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Jurgen Klopp pays tribute to Caoimhin Kelleher after Carabao Cup final win

The Anglo-Ghanaian becomes the first second youngest Gunner to be given the marching orders in an English topflight encounter

Eddie Nketiah set an unwanted Arsenal Premier League record on Tuesday night as the Gunners played a 1-1 draw with Leicester City on Tuesday.

With the Gunners leading 1-0 thanks to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s first half-strike, the Anglo-Ghanaian was introduced for Alexandre Lacazette in the 71st minute, nevertheless, he was sent off four minutes later by referee Chris Kavanagh.

He was punished for a reckless tackle on James Justin with referee consulting VAR to confirm the youngster’s tackle worthy of expulsion. And that earned him a place in an undesirable Arsenal history book.

At 21, years and 38 days, Nketiah became the youngest player from the club to be expelled during an English topflight encounter since Konstantinos Mavropanos also against the Foxes in 2018.

Before the game against Brendan Rodgers’ men, the forward had featured in nine games with two goals to his credit so far.

With this dismissal, he will not be available for manager Mikel Arteta when they head to the London Stadium for Sunday’s derby with Tottenham Hotspur.

Meanwhile, manager Arteta is perplexed with the referee’s decision claiming he was uncertain of the rules regarding VAR, albeit, he is proud of his team’s performance.

"I don't understand the rules. I never see a referee check any of the images. But I can do nothing now, it is the rules," he told Sky Sports.

"We lost two points, we lost Eddie and we will see now for how many games. But we go to Spurs now and try to win three points."

"I am extremely proud of our team, the way we played against this kind of opposition,” he continued.

“We should have been three or four-nil up. With the red card, you have to know he is a young kid. Leicester should play with 10 men after 42 minutes. For a challenge between the 40th and 45th minute.”

In the same vein, goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez stated the red card incident was the game’s turning point.

"100% [we should have won],” he told BBC Sport. “Before Eddie Nketiah got sent off we played an outstanding game and should have scored two or three goals. We defended well and we’ll have to be happy with a draw, we wanted to win.

"I know Eddie, he is not an aggressive player. He slipped and did not want to injure him and the red card is harsh. We know Eddie and we know he is a nice guy,

"Sometimes you score, sometimes you don't. Before the red card, we looked solid and I did not have to make a save in the second half.”

 

Original author: Shina Oludare

All the Centre-Backs Linked With Manchester City - Ranked

The 21-year-old striker was sent off for a harsh challenge just four minutes after he came off the bench in the draw

Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta has admitted he is unsure of the rules regarding VAR after Eddie Nketiah was sent off during the 1-1 draw against Leicester on Tuesday.

Nketiah was shown a red card while the hosts were leading 1-0 and just four minutes after he came off the bench.

Referee Chris Kavanagh consulted VAR before dismissing the forward for a rough challenge on James Justin with just 15 minutes left in the Premier League encounter and the Foxes came back to rescue a point through a late Jamie Vardy goal.

VAR’s role in the decision perplexed the Gunners boss, who was proud of his side despite the draw. 

"I don't understand the rules. I never see a referee check any of the images. But I can do nothing now, it is the rules," he told Sky Sports.

"We lost two points, we lost Eddie and we will see now for how many games. But we go to Spurs now and try to win three points."

He added: "I am extremely proud of our team, the way we played against this kind of opposition. We should have been three or four-nil up. With the red card you have to know he is a young kid. Leicester should play with 10 men after 42 minutes. For a challenge between the 40th and 45th minute.

"They played tremendously well. The recovery time is difficult but you can see the effort the players are putting in. I am extremely proud of the players. We have to learn as well. When you have this kind of opposition and you are on top you have to kill them when you can."

Arsenal goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez says the incident was the turning point in the game, as he believes his side should have taken the three points.

"100% [we should have won],” he told BBC Sport. “Before Eddie Nketiah got sent off we played an outstanding game and should have scored two or three goals. We defended well and we’ll have to be happy with a draw, we wanted to win.

"I know Eddie, he is not an aggressive player. He slipped and did not want to injure him and the red card is harsh. We know Eddie and we know he is a nice guy,

"Somtimes you score, sometimes you don't. Before the red card we looked solid and I did not have to make a save in the second half.

"I know I am going to concede goals but hopefully I can keep more clean sheets for this club. That is one thing we have to work on and disappointed to concede at the end."

Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers, meanwhile, defended the Arsenal forward regarding the incident, telling BBC Sport: “It was a red card. I don't think the kid meant it, he was stretching for it but the studs were up. I think they made the right decision.”

Ante Rebic Has Been the Key to Milan's Surprising Resurgence

After he ended his goalscoring drought against Crystal Palace, the forward was praised by his manager

Tammy Abraham's decisive goal against Crystal Palace will be a huge boost to his confidence, says Chelsea boss Frank Lampard.

Chelsea won a Selhurst Park thriller 3-2 on Tuesday, the 22-year-old scoring what proved to be a pivotal third goal for the visitors, his first strike since the Premier League's resumption.

Ahead of the match, Lampard had urged Abraham to focus on his faltering form as opposed to a new contract, amid speculation over where he fits in the club's long-term plans ahead of Timo Werner's arrival.

The striker had not scored since January 11 and lost his starting place upon the post-coronavirus restart, but Lampard was buoyed by his cool 71st-minute finish shortly after coming on for Olivier Giroud.

"It will be really important for Tammy because he is desperate for goals," Lampard told the media.

"He hadn't scored for a while. It helps his confidence and it is good for me. It gives me other options.

"He came on late in the game, he scores the winning goal and I'm pleased for my strikers."

Goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, who tipped Scott Dann's last-gasp header onto the post, was praised by Lampard, along with defender Kurt Zouma after his last-ditch tackle in a dramatic finish to proceedings.

Palace made it an uncomfortable outing for Chelsea with Wilfried Zaha scoring a wonder-strike, leaving Lampard to concede his team should have managed the game better.

"We should have had the game done at 2-0," he said. "We should have controlled the game better and then at 3-2 we had good chances to finish off.

"With some slight wrong decisions maybe in the final third or final shot, and then it invites pressure.

"Kepa makes a great save, Kurt makes a great tackle. But in those last moments it was nervous for us."

