penalty spot on 69 minutes to decide a game of few chances at Old Trafford after Paul Pogba had tripped Hector Bellerin in the area.

Not only did it earn the Gunners a vital three points, but it also ended their unwanted record in away games against United, Manchester City, Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham.

You have to go all the way back to 2015 for their last win on the road at one of those sides, with goals from Santi Cazorla and Olivier Giroud sealing a 2-0 win against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.

They have drawn 10 and lost 19 of their encounters with those sides since.

It was also their first victory at Old Trafford for 14 years, since Emmanuel Adebayor scored the winner in a 1-0 success in September 2006.

The victory moves Arsenal up to eighth in the Premier League, four points behind leaders Liverpool in what is becoming an increasingly congested top half of the table. It also ended a run of successive league defeats after 1-0 losses at home to Leicester and away at Manchester City in recent weeks.

There was also a little piece of history for Aubameyang, who became the first Gunners player to score a penalty for the club at Old Trafford in the Premier League. Previous spot kicks from Robin van Persie in 2011 and Gilberto Silva in 2006 were both missed.

It was another miserable afternoon for Manchester United, though, with the Red Devils languishing down in 15th after a third defeat from their opening six league matches of the season.

Next up for Mikel Arteta’s side is a home clash with Norwegian side Molde in the Europa League on Thursday. They then return to Premier League action with a clash against Aston Villa at the Emirates Stadium next Sunday.

Original author: Goal

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The Super Eagles goalkeeper was beaten four times in his first game for the Castle Lords as they were brushed aside at home by the Super Frisians

Nigeria international Maduka Okoye conceded four goals on his Sparta Rotterdam debut as the Castle Lords bowed 4-1 at home to SC Heerenveen in Sunday’s Dutch top-flight game.

Fuelled by a brace from Henk Veerman, the hosts were humbled in their backyard.

Henk Fraser’s men came into the game with the ambition of recording their first win after 13 matches across all competitions, but the visitors had other ideas.

Heerenveen took the lead after seven minutes through Benjamin Nygren, who rolled the ball into the net after the hosts’ defenders failed to clear a cross from Mitchel van Bergen properly.

Another piece of poor defending saw the visitors double their advantage courtesy of Jan Paul van Hecke, who headed a corner kick from Joey Veerman past Okoye.

Three minutes before the half-time break, Henk Veerman gave Hohnny Jansen's team a three-goal lead by firing home from close range.

Having conceded three goals in the first 45 minutes, the Castle Lords looked dead and buried. They conceded their fourth of the evening in the 57th minute as Veerman completed his brace with a fine finish.

Even this scoreline, credit must be given to Okoye for keeping the tally respectable thanks to a series of fine saves made.

Lennart Thy scored their consolatory strike in the 90th minute from the penalty mark after Ibrahim Dresevic had fouled one of Heerenveen’s strikers.

Thy scored the ensuing kick after sending goalkeeper Erwin Mulder the wrong way.

While Okoye was in action for 90 minutes, Cape Verde’s duo of Jeffry Fortes and Lorenzo Fonseca were not listed for the encounter.

The 17-year-old Netherlands youth international of Nigerian descent, Emanuel Emegha, was introduced for Danzell Gravenberch in the 30th minute.

With this result, Heereneen climbed to fourth on the Eredivisie log having accrued 16 points from seven games, while Sparta Rotterdam occupy the 17th spot with just three points.

Okoye would be hoping to get his second cap for the Dutch team when they travel to 12th placed RKC Waalwijk on November 7.

He has been called up for Nigeria’s double-header Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers versus Sierra Leone.

Original author: Shina Oludare

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