Sports
Manchester City Thrash Arsenal 5-0
Manchester City rubbed salt into Arsenal wounds with a 5-0 thrashing on Saturday to inflict the Gunners’ worst start to a league season since 1954.
Mikel Arteta’s men have lost their first three league games and are yet to even score a goal with the pressure rising on the former City assistant manager’s job.
Arteta’s experimental selection and switch to a back three failed to halt a slick City attack that suggested they are more than capable of defending their Premier League title this season despite missing out on Harry Kane and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Ilkay Gundogan opened the floodgates before Ferran Torres pounced on shocking Arsenal defending to double City’s lead inside 12 minutes.
Arsenal’s task was made even harder when Granit Xhaka needlessly lunged at Joao Cancelo and was shown a straight red card.
Gabriel Jesus made it 3-0 before half-time before Rodrigo and Torres with his second of the afternoon rounded off the scoring.
Manchester City’s English midfielder Raheem Sterling (C) controls the ball during the English Premier League football match between Manchester City and Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north west England, on August 28, 2021. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP)
Arsenal’s Norwegian midfielder Martin Odegaard (L) vies with Manchester City’s English midfielder Jack Grealish during the English Premier League football match between Manchester City and Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north west England, on August 28, 2021. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP)
Manchester City’s Spanish midfielder Ferran Torres (C) scores his team’s fifth goal during the English Premier League football match between Manchester City and Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north west England, on August 28, 2021. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP)
City’s week had been dominated by transfer speculation as Kane confirmed he will be remaining at Tottenham this season with Spurs unwilling to sale the England captain.
Ronaldo was then rumoured to be making a sensational move to the Etihad but opted instead to return to Manchester United.
Yet, even without the injured Kevin De Bruyne and with Raheem Sterling and Riyad Mahrez on the bench, City showed the wealth of attacking options on offer to Pep Guardiola.
Arteta left the comfort of working alongside Guardiola for his first managerial job just under two years ago, but is increasingly in the firing line with Arsenal falling further behind the Premier League elite.
The Spaniard has reportedly been given until the October international break, in just over a month, to revive Arsenal’s fortunes after spending over £130 million in the transfer window.
Martin Odegaard was the only new signing named in Arteta’s starting line-up with Aaron Ramsdale, Nuno Tavares and Albert Sambi Lokonga on the bench and £50 million centre-back Ben White sidelined by coronavirus.
The selection of Sead Kolasinac, Rob Holding and Callum Chambers quickly backfired as the diminutive Gundogan outjumped Holding to head home the opener on seven minutes.
More shambolic defending allowed Torres to tap home the second from Cedric Soares’s sliced clearance.
A massive mistake from Ederson nearly gave Arsenal a lifeline when his clearance was charged down by Emile Smith Rowe and rolled inches wide.
Xhaka’s ill-discipline then left his side with no hope 10 minutes before half-time.
The Swiss midfielder recently signed a new contract to end speculation over his future, but red cards have been a recurring feature of his six years in north London and his wild two-footed lung on Cancelo brought the 12th sending off in his club career.
Manchester City’s English midfielder Raheem Sterling (L) controls the ball during the English Premier League football match between Manchester City and Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north west England, on August 28, 2021. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP)
Against the 10 men, Jack Grealish had the space to show why City spent £100 million on making him the most expensive player in Premier League history.
Grealish’s trickery left Chambers and Holding on the floor before squaring for Jesus to tap into an empty net.
City enjoyed a glorified training session after the break as Arsenal could barely get a touch.
Rodrigo’s inch-perfect curling finish from long range made it 4-0.
Guardiola introduced Sterling and Mahrez for the final half hour and it was from Mahrez’s perfect cross that Torres headed in off the post.
Former Arsenal star, Jack Wilshere, has sent a message to the Gunners ahead of their UEFA Champions League final with Paris Saint-Germain.
Arsenal will take on the French Ligue 1 giants in the Champions League final this year in Budapest on Saturday evening.
Mikel Arteta’s side had lost 3-1 on aggregate against PSG in the Champions League semi-final stage last year.
Speaking on TNT Sports (via GOAL), Wilshere remembered Arsenal about their last year’s defeat to PSG and urged them to use it as a revenge to get a win against Luis Enrique’s side when both sides meet again this weekend.
“Now that the Premier League is over the line, I know that the Premier League was the one. I know that Mikel wanted that. I know that the boys wanted that,” Wilshere said.