The win increased Chelsea's chances of earning a top-four finish in the Premier League. With Leicester City drawing at Arsenal, the Blues move up to third in the table.

Chelsea are set to face Sheffield United on Saturday before then hosting Norwich City at Stamford Bridge three days later.

Tariq Lamptey: Ghana target staying focused amid growing attention 

The English attacker will leave Anfield with a glowing reference from his coach, who will think carefully over any potential new buys.

Jurgen Klopp lauded Adam Lallana as a Liverpool "legend" after conceding the midfielder has probably played his last game for the Premier League champions.

Lallana penned an extended contract at Anfield to cover the conclusion of the prolonged 2019-20 season but will depart when the campaign concludes.

The 32-year-old has not been in any of Klopp's four matchday squads since the restart and the Reds boss explained he is looking at the bigger picture of the player's prospective next move. He does not want to risk a recurrence of the injury problems that have dogged the England international's time on Merseyside.

Speaking ahead of Wednesday's Premier League trip to Brighton and Hove Albion, Klopp praised Lallana's service throughout his time at the club - the ex-Southampton playmaker's familiarity with Mauricio Pochettino's high-pressing style making him a valuable presence during those transitional early months.

More recently, Lallana's diligence on the training ground was citied as an important factor in Liverpool's march to European, world and, finally, Premier League glory.

"Adam is, oh my God… it's clear that Adam will leave the club," Klopp said. "If you know ask me now, I miss already everything about him and he's still here.

"He is an outstanding player, one of the most influential players in training quality I've had in my life. He's an incredible professional.

"Now we have a difficult situation, I respect that a lot. Everything with Adam is sorted – he's top fit, he's training, everything is fine.

"But the future is his future. If we need his help on the pitch, we can get it. He's there and trains 100 per cent.

"As long as we don't need it, he will just train. That's the normal thing. There were a lot of discussions with players about ending contracts. Here it was not even a discussion. It was clear for Adam, we extend his contract. He wanted to do that as well.

"But we will not put any risk on his future. That is absolutely clear. He is one of the most important players of the time since I'm here.

"I wish him only the best for the future and, from my point of view, he is already a legend here.

"He can now start being a legend somewhere else from next season on."

Liverpool's five remaining Premier League matches could prove more significant for those others who serve as back-up to a dominant first XI.

The likes of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Divock Origi could enjoy increased game time but, much like Lallana, Klopp is keen not to have such players overlooked when it comes to considering their role in a glorious period.

"We played against Barcelona, for example, made a lot of changes in this game, played an outstanding game – one of the best games this team ever played," he said of last season's logic-defying 4-0 win over the Catalan giants the Champions League semi-finals, with Origi's brace sealing a 4-3 aggregate triumph.

"Whatever your first XI is – I don't know exactly, but I think I have an idea – these boys all did the job.

"Oxlade-Chamberlain, if he's not in your first XI, has played incredible games for this club. He won pretty much alone against City a year or so ago. He's not a worse footballer since then."

A satisfaction with his back-up option does not mean Klopp will not look to bolster his title-winning pack, even if he acknowledges the uncertainty of the wider global climate might have an influence.

"Are there players out there on the market who can help us? Probably, yes," he added. "This is the challenge for us, to improve a really good football team. But these times are a challenge as well.

"It goes back to how nobody knows what the future will hold for all of us. So how can we make really expensive decisions for how we will deal with it?

"This team is really good. That doesn't mean we don't want to strengthen. If we have the opportunity and have the financial resources then it will always happen and we will always try."

Original author: Dom Farrell

MLS is Back Power Rankings: Sounders among the favorites to win tournament

With the tournament set to begin on Wednesday, Goal breaks down each team's chances of making a run in Orlando

Celta Vigo 1-1 Atletico Madrid: All square after Morata scores fastest goal of LaLiga season

Celta Vigo 1-1 Atletico Madrid: All square after Morata scores fastest goal of LaLiga season

Celta Vigo responded superbly to a nightmare start to move a step closer to safety, while Atleti remain on course for a top-four spot.

Alvaro Morata scored the fastest goal of the LaLiga season after just 51 seconds but Atletico Madrid had to settle for a 1-1 draw at Celta Vigo.

Morata followed up his double in the win over Real Mallorca last Friday by striking in the first minute at Estadio de Balaidos.

Fran Beltran deservedly levelled early in the second half with his first goal of the season to move Celta seven points clear of the relegation zone with three matches to play, although third-bottom Mallorca have a game in hand.

Third-placed Atleti are unbeaten in 15 games and a draw keeps them on course to secure a Champions League spot.

Atleti could not have wished for a better start, Angel Correa taking a pass from Santiago Arias and picking out Morata for a tap in with less than a minute on the clock.

Celta responded to that early blow and Brais Mendez's deflected strike went into the side-netting before the midfielder curled a shot wide of the far post.

Diego Simeone's side could have doubled their lead late in the first half, but Correa was unable to apply the finish as he charged into the penalty area.

Celta were level just four minutes after the restart, Beltran not getting a clean contact on Mendez's cross but seeing his volley loop into the far corner with Jan Oblak helpless.

Oscar Garcia's men did not look like a side in danger of the drop and Mendez was denied by the busy Oblak, who then palmed Santi Mina's strike away for a corner.

Ivan Villar came on to replace injured Celta goalkeeper Ruben Blanco with nine minutes to play and he denied Thomas Lemar, with the home side also having a penalty appeal dismissed following a VAR check late on.

 

What does it mean? Atleti a step closer to Champions League spot

Atleti lead Sevilla, who have a game in hand, by three points and are nine better off than fifth-placed Villarreal in the battle for Champions League spots.

On the evidence of this showing, in which they could have secured a surprise win, Celta ought to have enough to avoid relegation.

Morata on a roll

Striker Morata led the line well for Atleti and was in the right place at the right time to score his third goal in two games right in a dream start.

He now has 16 goals for the season in all competitions and it looks like there will be more to come.

Llorente stifled

It was certainly not one of the Marcos Llorente's better nights as he struggled to stamp his authority on the game before being withdrawn midway through the second half.

What's next?

Atleti entertain Real Betis on Saturday, when Celta travel to mid-table Osasuna.

Original author: Peter Thompson

‘Mount deserves to be Lampard’s teacher’s pet’ – Chelsea playmaker emulating his boss, says Nevin

There were six second-half goals at San Siro as a see-saw Serie A match sensationally went Milan's way.

