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Arsene Wenger admits Manchester United nightmare was still haunting Arsenal defenders at Southampton

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Martin Keown was not the only Arsenal defender who failed to turn up at St Mary’s yesterday.

The BT Sport pundit was caught in snow on the M40 and, as if to show solidarity with the former Gunner, the current rearguard also went missing as Charlie Austin scored after 128 seconds.

Yet Arsene Wenger did not blame the biting weather for getting caught cold.

The Gunners manager reckoned his defenders were still haunted by what happened against Manchester United a week earlier, when they were 2-0 down inside 11 minutes.

“Last week had an influence on today’s game – it took us time to get into the game again,” he said.

“I felt that the Manchester United game was still in the heads of our defenders. That’s why sometimes it’s not too good to talk about a problem because you create even a bigger one.”

Wenger admits his defenders were still haunted by United (Image: Action Images via Reuters)

So don’t mention the score. Or a fragile defensive unit which will never win the Premier League and is again endangering the club’s chances of qualifying for the ­Champions League.

Such was their early disarray that Austin could have completed his hat-trick in the opening eight ­minutes – Petr Cech made a fine low save from him ­before he hit the post after straying ­offside.

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Per Mertesacker was finally hooked after 64 minutes as Arsenal reverted to a back four as a launchpad for the comeback.

Goalkeeper Cech said: “The first 10 minutes cost us the game against Man United and it almost did again today. It is something we have to work on.

“Every player needs to ­ensure that when they step out of the dressing room they are ready to ­compete.”

But after the horror opening, it was deja vu for the Frenchman as his side again dominated possession and chances yet failed to win.

The home defeat against Manchester United was bizarre.

This away performance was more predictable until Wenger threw on Jack Wilshere to add urgency – and then his fellow sub Olivier Giroud nodded home Alexis Sanchez’s 88th-minute cross.

The draw lifts Arsenal above Tottenham into fifth place. But Wenger could not resist criticising ­referee Bobby Madley – and the frustrating Arsenal striker Alexis Sanchez.

He was not happy with Madley’s failure to clamp down on Southampton time-wasting. And on the Chilean (far left), he said: “I am happy with his performance in the second half but in the first half I feel he played too deep.

“He is tempted sometimes to drop a little bit deep into midfield. When you start 35 yards away from goal, it’s difficult to score.”

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Southampton had chances to seal a win with a second goal but Oriel Romeu hit the bar and then Ryan Bertrand missed when clean through.

Giroud rescued a point for Arsenal (Image: AFP)

“If we had got the second goal, it is all over,” claimed Austin. “I don’t see them coming back. But a one-goal lead in this League is not enough.”

But in-form Austin promises to be the difference between a relegation battle and mid-table security for the Saints this season.

Before his first Premier League start of the season against Everton, Southampton had scored nine goals in 12 games – and only four from open play.

Austin, who was set up by the excellent Dusan Tadic, has now netted four in four to lift them up to 10th.

Saints boss Mauricio Pellegrino said: “I think it was a positive performance – we were intelligent and ­competed well

“I feel we are growing.”

 

 

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Osimhen Crowned 2023 CAF Footballer of the Year

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Victor Osimhen has been named the 2023 African Footballer of the Year, cementing his status as one of the world’s top players.

Osimhen surpassed competition from Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi and Egyptian forward Mohamed Salah for the prestigious award.

The Super Eagles forward concluded a remarkable year in the imperial Moroccan city of Marakesh, ending Nigeria’s 24-year wait for Africa’s top individual prize, last won by legendary Kanu Nwankwo in 1999.

During the event, Osimhen expressed gratitude, acknowledging the impact of Nigerian legend Emmanuel Amuneke, who coached him at the U-17 level, and the support from fans and fellow players.

“It’s a dream come true for me. I want to thank everyone who has seen me through life’s journey, in achieving my dreams and goals. I appreciate Nigerians and Africa for their unwavering support and encouragement,” he said.

Osimhen recognised the influence of Emmanuel Adebayo, Solomon Kalu, and other African legends, expressing gratitude to his role model, Didier Drogba.

