Sports
North London is red: Arsenal beat Tottenham at their own game in stunning display
Incredible intensity, shirt-drenching work rate and relentless pressing: so often the hallmarks of Mauricio Pochettino’s Tottenham, but on Saturday in the north London derby it was Arsenal who looked like the exciting, energetic team upon whom so much praise has been lavished.
Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez proved amid the uncertainty over their futures that they remain Arsenal’s star performers with match-winning displays in Saturday’s 2-0 victory over rivals Tottenham.
The build-up to the derby clash had focused largely on the supposed power shift in north London as Mauricio Pochettino has turned Spurs into Premier League title challengers, but their ability to take the fight to Manchester City may have been ended following a tame reverse at the Emirates Stadium.
Ozil was at his creative best, delivering a teasing free-kick for Shkodran Mustafi to head in the opener, before his link-up play helped set up Sanchez’s strike just before half-time.
Both Ozil and Sanchez have been linked with January departures, with Arsenal facing losing them on a free in June, but their desire could not be questioned in a contest that they dominated between them.
Pochettino had Harry Kane, Dele Alli and Hugo Lloris at his disposal after the trio missed international duty over the break, but Spurs’ chances were few and far between as Kane especially delivered a sluggish performance.
A first north London derby defeat for Pochettino further dents his side’s hopes of catching runaway league leaders City, with Arsenal’s deserved triumph helping them make ground in the race for Champions League qualification, moving them to within just one point of their visitors.
Arsenal fans had grown frustrated at Wenger leaving Alexandre Lacazette on the bench after his goalscoring cameo against Pep Guardiola’s side last time out and the France striker blazed the first chance over, before Kane drilled straight at Petr Cech following Laurent Koscielny’s wayward clearance.
The hosts were making inroads behind Ben Davies, with Hector Bellerin and Ozil flashing crosses into the box that were not converted, while Christian Eriksen hit the post and Kane’s header was saved to keep Arsenal on their toes.
But the hosts suddenly seized control with two goals in quick succession.
Davinson Sanchez was penalised for holding namesake Alexis’ shirt in a challenge and Ozil’s ball was guided brilliantly by Mustafi into the net via a kiss off the post, although the defender appeared offside.
The Gunners returned to a previous source of joy to double their lead, Ozil threading a ball through the right channel, between Davies and Jan Vertonghen to Lacazette and his pull-back found Sanchez, who controlled and blasted high into the net from point-blank range.
Kane’s frustrations threatened to boil over when he lunged in on Granit Xhaka and Mustafi blocked the striker’s shot as Arsenal continued to hold Spurs at arm’s length.
Howls of derision met Wenger’s decision to replace Lacazette with Francis Coquelin in the 73rd minute, but the ineffective Kane, who failed to score in this derby for the first time, and Alli were withdrawn two minutes later to bring a cheer again.
Cech clawed away an Eric Dier header, with Davies awaiting a tap-in, and Alli’s replacement Son Heung-min hooked over the crossbar in a late Spurs flurry, but there was little doubt of Wenger securing a derby win for the first time in seven outings to breathe new life into Arsenal’s campaign.
Key Opta stats:
– Arsenal ended a run of six Premier League games without a win against Spurs (D4 L2), picking up their first victory since March 2014.
– The Gunners have won 11 home Premier League games in a row, their best run since winning 13 consecutively at Highbury between February and November 2005.
– Mauricio Pochettino has lost four of his last six London derbies as Spurs boss in all competitions (W2), as many as he’d lost in his previous 18.
– Spurs have lost three of their opening 12 Premier League games, only one fewer than they lost in the entirety of last season.
– Since his Premier League debut in September 2013, Mesut Ozil has provided 45 assists, more than any other player in the competition and 21 more than any other Arsenal player in that time.
– Hugo Lloris has never kept an away Premier League clean sheet against the ‘big six’, conceding 56 goals in 24 games at an average of 2.3 per game.
– Alexis Sanchez ended a run of 11 Premier League matches without scoring against the ‘big six’ – his previous goal came against Chelsea in September 2016.
– Arsenal have never finished lower than 4th at the end of every Premier League season in which they’ve beaten Spurs at home.
Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim believes Marcus Rashford was unable to see football “the way I see it” before the unwanted England striker was shipped out of Old Trafford.
The 27-year-old Rashford fell dramatically out of favour with the Portuguese boss and spent seven weeks on the sidelines until he was loaned to Premier League rivals Aston Villa during the transfer window.
“I couldn’t put Marcus to see the way you’re supposed to play football and to train the way I see it,” Amorim said on Thursday.
“And sometimes you have one player that is really good with one coach, and the same player with another coach is different.
“I just wish the best to Rashford and to (Aston Villa coach) Unai Emery, and they can connect because he’s a very good player.”
Amorim, whose team face Leicester in the FA Cup fourth round on Friday, said his focus now is on turning around a wretched season.
“Guys, in the summer… like we said before, we are fighting for our jobs until the summer,” he said.
“So, I am just focused on these games. Thankfully about Marcus he is in Birmingham now with Unai, so you can take these questions to another coach. We are just focused on our players at the moment.”