Juventus missed the chance to move 10 points clear at the top of Serie A as they incredibly let a two-goal lead slip to lose 4-2 at Milan after a remarkable second half on Tuesday. 

At the start of a crucial week in which Juve also face in-form Atalanta, the leaders had been boosted ahead of kick-off by news of another defeat for second-placed Lazio

However, the Bianconeri could not take full advantage despite a sensational opener from Adrien Rabiot and Cristiano Ronaldo's swift second. 

All six goals came after the interval as Milan staged a rapid recovery, scoring through Zlatan Ibrahimovic from the penalty spot, Franck Kessie, substitute Rafael Leao and Ante Rebic. 

Missing the suspended Paulo Dybala, Maurizio Sarri's side could not rally and so remain seven points ahead of Lazio, while rampant Milan climb to fifth. 

Few could have imagined such a chaotic second period when an offside flag against Ibrahimovic ensured the sides went into the break scoreless after a first half of precious little action. 

But Rabiot then required only 74 seconds from the kick-off to break the deadlock in magnificent fashion. 

The midfielder collected the ball just inside his own half and brushed off Kessie before advancing, nutmegging Theo Hernandez and then, 20 yards from goal, arrowing a left-footed shot into the top-right corner. 

There was little the Milan defence could do to deny Rabiot, but Alessio Romagnoli and Simon Kjaer would be well advised to avoid replays of Juve's second, the pair colliding to give Ronaldo time and space to beat Gianluigi Donnarumma. 

Just as Juve looked set to coast to victory, a VAR review spotted a handball from Leonardo Bonucci inside the area, allowing Ibrahimovic to convert from 12 yards. 

The momentum swung and suddenly Milan were in the ascendancy. A wonderful team move created space for Kessie to shoot inside the area, a deflection deceiving Wojciech Szczesny, while Leao drove a low strike through the goalkeeper for a third goal in six minutes to turn the match around. 

Juve threatened to battle back as Donnarumma saved superbly from Daniele Rugani, but Rebic - earlier denied by Szczesny - lashed in Milan's fourth to clinch the points. Ronaldo thought he had netted again in stoppage time, only to be ruled offside.


What does it mean? Title tussle still on 

The Scudetto race appeared to have been run with an hour played. Juve were 2-0 up, having seemingly dealt with the absence of key man Dybala, and heading for a double-digit lead at the summit.

But Milan, who so harmed Lazio's title bid last weekend with a 3-0 triumph, were determined to influence another twist in the tale, roaring back in astonishing fashion.  

Rebic gets his revenge 

Rebic has found his feet in 2020, netting 10 times since the turn of the year heading into Tuesday's match. His low point, however, had been a red card at Juve in the Coppa Italia that contributed to a semi-final exit. 

The forward was in top form against the Bianconeri this time, though, winning the penalty with a flick onto Bonucci's arm - picking up a booking for his pre-VAR review protests in the process - before teeing up Leao's goal and then netting the fourth himself. 

Complete collapse 

Poor Rabiot. The former Paris Saint-Germain midfielder will likely never top his outrageous opener, yet this game will not be remembered for a brief period of glorious attacking flair. 

Instead, the focus will rest on the spectacular fashion in which Sarri's side imploded. The penalty call was perhaps harsh, but one of Europe's sturdiest defences - admittedly missing Matthijs de Ligt - lost all composure and subsequently all three points.

Key Opta Facts

- Milan have scored four Serie A goals against Juventus for their first time since March 1989 (4-0).
- Prior to this match, the last time Juventus lost a Serie A game after leading by a two-goal margin was in October 2013, against Fiorentina.
- Milan have won a Serie A match after going two goals behind for the first time since October 2016 (4-3 against Sassuolo).
- The Rossoneri have scored two goals in five consecutive Serie A games for their first time since January 2013.
- Rebic has both scored and delivered an assist in the same match for the first time in Serie A.

What's next? 

Both sides face significant tests this weekend. Milan are at Napoli on Sunday, 24 hours after Juve host Atalanta. Sarri will have to hope there is no hangover. 

Original author: Ben Spratt

Kaizer Chiefs player ratings as super-subs Mashiane and Manyama tear TTM apart

The Aston Villa assistant manager has been tipped to take over at the Championship but his former team-mate doubts he will want the job

Former Aston Villa full-back Alan Hutton has backed John Terry to be a “fantastic” manager but doubts the former Chelsea captain will be interested in taking over as Bristol City boss.

The ex-England star has been linked taking over at the Championship side since Lee Johnson was sacked from the role on Saturday following their fourth consecutive defeat.

Bristol’s hopes of competing in the playoffs for a place in the Premier League are over as a result of their recent form, as they sit 12th in the table and nine points behind sixth-placed Cardiff City.

Terry has been working as assistant manager at Villa since October 2018, having ended his playing career at the club when they earned promotion back to the top-flight.

Hutton played alongside the Champions League winner that season and saw enough to convince him of Terry’s potential as a coach.

However, he remains unsure if the 39-year-old would be interested in beginning his coaching career with the Robins.

“I’m not so sure – until he comes out and physically says it, I wouldn’t really believe it,” the former Tottenham and Scotland player told Football Insider.

“He’s going to make a fantastic manager, I’ve obviously worked with him up close at Villa and seen how meticulous he is in certain aspects of the game, I know what kind of guy he is.

“Whether that’s the first one he would fancy, they are a decent side, mid-table in the Championship, I don’t know if that’s the first one he would want to take but he will want to step out on his own two feet at some point in the foreseeable future. Whether that’s the first one he’d choose, I’m not sure.”

Hutton is not the first figure to tip Terry to become a top coach in the future, as ex-Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti is convinced he will impress just as his old team-mate Frank Lampard did.

“I'm waiting now for Terry as a manager, now he's an assistant, but I think they both have the qualities to be a good manager. Of course, Frank is doing really well at Chelsea now,” the Italian said in May.

Tottenham 'confident' Son Heung-min will sign new long-term contract

The 21-year-old Indomitable Lioness forward has sealed her first professional move abroad after signing for the Polish outfit

Polish Ekstraliga side Olimpia Szczecin have secured the services of Cameroon international Mpeh Bissong on a two-year contract.