The award reflects Osimhen’s outstanding performances with Napoli, where he played a pivotal role in their Serie A title run, scoring 26 league goals and becoming the first African to win the top scorer award, breaking George Weah’s record in the Italian top-flight.”

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Lionel Messi Secures Historic 8th Ballon d’Or Triumph

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Lionel Messi, the renowned Argentine football icon, clinched the coveted 2023 Ballon d’Or, setting a new record for the 2022 World Cup champion.

In a glamorous event held in Paris, Messi, who now plays for Inter Miami, received the prestigious award on Monday night. This achievement is widely seen as a well-deserved recognition for his pivotal role in guiding the Abiscelete to World Cup victory in the previous year.

Aged 36, Messi succeeded Karim Benzema as the recipient of this award, which acknowledges his exceptional performances during the last season when he inspired Argentina to triumph at the World Cup.

His remarkable displays in Qatar, where he led his nation to a historic victory, enabled him to surpass strong competition, notably from Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland. Haaland secured the second spot in the final voting, with Mbappe finishing third and Kevin De Bruyne taking fourth place.

Messi, a former Barcelona superstar, left an indelible mark at the World Cup, scoring seven crucial goals. His exceptional performance led to him being named the tournament’s best player, especially after Argentina’s victory over France in the final.

While Messi’s World Cup heroics were undeniable, his final season with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) was relatively lackluster. Subsequently, he made a move to Inter Miami in Major League Soccer.

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His former PSG teammate, Mbappe, made a strong case for the Ballon d’Or with his outstanding World Cup performance, finishing as the tournament’s top scorer with eight goals, including a memorable hat-trick in the final for France.

Norwegian striker Erling Haaland had a remarkable season, scoring an incredible 52 goals in 53 games for Manchester City. This stellar performance played a pivotal role in helping Pep Guardiola’s team secure a historic treble in the English Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League.

Both Haaland and De Bruyne were nominated for the Ballon d’Or from their exceptional contributions to the success of Manchester City.

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“B Sample Reveals Presence of Testosterone in Pogba’s Test Results”

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Juventus and France midfielder Paul Pogba’s ‘B’ sample has confirmed the presence of testosterone, a source close to the case told AFP on Friday.

The 30-year-old former Manchester United player, a World Cup winner in 2018, faces a ban of up to four years.

The original test by the Italian anti-doping agency (Nado) showed the presence of testosterone metabolites.

On Friday, Pogba learned that the analysis of his B sample, carried out on the previous day, had produced the same result.

The player’s entourage declined to comment.

Under the World Anti-Doping Code, Pogba is liable to a four-year suspension, which could be halved if he proves that he was not at fault.

The ban could even be limited to a few months if the use of the substance took place “out of competition and is not related to his level of performance”.

Pogba’s representatives said last month that the testosterone came from a food supplement prescribed by a doctor he consulted in the United States.

Testosterone promotes muscle development.

Contacted by AFP, Nado was unable to confirm this information “due to a decision by the Italian privacy authority”.

Pogba has seven days to submit his defence to Italy’s National Anti-Doping Tribunal, which will investigate his case and request a sanction, a process that could take several weeks.

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In addition to the proceedings of the Italian sports justice system, a judicial investigation will be opened by the Turin public prosecutor’s office, as doping is a criminal offence in Italy.

Since the announcement of his positive test, Pogba has been unable to train with Juventus, the club to which he returned in July 2022 after six seasons with United.

The announcement came shortly before Juve coach Massimiliano Allegri’s press conference on the eve of the Turin derby against Torino, at which he simply said he was “sorry for Paul”.

Contacted by AFP, the club, which has also suspended payment of his estimated annual salary of 8 million euros (8.4 million dollars), did not respond.

Pogba started the season attempting to bounce back from string of injuries last season and from summer surgery.

His sample was reportedly taken at his club’s opening match of the Serie A season, a win at Udinese on August 20, during which he was an unused substitute.

After the first sample tested positive on September 11,  Pogba’s agent Rafaela Pimenta said she was “awaiting the second sample and cannot have an opinion before the results”.

“What is certain is that Paul Pogba never wanted to break a rule,” she added.

 

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