A Nigerian federal lawmaker, Hon. Aderemi Oseni, has publicly criticised what he describes as a “deliberate conspiracy” against Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford, calling for the club to treat the player with respect.
Oseni, a passionate football fan and supporter of Nigerian club Shooting Stars FC, Ibadan, and Manchester United, voiced his concerns through an official statement issued by his media aide, Idowu Ayodele, in Ibadan.
The lawmaker, who represents Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency in Oyo State and serves as Chairman of the House Committee on the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), accused United of undermining Rashford’s career. He suggested the club is intentionally frustrating the England international, who has been a key figure for the Red Devils since breaking into the first team in 2016.
A Deliberate Attempt to Tarnish Rashford’s Legacy
Marcus Rashford celebrates scoring for Manchester United against Everton(Image: Getty Images)
Oseni believes Manchester United’s handling of Rashford’s situation is unfair, arguing that the player is being pushed out for reasons beyond footballing performance.
“The posture of Manchester United towards Rashford is a deliberate attempt to rubbish the glory this young man has built over the years,” Oseni stated.
“If he has made any mistakes—whether due to youthful exuberance, personal struggles, or any other reason—it should be understood as part of life’s journey. Everyone experiences highs and lows, but instead of supporting him, they have chosen to humiliate him.”
Rashford, now 27, has been frozen out of the squad since mid-December, despite being the club’s 13th all-time highest goal scorer. Reports suggest new manager Rúben Amorim has questioned Rashford’s commitment and has deliberately excluded him, a move Oseni sees as unjust and damaging to the forward’s career.
The controversy escalated last Sunday when Amorim allegedly told his coaching staff that he would rather field United’s 63-year-old goalkeeping coach, Jorge Vital, than recall Rashford to the squad.
Oseni condemned the remark, calling it an unnecessary public humiliation of a player who has given his best years to the club.
Internal Politics and Envy Behind Rashford’s Exclusion
“It is evident that Rashford is being pushed out of the club, not because of poor performance, but due to envy and internal politics,” Oseni remarked.
“If they no longer want him, they should handle it professionally and help him secure a move to another club that will celebrate him, rather than destroying the young talent.”
Rúben Amorim
The lawmaker highlighted Rashford’s recent performances, noting that despite limited game time under Amorim, he still managed to score four goals in just three appearances before being frozen out. He argued that Rashford’s exclusion is based on personal differences rather than footballing merit.
“Rashford once said he was ready for a new challenge out of frustration. Anyone in his shoes would feel the same after facing such humiliation. Instead of supporting him, they are making things worse. But I strongly believe that all these provocations will eventually lead to his elevation,” Oseni added.
United Must Show Rashford Respect
The Nigerian politician urged Manchester United’s management to reconsider their approach, stressing that Rashford deserves respect for his years of dedication to the club.
“Even if he made an error by expressing a desire to leave, the situation should have been handled privately rather than publicly humiliating him,” Oseni said.
“The coach’s statement that he would rather play a 63-year-old goalkeeper than Rashford is not only disrespectful but also unnecessary provocation. Despite this, Rashford has shown remarkable patience, considering all he has contributed to the team during his prime.”
He concluded by urging the club to allow Rashford to move on professionally if they no longer see him as part of their plans.
“No matter the challenges he faces, they will ultimately lead to his elevation, and those attempting to bring him down will only contribute to his success in the long run.”
Members of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) staged a protest on Thursday at the Moshood Abiola International Stadium, Abeokuta, opposing the appointment of Eric Sekou Chelle as the substantive coach of Nigeria’s Super Eagles.
Led by Abdul-Yekinn Odunayo, the Clerk of the Senate of NANS, the students condemned the decision of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), describing the appointment as a disappointment to Nigerians and football enthusiasts. They called for its immediate reversal, threatening to embark on a nationwide protest to press home their demands.
Addressing the gathering, Odunayo criticized the NFF’s decision, arguing it undermined the pool of coaching talent within Nigeria. He stressed that the Super Eagles deserve a tactically sound coach capable of harnessing the nation’s abundant football talent.
“We are gathered here today to address an issue that has not only baffled us but has also drawn widespread disapproval from Nigerian students and sports enthusiasts alike,” Odunayo stated.
“On behalf of the National Association of Nigerian Students, I, Abdul-Yekinn Odunayo, Clerk of the Senate of NANS National Headquarters, wish to categorically express our displeasure over the appointment of Eric Sekou Chelle as the new head coach of the Super Eagles.
“This appointment, as announced by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), is not only unacceptable but also a slap in the face of our nation’s abundant pool of local coaching talent. Consequently, NANS, as the voice of the Nigerian students, is compelled to organize a national protest to demand a reversal of this decision.”
The NFF had confirmed the appointment of Éric Sékou Chelle as the head coach of the Super Eagles on Tuesday. Chelle, who has previously managed clubs such as GS Consolat, FC Martigues, Boulogne, and MC Oran, was also head coach of Mali’s Aiglons until his dismissal in June 2024.
The NFF tasked Chelle with guiding the Super Eagles to secure a spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals. With crucial qualification matches slated for March, his appointment is already generating controversy across the football-loving nation.
As the protests intensify, the NFF is yet to respond to the demands of NANS, leaving the future of the Super Eagles’ coaching leadership in uncertainty.
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