The Szczecin-based outfit secured the Indomitable Lionesses striker from Cameroonian women's top-flight side Louves Minproff.

Bissong is one of Cameroon's hot prospects after her breakthrough with Minproff, whom she helped to a domestic double in 2018 and won the topscorer boot for the third time in a row with 22 goals. 

On international level, she featured at the Cosafa Women's Cup in 2018, with Cameroon and scored a hat-trick in an 8-1 win against Mozambique as they finished runners-up in South Africa.

Despite her exploits, Alain Djeumfa's decision to leave out the youngster from the Central African squad for the 2019 Women's World Cup in France was heavily criticized by fans and media.

On confirming her signing, Olimpia revealed the Cameroonian arrived in Poland before the world went into lockdown but was quarantined for days at the University of Szczecin hospital.  

"In Szczecin for several months, after positive medical tests in REHBET and performance in the physiology laboratory at the University of Szczecin for several days, with a two-year contract in Olympia starting today!," the club wrote on its Facebook page.

"In the new season, a 21-year-old Cameroon representative Christian Mpeh Bissong will debut in white and navy blue. 

"The young striker's last club was Cameroon Louves Minproff. We warmly welcome you onboard, Olympia and wish you all the best performances."

After finishing seventh with 18 points from 12 matches before the coronavirus cancellation, they will seek to wrestle for domestic titles in their 2020-21 Polish Ekstraliga campaign.

The Cameroonian will become the third African to join a Polish outfit this summer after Nigeria's Alice Ogebe and Ghana's Priscilla Hagem signed for Sportis KKP Bydgoszcz and TS ROW Rybnik respectively.  

Bissong could make her debut for MKS Olimpia when they host Ogebe's Sportis KKP Bydgoszcz in a warm-up tie in Szczecin on July 18. 

Original author: Samuel Ahmadu

Cornella 1-0 Atletico Madrid: LaLiga leaders suffer Copa del Rey upset

The Man City defender has been recalled to the starting line-up to face Newcastle after having his season hit by injury and loss of form

John Stones is set to make his first Premier League start for Manchester City since January, but with no guarantees about his future at the club.

The England international has been playing catch-up since an injury forced him to miss the early preparations for the Premier League's return from the coronavirus-enforced suspension.

City boss Pep Guardiola revealed he will start the game against Newcastle at the Etihad Stadium, but refused to be drawn on his future amid possible interest in the defender from Wednesday night’s visitors as well as former club Everton.

“On the transfer market, we will speak at the end of the season,” Guardiola said. “I’ve said many times I’m more than delighted with John as a person, as a pro, everything.

“What I want is the best for him. We’ll speak at the end of the season about what is going to happen.

“Sometimes my wish is not the wish of the players, or the wish of the situation for the club. At the moment I will feel it, if we have to change, we’ll talk to them. He’s a young player and we want him to be consistent, to train and recover.

“There are players who can play every three days for 11 months, others struggle more to be fit and we try to find the key to playing every three days. This is what we want.”

While Stones has not suffered any major injuries, he has been troubled by a number of niggles during his time at City. And, this season when Aymeric Laporte was ruled out for five months, he has played in just 14 of 51 games so far.

City are also set to go into the transfer market for another centre-back when the transfer window opens casting further doubt over his future at the club.

Guardiola has been a big fan of the 26-year-old, famously telling a room of journalists that he had “more balls than everybody” in the room. But a lack of consistent form over the past year following a difficult Nations League with England in the summer, has further added to the uncertainty.

“It’s difficult for a player and for all of us,” Guardiola said. “The quality of John is there, I never doubted it for one second. It’s just when you don’t play, you are rotated and injured again, and injured again.

“They are good when they play in a routine, they are confident. You need minutes, playing, being fit or injured and this is what happened with John.

“We have, Nico [Otamendi], Aymeric, Fernandinho - Eric [Garcia] is doing incredibly well. He must play for himself and focus.

“He and anyone will not be judged for bad actions or bad moments. Be what they are. We know what he is, the quality and perspective is there.”

Original author: Jonathan Smith

Athletic Bilbao 2-3 Barcelona: Player ratings as Lionel Messi brace earns crucial win

The manager responded to a claim from the Mexico boss that the striker would be a perfect fit at Old Trafford

Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo says he is not concerned by Mexico boss Gerardo Martino's recent claims that Raul Jimenez should be a target for Manchester United.

Jimenez has grown into a star with Wolves since joining the club from Benfica in 2018.

The Mexico international scored 17 goals in his debut season, making his initial season-long loan move permanent in the process.

This season, Jimenez has scored 24 goals in all competitions to push Wolves into sixth in the Premier League as well as the last 16 of the Europa League.

The 29-year-old striker has earned links to big clubs as a result of his goalscoring exploits, with Man Utd and Juventus among those rumoured to be interested.

Martino said that a move to Old Trafford would be best for the striker, given the club's need for a pure No. 9.

But Nuno says he isn't too worried about any move for the club's star striker, insisting that the focus remains on pushing forward to complete the Premier League season.

"It's not an issue for us, we have a competition and a game to play," Nuno said.

"We have a lot of things in front of us. It's not the moment to think about anything else. I'm sure Raul is totally, 100 per cent focused on what he has to do at Wolves.

"They are things which you can't control, it's up to you to decide if you pay attention or not. I admire Tata [Martino], he is a big manager, and honestly, it doesn't distract us."

Wolves most recently fell in a 2-0 defeat to Arsenal, snapping a run of three consecutive victories to begin the Premier League's restart.

Jimenez has scored two of Wolves' four goals since the competition kicked off again while also netting 33 percent of the club's Premier League goals throughout the campaign.

Up next for Wolves is a clash with Sheffield United at Bramall Lane on Wednesday before then hosting Everton on Sunday at Molineux.

Wolves currently sit three points behind fifth-place Manchester United and six points behind fourth-place Leicester City in the race for Champions League spots.

Athletic Bilbao 2-3 Barcelona: Messi scores twice to spoil Marcelino debut

Jamie Vardy scored late on as Leicester City took advantage of Eddie Nketiah's red card to draw 1-1 with Arsenal.

Eddie Nketiah's red card proved costly for Arsenal as Jamie Vardy's late goal salvaged a 1-1 draw for Leicester City in the Premier League.