“Now you have to go through some tough times and learn from it. I hope that the Champions League semi-final [PSG 3-1 Arsenal] last year hurt them enough that they can go on and use that [against PSG].
“I think when you are on the pitch, and you are playing against your direct opponent, you learn so much about them. And to face them next year, they will be better for that.”
Captain of the Super Falcons, Rasheedat Ajibade, has said the team is determined to become the best women’s football team in the world.
Ajibade spoke yesterday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, during a reception hosted by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in honour of the Falcons following their victory at the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco.
The Nigerian ladies clinched their 10th continental title after a hard-fought campaign, further cementing their status as Africa’s most successful women’s team.
Ajibade, in an emotional speech, said the team’s goal goes beyond continental glory.
“We’re not content to rest on our laurels. Our vision is bold. We want to become the best women’s football team in the world,” the Atletico Madrid star said.
She described herself as “a proud daughter of Nigeria” and paid tribute to the dreams of young girls across the country who look up to the team.
“This victory is not just a trophy. It is a testament to the unyielding spirit of Nigeria. It is a celebration of every young girl in our villages, towns, and cities who dares to dream,” she said.
Ajibade, who spoke on behalf of the team, coaches, and technical crew, thanked the Federal Government for its support and appealed for continued investment in women’s football.
President Tinubu, in his address, conferred national honours of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) on all 24 players and the 11-member technical crew.
The President also approved the allocation of three-bedroom apartments to each team member under the Renewed Hope Housing Scheme and a cash reward of the naira equivalent of $100,000 for each player, while members of the technical team received $50,000 each.
He praised the Falcons for lifting the nation’s spirit and inspiring unity through their performance.
“You have inspired millions, especially young girls who now see proof that their dreams are valid and achievable,” Tinubu said.
“You have inspired me too. You represent the hope of today, tomorrow, and the day after. You ignited that hope. And we will continue to encourage you and the next generation.”
The President said the Falcons’ WAFCON victory was not just a sporting feat but a symbol of the courage, discipline and resilience that define Nigerians.
“Your victory represents more than a sporting accomplishment. It is a triumph of courage, determination, discipline, and consistency,” he said.
The reception was attended by top government officials, sports administrators, and stakeholders in the football community.
A member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aderemi Oseni, has congratulated the Super Falcons on their historic 3-2 comeback victory over hosts Morocco in the final of the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations on Saturday.
The Falcons, who came from two goals down to seal the win in Rabat, clinched their 10th WAFCON title—further cementing their status as the most successful team in the history of the competition. Reacting to the victory, Oseni described the performance as “a warrior’s triumph that speaks volumes about the indomitable Nigerian spirit.”
In a statement issued by his media aide, Idowu Ayodele in Ibadan, the lawmaker representing Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency said the team’s resilience should serve as a symbol of hope and unity for the entire nation. “They refused to surrender. That comeback from two goals down defines who we are as Nigerians—strong, focused, and unstoppable when united,” he said.
The Falcons had gone behind in the 13th minute when Morocco’s Ghizlane Chebbak capitalised on a loose ball to fire past goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie. The hosts doubled their lead through Sanaâ Mssoudy before halftime, putting Nigeria on the back foot before the break.
However, second-half goals from Esther Okoronkwo, Folashade Ijamilusi, and Jennifer Echegini turned the game on its head, securing victory for Coach Justin Madugu’s side and avenging their 2024 semi-final loss to the North Africans. Oseni also hailed Madugu’s tactical brilliance, describing him as “the architect of a new chapter in women’s football in Nigeria.”
The lawmaker who also chairs the House Committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) joined other national figures, including President Bola Tinubu and First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, in celebrating the Falcons. The President had earlier taken to his verified social media accounts to praise the team’s performance, declaring, “Mission X: Complete!” while Sanwo-Olu, Governor of Lagos, described it as a flawless display of Nigerian spirit.
Oseni urged the Falcons not to rest on their laurels but to build on the momentum ahead of their title defence and the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup. “This is just the beginning. You have inspired millions of girls across the continent. Keep flying the flag and keep making Nigeria proud,” he added.
He also called on sports authorities and private stakeholders to invest more in women’s football, noting that the team’s success was proof of the untapped potential in the sector. “We have global stars in the making. Now is the time to give them the platform and support they truly deserve,” the lawmaker submitted.
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