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Nigeria international Alex Iwobi has been named among the Premier League’s most inventive players this season, securing fifth place in a new creativity ranking released by statistics platform WhoScored.

Alex Iwobi has created 23 chances for Fulham so far, making him the club’s most productive player in the final third. Only four players across the entire league sit above him.

Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes leads the list with 40 key passes, followed by Liverpool midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai with 28. Arsenal’s Declan Rice ranks third on 27, while Nottingham Forest youngster Elliot Anderson is just ahead of Iwobi on 25.

Iwobi’s sharpness in possession has translated into direct contributions in front of goal. He has scored two goals and provided two assists in 15 league matches this term. His influence at Craven Cottage has grown steadily since his €25.7 million transfer from Everton two years ago, and he is now widely regarded as a core figure under Marco Silva.

Last season marked the best of his Premier League career, ending with nine goals and six assists in Fulham colours. His confidence and maturity have continued into the current campaign, and he is expected to play a leading role once again for Nigeria at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.

Iwobi, who has earned 86 caps for the Super Eagles and scored 10 goals, is tipped to make the final squad for the tournament alongside club teammates Calvin Bassey and Samuel Chukwueze.

Naijapunchnews reports that FIFA has instructed clubs to release players for AFCON duty by Monday December 15.

Nigeria will compete in Group C alongside Tunisia, Uganda and Tanzania. The Super Eagles open their camp in Egypt on December 10, with an unofficial friendly against the hosts scheduled for December 16.

The team’s first match takes place on December 23 against Tanzania in Fès. Nigeria face Tunisia in their headline group fixture on December 27, before ending the group stage against Uganda on December 31.

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Former England defender Martin Keown has named the team he believes will challenge Arsenal and Manchester City for the Premier League title.

According to Keown, Aston Villa could emerge as dark horses in the title race.
Unai Emery’s men are currently in third place with 30 points, three behind leaders Arsenal.
Manchester City occupy second spot with 31 points.

Emery has been quick to downplay his team’s title credentials, but Keown believes the Midlands club can mount a serious challenge for the Premier League trophy.

“Unai Emery doesn’t want to create too much pressure or attraction around his team,” Keown said on talkSPORT.

“We have to say that, yes, Aston Villa are in the title race. I do think they are and that’s more to do with their manager than anything else. Emery has turned them into title challengers.”

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Real Madrid crashed to a damaging 2-0 home defeat by Celta Vigo on Sunday in La Liga, finishing the game with nine men after red cards for Fran Garcia and Alvaro Carreras.

Williot Swedberg struck twice in the second half for Celta, with Madrid’s second league defeat of the season leaving rivals Barcelona four points clear at the top of La Liga.

Xabi Alonso’s side, second, also lost defender Eder Militao to injury on a difficult night in the Spanish capital.

Madrid were playing their first match at home following six on the road across all competitions after hosting an NFL match at the Bernabeu, coinciding with a poor run of form, having now won just one of their last five league games.

With a juicy Champions League clash against Manchester City and Erling Haaland approaching on Wednesday, Alonso chose to rest centre-back Antonio Rudiger, starting with Alvaro Carreras in the heart of defence.

Rudiger’s break did not last long, with the German defender coming on midway through the first half after Eder Militao pulled up injured.

Raul Asencio started at right-back, after Trent Alexander-Arnold was sidelined for two months with a thigh injury, continuing a tough start to life in the Spanish capital for the former Liverpool defender.

Celta Vigo goalkeeper Ionut Radu made a handful of good saves in the first half, keeping out a Jude Bellingham header and Arda Guler’s drive from range.

Madrid were struggle to create serious danger as Celta set up in a tough-to-crack low defensive block, denying dangerous forwards Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior space.

Guler missed Madrid’s best chance of the first half, with the Turkish playmaker sending a shot wide on the swivel after Mbappe teed him up.

Radu also thwarted Vinicius after Aurelien Tchouameni chopped a ball in behind the defence for the Brazilian to run onto, a rare crack in Celta’s armour.

Celta’s Romanian goalkeeper turned away a fierce Fede Valverde effort from distance early in the second half, before Celta stunned the hosts.

Bryan Zaragoza crossed from the left for Swedberg, who produced a gorgeous flicked finish to beat Thibaut Courtois to send the Galicians ahead.

Madrid were wounded, literally in the case of Bellingham, with blood running down his face from a cut sustained in a tussle with Celta target man Borja Iglesias.

Adding insult to injury Fran Garcia earned two yellow cards inside a minute, the second for a clumsy foul on Swedberg, to leave Los Blancos with 10 men for the final third of the match.

Mbappe sent a lob over Radu but down onto the roof of the net and substitute Gonzalo Garcia headed just wide as Madrid searched for an equaliser, which did not come.

Carreras was dismissed in stoppage time as Madrid lost their heads, for dissent as he protested a decision by referee Alejandro Quintero.

With Madrid down to nine and in disarray, Celta wrapped up their win as Swedberg rounded Courtois and ran the ball home.

– Espanyol flying –

Espanyol continued their superb start to the season with a 1-0 win over Rayo Vallecano to climb up to fifth.

Roberto Fernandez netted a first-half penalty for Manolo Gonzalez’s team at the RCDE Stadium in Cornella as they won a third straight league game.

Espanyol trail fourth-place Atletico Madrid by four points, having played one game fewer than Diego Simeone’s team.

Rayo midfielder Unai Lopez was sent off after the break for a second yellow card, and the hosts spurned several opportunities to expand their lead.

Both teams finished the match with 10 men after Espanyol’s English winger Tyrhys Dolan picked up a second yellow card in the final stages.