Mikel Arteta's side looked set to make it four league wins on the spin on Tuesday, thanks to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's 21st-minute goal.

Yet, just four minutes after coming on, substitute Nketiah received his marching orders for a rash tackle on James Justin – referee Chris Kavanagh consulting VAR to deem the youngster's tackle worthy of a straight red.

And Leicester made their numerical advantage count with six minutes remaining – Vardy's goal standing after a long VAR check for offside as the Foxes claimed a valuable point.

Leicester started brightly, yet they were behind when the impressive Bukayo Saka fooled Jonny Evans and teed up Aubameyang for a simple finish.

Aubameyang would have returned the favour if not for Caglar Soyuncu's intervention soon after, before Kasper Schmeichel denied Alexandre Lacazette.

Kelechi Iheanacho had a goal disallowed due to a foul, while Lacazette should have done better with a header at the other end.

Schmeichel again had to be alert to prevent David Luiz extending Arsenal's lead after the break, with Iheanacho then directing a close-range volley at Emiliano Martinez.

Lacazette thought he had nudged in Arsenal's second with 22 minutes remaining, only for the offside flag to cut short his celebrations, and his replacement Nketiah lasted just a matter of minutes before he was sent off.

Leicester made Nketiah's mistake count nine minutes later – Vardy tucking in from Demarai Gray's cross, with VAR unable to confirm whether Ayoze Perez got a touch on the way through, which would likely have led to the goal being ruled out for offside.

What does it mean? Arsenal's Champions League hopes dealt a blow

Arsenal would have been heading into sixth place, just three points behind Manchester United and six adrift of Leicester, had they held on, but as it is they stay seventh, with Wolves able to move five points clear of the Gunners should they beat Sheffield United on Wednesday.

Leicester, meanwhile, stay fourth, with Chelsea having gone above them thanks to an earlier win over Crystal Palace.

Saka answers Arteta's call

While one Arsenal youngster – Matteo Guendouzi – finds himself out in the cold, Saka is thriving. Arteta asked the teenager to improve his all-round game after scoring his first league goal in the win over Wolves on Saturday, and on Tuesday the winger was in superb form in the first half, combining brilliantly with Lacazette and Aubameyang in the final third.

Nketiah's nightmare cameo

Arsenal’s second-half display left a lot to be desired, though they did look comfortable until Nketiah lunged in recklessly on Justin and put his side on the back foot – a mistake the Gunners ultimately paid for.

Key Opta Facts

- Arsenal remain unbeaten in 23 home league games against Leicester (W19 D4).
- Leicester City have scored 18 goals in the final 15 minutes of their Premier League games this season, more than any other side.
- Aubameyang is just the second Arsenal player to score 20+ Premier League goals in consecutive seasons, after Thierry Henry (five in a row between 2001-02 and 2005-06).
- Only Kevin De Bruyne (19) and Trent Alexander-Arnold (14) have provided more assists among Premier League players in all competitions this season than Saka (12). 
- Only Aubameyang has been involved in more goals for Arsenal this season in all competitions (25) than Saka (16 - 4 goals, 12 assists). 

What's next?

It is the small matter of the north London derby up next for Arsenal, with a win potentially crucial in their bid for Europe. Leicester, meanwhile, face relegation-threatened Bournemouth.

Manchester City turn in second complete performance in space of four days

The French second-tier outfit has secured the services of the Algeria international from top-flight giants Lyon

Armelle Khellas has joined French second division side ASPTT Albi from Olympique Lyonnais for the coming 2020-21 season.

The Algeria international enjoyed a fine youth development at French top-flight champions, Lyon, in the past decade before the coronavirus outbreak caused the league cancellation in April.

In June, the 19-year-old took to social media to announce the end to her 10-year journey with Lyon. She thanked management and her teammates ahead of her possible move.

"After 10 great years spent at Olympique Lyonnais, it is time for me to take a new path," she wrote on her Instagram page

"Thank you to my teammates who have brought me so much. I lived extraordinary moments and I keep memories full of my head. Thank you for everything! A page turns, but the story continues.”

Having completed her move to ASPTT, the Algeria U20 star will be the fourth signing for the French side after the earlier acquisitions of Valentine Kirbach, Fanny Thouvenot and Elsa Heimburger. 

Reacting to her move, Khellas is delighted to sign her first professional contract with the French D2 Women's Championship outfit and is keen to hit the ground running at the club.

"I am happy to announce the signing of my first professional contract with the ASPTT Albi for the 2020/2021 season," she wrote on her Instagram page.

"A new adventure begins. In a hurry to be able to find the grounds. I thank the club for the trust they have placed, my loved ones for their support since my beginnings." 

Following her arrival, the defender will become the second Algerian player at the club as she teams up with compatriot Assia Sidhoum. 

ASPTT finished 10th last season with 12 points from 16 matches before the coronavirus cancellation and will hope the presence of the Algerian will inspire their top-flight promotion next season. 

Original author: Samuel Ahmadu

Pep Guardiola 'in Love' With Milan Midfielder Ismael Bennacer

The Algeria international inspired the Bees' resilience in Tuesday's league encounter that boosted their push for Premier League promotion

Said Benrahma helped Brentford overcome Charlton Athletic's scare in Tuesday's Championship encounter with a goal in their 2-1 comeback win.

Following his goalscoring heroics against Wigan Athletic on Saturday, Benrahma continued from where he left off with his fifth goal in his last five outings.

After going behind as early as in the eighth minute, Brentford produced a late turnaround to stretch their winning run in the English second division to six games.

Towards the end of the encounter, the Algerian won a penalty for the Bees after he was brought down in the 18 yards box. He stepped forward to score the equaliser from the penalty spot in the 75th minute.

The 24-year-old has now scored 15 goals with eight assists in 39 league outings this season.

10 minutes after Benrahma's leveller, Ethan Pinnock sealed victory for the hosts at Griffin Park to boost their chances of gaining promotion to the Premier League.

The Algeria international was in action for the entire duration of the game, managing the most shots (8), the most shots on target (5) and the joint-most dribbles (5) in Thomas Frank's team.

They remain unmoved in third spot after Tuesday's victory with 75 points after 42 matches. Brentford are two points behind second-placed West Bromwich Albion and three points behind league leaders Leeds United who both have a game in hand.

