Sports

How Manchester City Defeated Arsenal To Win 2023/2024 Premier League Title

Published

8 months ago

May 20, 2024

Arsenal’s dreams of emerging first Premier League crown in 20 years were dashed as their 2-1 win against Everton was rendered irrelevant by Manchester City’s title-clinching victory over West Ham.

Mikel Arteta’s side had gone into the last day of the season needing to beat Everton at the Emirates Stadium and hope City drew or lost in Manchester if they were to steal the title in miraculous fashion.

But the Gunners were forced to settle for second place after relentless champions City beat West Ham 3-1.

Idrissa Gueye put Everton in front late in the first half before Takehiro Tomiyasu quickly equalised.

By the time Kai Havertz scored Arsenal’s winner in the 89th minute, City were already well on course to retain the title.

Arsenal had been almost flawless in 2024, with 16 wins and one draw, away to City, in their 18 league matches.

However, one costly slip-up in a 2-0 home defeat to Aston Villa last month proved decisive in denying them a first title since Arsene Wenger’s ‘Invincibles’ in 2004.

They finished two points behind City, who have won an unprecedented four successive titles and six in the last seven years.

Arsenal staff were seen rehearsing a mock title presentation at the Emirates on Saturday, complete with replicas of the trophy and medals, as well as signs emblazoned with the slogan ‘Premier League champions’.

But there would be no genuine title party in north London as the heartbroken players were forced to accept their fate.

Arsenal fans had strolled down the sun-baked Holloway Road towards the Emirates more in hope than expectation of seeing a title-winning team.

Some even wore West Ham shirts rather than their own clubs in a nod to the favour required from their London rivals 200 miles to the north.

A raucous rendition of the club’s ‘North London Forever’ anthem before kick-off took the atmosphere to a fever pitch.

Despite the absence of injured star Bukayo Saka, Arsenal should have been ahead in the opening moments when Tomiyasu nodded wide from close range.

However, at that exact second, the atmosphere went completely flat as news filtered through of Phil Foden’s second-minute opener for City.

A resigned hush settled over the sell-out 60,000 crowd, but Arsenal did their best to refocus.

Foden’s second goal in the 18th minute rendered the Arsenal faithful mute as Everton fans taunted them with chants of “You nearly won the league”.

Everton took the lead in the 40th minute when Gueye’s free-kick took a wicked deflection off Declan Rice’s head as he jumped to block the ball, looping past wrong-footed Arsenal keeper David Raya into the far corner.

To their credit, the Gunners refused to surrender, equalising just three minutes later when Tomiyasu met Martin Odegaard’s pass with a fine finish that whistled past Jordan Pickford from just inside the area.

Arsenal fans let out a defiant roar when they heard Mohammed Kudus had reduced the deficit for West Ham late in the first half.

They were briefly celebrating again after a false rumour spread that West Ham had equalised.

Dragged from despair to hope and back again within seconds, Arsenal were four points behind City in the ‘as it stands’ table at half-time.

Arsenal’s players gathered in a huddle as they prepared to make one final push in the second half, but Havertz wasted two chances to give them life, nodding wide and then heading against the bar.

Rodri’s 59th-minute goal for City was met with silence in the Emirates stands.

And when Havertz stabbed home in the closing stages, Arsenal had already come to terms with the end of their title hopes.

Sports

CAF Confederation Cup: Enyimba bow out after defeat to Zamalek

Published

1 hour ago

January 20, 2025

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

Enyimba have been eliminated from this year’s CAF Confederation Cup following a 3-1 loss to holders Zamalek in Cairo.

Forward Seifeddine Jaziri bagged a brace for Zamalek, while Mustafa Shalaby scored the other goal.

Enyimba got their goal through Ifeanyi Ihemekwele.

Enyimba finished third in Group D with five points from six games.

Another Egyptian club, Al Masry, joined Zamalek in the quarter-finals of the competition after they beat Black Bulls of Mozambique 3-1 to record nine points.

No Nigerian club has won the CAF Confederation Cup in the past.

News

Haaland signs 10-year contract with Manchester City

Published

3 days ago

January 17, 2025

Austin Ojomah

By Francesca Hangeior.

Manchester City striker Erling Haaland has signed a new 10-year contract that will keep him at the club until the summer of 2034, the club announced on Friday.

The 24-year-old Norwegian, who joined City from Borussia Dortmund in 2022, has been a pivotal figure in the club’s recent successes.

His initial contract was set to expire in 2027, but the new deal reflects the club’s confidence in Haaland’s importance to their future.

“Erling Haaland has signed a new 10-year Manchester City contract, keeping him at the Club until the summer of 2034,” the statement said.

Reflecting on the new contract, Haaland expressed his delight at extending his stay.

“I am really happy to have signed my new contract and to be able to look forward to spending even more time at this great club.

“Manchester City is a special club, full of fantastic people with amazing supporters, and it’s the type of environment that helps bring the best out of everybody,” he said.

Haaland thanked his teammates, manager Pep Guardiola, and the City staff, stating, “They have made this such a special place to be, and now I am City no matter what. I want to keep developing, keep working to get better, and help us achieve more success going forward.”

Since his arrival, Haaland’s impact has been nothing short of extraordinary. In his debut 2022/23 season, he scored 52 goals across all competitions, the highest-ever tally by a Premier League player in a single season, breaking the previous league record of 36 goals.

His goals were instrumental in City’s historic treble-winning campaign, which included the Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League titles.

In addition to collective success, Haaland garnered numerous individual accolades in his debut season, including the PFA Player of the Year, Premier League Player of the Year, Young Player of the Year, and the Football Writers’ Association Player of the Year awards.

Despite an injury that sidelined him for nearly two months during the 2023/24 season, Haaland continued his prolific form, scoring 38 goals in 45 appearances, including 27 in the Premier League, securing a second consecutive Golden Boot.

Sports

SAD: Footballer slumps, dies during match in Osun

Published

3 days ago

January 17, 2025

Austin Ojomah

By Francesca Hangeior.

Osun State Police Command has confirmed the death of Adeyemi Adewale, a football player for the Ilesa West Local Government Area team, who slumped during a match in Osogbo, the state capital.

Adewale, 29, was participating in the Adeleke Memorial Cup Final match at the Ataoja School of Science on Thursday when he collapsed on the field.

Efforts to save him proved futile as he was rushed to the Osun State University Teaching Hospital, where doctors confirmed him dead upon arrival.

Spokesperson for the Osun Police Command, Yemisi Opalola, confirmed the incident in a statement, adding that investigations into the circumstances surrounding the death have commenced.

“Today, (Thursday) while the Adeleke Memorial Cup Final match was going on at Ataoja School of Science, one Adeyemi Adewale ‘M’ 29yrs, a player of Ilesa West Football team, slumped on the pitch.

“He was rushed to the Osun State University Teaching Hospital, where he was later confirmed dead by a doctor,” the statement said.

The remains of the deceased have been deposited at the teaching hospital’s morgue.