With four games left to play in the Championship, Thomas Frank's men will be aiming to continue their impressive winning run when they visit Derby County on Saturday.

They also have home games against Preston North End and Barnsley, and a trip to Stoke City scheduled in the coming days.

Original author: Taiye Taiwo

Real Madrid in talks with Bayer Leverkusen over Reinier loan as Chelsea get Havertz boost

The ex-Black Stars right-back believes that the West African giants could have gone all the way in 2010, had they not fallen to Uruguay

Former Ghana right-back John Paintsil believes the Black Stars would have defeated the Netherlands in the 2010 World Cup semi-final—had they got there—to set up a final meeting with eventual champions Spain.

Looking back over the West Africans’ campaign in South Africa a decade ago, the former Fulham man has explained why there was abundant optimism in the camp that they would have dispatched the Dutch had they advanced to the final four.

“We were looking forward to playing the Netherlands, because before the tournament, we played them in Holland and we tested them,” Paintsil told Goal, referring to the Black Stars’ 4-1 friendly defeat ahead of the World Cup.

“So we knew their strengths and their weakness, and so for me, we would have gone to the final.

“We knew that we were going straight to the final, and we would have won the cup, because at that time the confidence level was very high.”

Ghana won many admirers during the 2010 tournament, eliminating the United States in extra-time in the Round of 16 to set up a quarter-final against Uruguay.

Ultimately, they were eliminated on penalties following a 1-1 draw, with Luis Suarez infamously blocking Dominic Adiyiah’s goalbound shot in extra-time before Asamoah Gyan missed the subsequent spotkick.

“We saw it as though no team could beat us after we defeated the United States,” Paintsil added. “We didn’t think that any team could stand us, and we were going all out to perform against Uruguay.

“As for Holland, we knew them inside and out.”

Ultimately, the Netherlands defeated Uruguay in their semi-final to set up a final meeting with Spain, who had themselves dispatched Germany 1-0 in their Durban final-four showdown.

In the final, between two sides who had never before won the big one, Andres Iniesta stuck a 116th-minute extra-time winner to secure La Roja their first world title.

“Spain were a playing-ball team like us,” Paintsil reminisced. “They didn’t play direct balls, they didn’t make silly tackles, they were a decent side and very disciplined, we were also very disciplined.

“We also liked passing the ball around, so that final would have been beautiful.”

Original author: Ed Dove

Atletico Madrid suffer shock Copa del Rey defeat to third tier Cornella

The Gabon international found the net against Brendan Rodgers’ men on Tuesday, reaching a landmark achieved by Gunners' legend Thierry Henry

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang became the second Arsenal player to score at least 20 Premier League goals in consecutive seasons, celebrating with the opening goal against Leicester City.

The Gabon international gave the Gunners a 21st minute lead in Tuesday’s league outing against the Foxes to take a slim 1-0 lead into the half-time break at the Emirates Stadium.

He arrived late at the far post to turn home Bukayo Saka’s eye-catching cross – which was unstoppable by impressive goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel – for his 20th goal of the season.

Club legend Thierry Henry achieved the feat for the North Londoners five consecutive times between 2001-02 and 2006-07.

Aubameyang has enjoyed a starring role in the Gunners’ squad since he joined the team from Borussia Dortmund for £55 million plus £5m in further add-ons.

In his debut season, he scored 10 times in 13 appearances while he was more productive in 2018-19 – scoring 22 times from 36 games – which ensured he shared the Golden Boot prize with Liverpool’s duo of Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah.

His goal against Brendan Rodger’s men will be crucial in their quest to secure maximum points as Mikel Arteta’s side continue their chase for a place in Europe next term despite staying sixth in the English top-flight table with 52 points so far.

The forward’s goal against Norwich City the last time out was his 50th Premier League goal for Arsenal to become the club’s quickest player to that mark in the modern era, reaching the milestone on the occasion of his 79th appearance which was quicker than Henry and Ian Wright, who took 87 and 101 games respectively.

That accounted for 14 goals in 14 games against sides starting the day in the English top-flight relegation zone.

Aubameyang is out of contract at the Emirates Stadium in June 2021, and his uncertain future has attracted attention from the likes of Barcelona

Arsenal travel to the London Stadium on Sunday for a date with Jose Mourinho’s Tottenham Hotspur, while Kelechi Iheanacho and Wilfred Ndidi’s Leicester City would take their Champions League qualification chase to Eddie Howe’s Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium.

Original author: Shina Oludare

LIVE: Manchester United vs Manchester City

In marking the uniqueness of today's date, the Ligue 1 club is celebrating the Nigeria international because of his shirt number

Lille have declared July 7 as International Day for celebrating Victor Osimhen because of his shirt number.

The 21-year-old had an excellent debut campaign in France with the Great Danes, thanks to his goalscoring exploits in all competitions.

Osimhen was the highest goalscorer in Christophe Galtier's squad with a return of 18 goals in the 2019-20 season which includes 13 efforts in Ligue 1.

His contributions earned him Lille’s Player of the Year award and the Marc Vivien Foe Prize for 2020 among other accolades.

In celebrating the July 7 date, Lille who finished fourth in the league table this season joined together two pictures of their talisman showing the no. 7 side by side.

Despite having four years left on his contract at Lille, Osimhen’s future at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy is in doubt with a number of European clubs showing interest in his signing.

Napoli are reportedly leading the chase for his services with an offer of €50 million and the Nigeria forward, before making a decision, visited the Serie A club to meet their management last week.

Lille President Gerrard Lopez admitted several offers for the 2015 Caf Young Player of the Year, and he has backed him to make a move to Gennaro Gattuso’s side where he could become a superstar.

"For Victor, we had several offers. He asked me and I told him what I think was the ideal club for him,” Lopez told La Voix du Nord.

“Napoli is just below Juventus or Barcelona but is at the same level as Atletico Madrid. If he goes there, he will become their superstar.

“Having a city like Naples at your feet must be exciting for a footballer. Victor has the strength to perform under pressure."

Original author: Taiye Taiwo

Moise Kean confident Neymar will recover from injury to face Barcelona

The Red Devils legend hailed the Spain international as "tremendous" and believes he will return to form again soon

David De Gea has been backed to keep his place as Manchester United's undisputed goalkeeper for the next 10 years by club legend Peter Schmeichel.

De Gea, 29, has faced criticism in recent weeks for conceding goals against Tottenham and, more recently, Bournemouth.

Ex-United stars Roy Keane, Rio Ferdinand and Gary Neville have all publicly chastised the shot-stopper for his recent performances, while there have been reports that Dean Henderson could take his place when he comes back from his loan spell at Sheffield United.

Schmeichel, however, is full of praise for the Spain international and expects him to remain first choice in the long-term.

“He’s been tremendous for us, there’s no doubt about that,” the former United goalkeeper told the club's website. “He stuck it through in the most difficult period of modern-day Manchester United history. 

“It’s been up and down and, basically, he has been our best player. There’s no doubt about that. Four out of five years being our Player of the Year. That just tells its own story about his performances for the club.

He added: “It’s easy to just blame the goalkeeper, but I’m not going to.

“I’m trying to make a case that every goalkeeper needs to be protected and there’s no doubt that the way the team is playing now, as opposed to when a team plays more defensively, the type of chances that you concede fit into David’s best skills.

“Those kind of saves we've seen came from chances created by being defensive. At the moment, we are attacking a lot and that leaves strikers man-to-man. It becomes like a counter-attack. These are the kind of goals we are conceding now.

“I think he needs a bit of time to adjust to the way we are playing. 

“If you’re a goalkeeper that has been busy for three or four years, and now you’re not busy, you have to change your game a little bit. You need to find new ways of keeping your concentration, of staying with the game. Everyone has to adjust and I think that’s the same for him as well.

“David is our No.1 - he’s still a young lad, by the way.  He could play on for another 10 years. Let’s back him. We should support what we have because we know what we have is really good.”

But the ex-Denmark international stopped short of saying De Gea is the best in his position, as he feels a goalkeeper's quality depends on him being suited to the team's playing style.

“My basic philosophy about goalkeeping is it’s impossible to say who is the best goalkeeper in the world,” he said.

“You have to look at the team that they play in and the style of play.

“I always use the two Manchester goalkeepers as the example. Man City kept the ball and they need their goalkeeper to be far out of his goal and, anything that came over the top, he would deal with that. Also, he needed to be someone who could build up the game, even outside the box.

“If you swapped them over - the way we played under Jose Mourinho, could you see that Ederson would be a good goalkeeper for us? I can’t see it. He’s a different type of goalkeeper and David couldn’t play the game that Ederson was playing.

“I really do believe that a goalkeeper needs to fit the style of play that the team is playing in."

‘Messi leaving is the best thing for Koeman’s empire’ – Mido says Barcelona boss will want Argentine out

Ghana Football Association (GFA) president Kurt Okraku believes the outfit's Executive Council prioritised the interest of the nation first in prematurely terminating the domestic football season due to the coronavirus pandemic.

After two months of a standstill owing to Covid-19, the football's governing body permanently cancelled the 2019-20 term.

The men's Premier League (GPL) and FA Cup competitions headline the competitions affected by the big call.

“We have 18 clubs in the Premier League with minimum players of 30 each, coaches, administrators, 48 clubs in the Division One, medical staff, Women's Premier League. We also have Division Two, Three and juvenile football [clubs] at the regional level," Okraku said as reported by Football Ghana.

“We are talking about a large chunk of people who wholly rely on football as a source of living.

"We also serve as entertainment to people at the social aspect and people also use our platforms as a source of living.

“So it is a huge decision that we had to take but we thought about Ghana first obviously, whiles we continue to engage our key stakeholder to ensure that we bring back football."

Owing to Covid-19, football and all other contact sports remain suspended in Ghana until at least July 31 as part of measures to curb the spread of the disease.

Following the recent return of some national leagues in England, Spain, Germany and Italy, there had been calls for Ghana to follow suit.

The rising number of coronavirus infection cases in the west African country, however, left concerns about the quest for football resumption.

At the time of temporary suspension, a total of six cases had been recorded.

As at June 30 when the term was annulled, the west African nation had registered 17,1741 cases involving 113 deaths, 13,268 recoveries and 4,361 active cases.

Earlier last month, the GFA revealed it was engaging the Government of Ghana over the possible resumption of football under strictly safe protocols such as playing matches behind closed doors, having had a first request rejected.

The football's governing body was hoping to follow the template of the likes of England, Spain, Germany and Italy, who resumed domestic football after the similar temporary suspension of their national leagues due to the pandemic. 

Original author: Prince Narkortu Teye

LIVE: AC Milan vs Juventus

90' Nothing comes from the corner as the fourth official's board shows six minutes of stoppage time.

89' SAVE! Calhanoglu takes Milan's latest free-kick and forces a save out of Szczesny. The Pole does well to read the flight of the ball, and he concedes a corner instead.

87' Milan's players are enjoying themselves now and rightly so. There has been a few flicks and tricks but they need to stay switched on until the final whistle.

84' Just the six second-half goals tonight. Incredible battle!

80' Milan head coach Stefano Pioli has never beaten Juventus in his managerial career. 10 minutes left to make that dream come true.

77' SAVE! Juventus win a corner, but Donnarumma shows incredible reactions to claw the ball away from danger. Rugani was the man who got his head to the ball, but he could not find a way past the Milan keeper.

75' Szczesny to the rescue! The former Arsenal keeper is on hand to deny Rebic at his near post, and it is a good job he was alert to the danger. Milan are getting so much space in the final third.

70' 20 minutes left of this thrilling battle at the San Siro. After what has happened, it would be impossible to predict a winner!

64' That goal, as expected, has given Milan a huge lift. They are back on the ball and trying to force Juventus back towards their own box. 

61' PENALTY MILAN, Ibrahimovic to take.

60' Milan could have a penalty here, the referee is consulting VAR!

55' Milan need to go for broke now, they know a win is important for their European hopes. 35 minutes left to turn their fortunes around!

51' Milan have scored in 12 consecutive league games – their best such run since September 2017. They are going to need to dig deep here to continue that sequence.

49' Rabiot's goal deserves to win any match, but Milan still have plenty of time to find an equaliser. The worry is, they could take too long to come out of their shell after conceding so early in the second half.

46' We are back underway!

The first half draws to a close, and both sides will feel they should have done more in front of goal. Despite dominating for large parts, Milan's best chance game on the backfoot, only for Ibrahimovic to be flagged offside as he tapped home. Bonucci has gone close on two occasions for Juventus, while Higuain was inches away from finding the net.

The first half draws to a close, and both sides will feel they should have done more in front of goal. Despite dominating for large parts, Milan's best chance game on the backfoot, only for Ibrahimovic to be flagged offside as he tapped home. Bonucci has gone close on two occasions for Juventus, while Higuain was inches away from finding the net.

45' + 4' HALF-TIME - MILAN 0-0 JUVENTUS.

45' + 3' DISALLOWED! Milan somehow find time to launch an attack of their own and Ibrahimovic glides through on goal before finding the back of the net. However, the flag is up for offside, and it remains goalless. 

45' + 2' SAVE!!! With what could the last meaningful attack of the first half, Donnarumma denies Higuain with a fine stop. The Argentinean striker was played in by Bernardeschi before looking for the far corner, only to be denied by the Italy international.

45' Two minutes of stoppage time to come...

44' Milan are left frustrated after Ibrahimovic goes down on the edge of the box. Rebic's poor touch played him into trouble, but the referee claims he went down too easily.

42' Milan win a free-kick on the halfway line, and that was largely down to the good work from Ibrahimovic. The veteran needs more service if he is to have any chance of helping his team.

40' Milan are now looking to keep the game goalless before the break. They have gone from dominating possession to struggling to keeping Juventus at bay. 

37' JUST OVER! Juve are inches away from opening the scoring from a corner after a wicked deflection. Luckily for Milan, the ball looped up and over the crossbar.

34' It has taken them over 30 minutes, but Juventus are now starting to see more of the ball. Higuain and Ronaldo continue to be kept at bay, but that could soon change.

32' Pjanic's low-freekick finds Bonucci on the edge of the area, but the Juve skipper leans back and volleys the ball over the crossbar.

31' Paquets concedes a free-kick after a late challenge on Bentacur on the edge of the box.

29' That was nice and quick, we are back underway.

28' The game pauses for the first water break of the night!

27' Cuadrado looks sharp tonight, but he is playing at right-back. While the Colombia international can shine from deep, he has not seen enough of the ball in the final third.

25' Milan nearly take the lead as Ibrahimovic attacks Hernandez's low cross, but the Swede's left-footed shot flies into the hands of Szczesny

23' Juventus might still be level, but they are giving Milan too much of a foothold in this match. The home side are dominating possession, and they are growing in confidence as the game goes on.

21' Hernandez is back on his feet and looks OK for now. He has got a significant role to play tonight as Milan's left fullback so they will not want to take any chances if he cannot prove his fitness.

20' Slight worry for Milan as Hernandez goes down injured after a strong challenge. He refuses treatment though and looks like he wants to continue once the referee gives the go-ahead.

18' He can score at any moment, but Ibrahimovic has barely had a kick inside the first 20 minutes.

16' Milan are still trying to dictate the pace of the game, but Juventus look very dangerous on the counter. 

14' Sarri's side took the corner short before working the ball into the middle for Rabiot, but he blasts his shot into the empty stands behind the goal.

13' WIDE! Ronaldo now tries his luck from the edge of the box, but he cannot find the far corner. The shot looks to have taken a deflection, Pjanic to take the corner.

10' CHANCE! Juventus should be in the lead, but Bonucci failed to meet Bentacur's free-kick at the far post. The Juve midfielder drilled his delivery to the far post, but Bonucci could not get there in time, and it remains 0-0.

8' Milan registers the first real shot on target, but Szczesny is untroubled by Saelemaekers' effort. The midfielder found some space on the edge of the box, but he could not generate any power on his shot, and it was an easy save in the end.

6' The game is not even 10 minutes old, but both teams look determined and up for the occasion. Milan have seen plenty of the ball in the middle of midfield, and there are already some great duals forming.

4' Milan win an early corner, but Szczesny comes off of his line to defuse the danger and clear for Juventus.

3' Juventus can stretch their lead at the top of the table to 10 points this evening, with Lazio losing 2-1 to Lecce earlier tonight.

1' We are underway in Milan. The home side are wearing their traditional red and black strip, while The Old Lady are in their white and black attire.

The two teams are out on the pitch and we are moments away from kick-off.

Milan have managed to beat Juventus just once in their last 14 league meetings, losing 13 times. 

Milan beat Lazio 3-0 last time out and Pioli makes two changes to his starting XI as Paqueta and Rebic  replace Bonaventura and Calhanoglu. Maurizio Sarri's Juventus hammered Torino 4-1 at the weekend, and he makes three alterations to his team. Szczesny, Rugani and Higuain come into the fold for Buffon, De Ligt and Dybala.

SUBS: Marco Olivieri, Douglas Costa, Carlo Pinsoglio, Simone Muratore, Giacomo Vrioni, Luca Coccolo, Giorgio Chiellini, Blaise Matuidi, Alex Sandro, Gianluigi Buffon, Aaron Ramsey.

JUVENTUS (4-3-3): Wojciech Szczesny; Juan Cuadrado, Daniele Rugani, Leonardo Bonucci, Danilo; Rodrigo Bentacur, Miralem Pjanic, Adrien Rabiot; Federico Bernardeschi, Gonzalo Higuain, Cristiano Ronaldo.

SUBS: Rafael Leao, Asmir Begovic, Matteo Gabbia, Giacomo Bonaventura, Lucas Biglia, Hakan Calhanoglu, Daniel Maldini, Davide Calabria, Lorenzo Colombo, Antonio Donnarumma, Rade Krunic, Diego Laxalt.

MILAN (4-2-3-1): Gianluigi Donnarumma; Andrea Conti, Simon Kjaer, Alessio Romagnoli, Theo Hernandez; Franck Kessie, Ismael Bennacer; Alexis Saelemaekers, Lucas Paqueta, Ante Rebic; Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

The last time these two met, neither team could find a winner as they played out a 0-0 draw in the Coppa Italia in February. The previous league meeting was back in November, with Juventus securing a 1-0 win.

Tonight's encounter promises to be a cracker, with both teams in fine form of late. Stefano Piolo's Milan are unbeaten in five, while reigning champions Juventus have won their last four in the league.

Good evening and welcome to our coverage of the Serie A match between Milan and Juventus. The home side are still in the hunt for European football, while tonight's visitors can move one step closer to the title with another victory.


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