Sports
Survival Scrap: Everton, Leicester, Leeds Fight To Avoid Relegation
Sunday’s final day of the Premier League season will be dominated by the intense battle for survival as Everton, Leicester, and Leeds find themselves in a nerve-wracking fight to avoid relegation.
The financial stakes are high for the two clubs that will join Southampton, who have already been relegated.
According to sports business experts Deloitte, a season of Premier League football is estimated to be worth as much as £170 million ($210 million).
For Everton, in particular, the potential consequences are dire as they are already in search of external investment to ensure the completion of their new stadium, therefore, the financial blow of relegation is something the Toffees cannot afford to endure.
Everton holds a significant advantage as they have full control over their fate, with a victory in their home match against Bournemouth will secure their continued presence in the top flight for an impressive 70-year period.
However, Sean Dyche’s men have won just once in 10 games and will be without talismanic striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin to offer Leicester and Leeds hope.
Dyche said on Friday “We want the players to focus on the game. It’s not as easy as it sounds but that’s the idea: focus on what’s going on the pitch and don’t worry about all the noise.
“Don’t worry about all the rumours, don’t worry about anything that’s going on off the pitch.” he added.
In the event that Everton, currently in the fourth-bottom position, fails to secure a victory, third-bottom Leicester still has a chance to survive by defeating West Ham in their home match. Leicester’s superior goal difference would be the deciding factor in their favor.
The Foxes have experienced an incredible journey, particularly seven years ago when they celebrated a highly improbable title triumph.
This marked the beginning of a glorious era for the club, with consecutive fifth-place finishes in the 2019/20 and 2020/21 seasons. Just two years ago, under the guidance of Brendan Rodgers, they achieved another milestone by winning the FA Cup for the first time.
Many have expressed confidence in the squad, which boasts the talents of players like James Maddison, Youri Tielemans, and Harvey Barnes, believing that they are too talented to face relegation.
But the fairytale has turned into a nightmare this season as Rodgers bemoaned a lack of investment to refresh the squad before he was sacked in April.
Dean Smith has been unable to mastermind a turnaround in fortunes with just one win in his seven games in charge.
Smith said “We have to win the game and not look at the Everton result until after the game. We have to do our job and see where it takes us.”
Second bottom Leeds need a miracle to avoid the end of their three-season stay in the top-flight.
Leeds, currently in the second-bottom position, faces a daunting challenge to prolong their three-season tenure in the top-flight.
To secure another remarkable escape, Leeds boss Sam Allardyce will need his team to secure a victory over Tottenham at Elland Road, but that alone will not be sufficient. They also require Everton to lose their match and for Leicester to fail to secure a victory.
If Everton manages to secure even a draw, Leeds will face the additional hurdle of surpassing them on goal difference.
In such a scenario, Leeds would need to defeat Tottenham by a margin of three goals to outperform Everton in terms of goal difference. It would indeed require a miraculous turn of events for Leeds to avoid relegation.
“I just hope that we’re talking on a very positive nature on Monday morning and I have a hangover!” Allardyce said on the possibility he could remain at the club beyond his caretaker role till the end of the season.
Tottenham’s result could have a bearing on the only other issue yet to be resolved – qualification for next season’s Europa Conference League.
Aston Villa are in pole position and will secure a return to Europe for the first time in 13 years with victory over Brighton.
Tottenham has the opportunity to secure seventh place in the league if they achieve a better result than Aston Villa.
However, if both teams fail to win their respective matches, there is a chance for Brentford to create history by qualifying for European competition for the first time.
A surprising victory over champions Manchester City in west London would pave the way for Brentford’s European qualification.
Arsenal, Manchester United, and Newcastle have already guaranteed their spots in the next season’s Champions League, alongside Manchester City. Liverpool and Brighton, on the other hand, will secure places in the Europa League.
Here are the fixtures for the upcoming Sunday matches in the English Premier League, all scheduled for 15:30 GMT:
- Arsenal vs Wolves
- Aston Villa vs Brighton
- Brentford vs Manchester City
- Chelsea vs Newcastle
- Crystal Palace vs Nottingham Forest
- Everton vs Bournemouth
- Leeds vs Tottenham
- Leicester vs West Ham
- Manchester United vs Fulham
- Southampton vs Liverpool
Sports
Arsenal Sporting Director, Edu Gaspar To Step Down
Arsenal Football Club is facing a major transition as sporting director, Edu Gaspar is reportedly poised to leave his position amidst growing interest from a group of clubs owned by Evangelos Marinakis, including Nottingham Forest and Olympiacos.
Sources indicate that the Brazilian, who has been a key figure in reshaping Arsenal’s transfer strategy and overall identity since 2019, is expected to take on a significant new role within Marinakis’ expansive network.
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His departure could signal a substantial shift in Arsenal’s approach to player recruitment and team development.
Edu’s tenure has seen the club invest £867 million in player acquisitions, ranking Arsenal third in spending behind Chelsea and Manchester United.
Under his leadership, the Gunners secured the FA Cup and finished as runners-up in the Premier League during the last two seasons.
He played a pivotal role in the signings of high-profile players such as Martin Ødegaard and Declan Rice while managing the exits of notable figures including Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Mesut Özil.
According to reports, Edu’s decision to leave was self-initiated, with recent changes in senior roles at the club possibly influencing his choice.
As Arsenal prepares for a crucial Champions League match against AC Milan, manager Mikel Arteta is expected to address the situation in his pre-match press conference on Tuesday.
Edu’s journey at Arsenal began when he returned to the club as technical director after a successful period with the Brazilian Football Confederation, where he celebrated a Copa America victory.
Promoted to the role of sporting director in 2022, he has emphasized a philosophy that prioritizes both winning and playing with style, stating, “Winning is not enough for Arsenal; style is paramount. I want to win the best way possible.”
The club now faces the challenge of finding a successor capable of sustaining the momentum and vision Edu has instilled.
Football transfer analyst Fabrizio Romano confirmed the impending transition, noting that Edu is a sought-after target for Marinakis’ multi-club operation.
Sports
Obaje’s Brace Sees Rangers Triumph Over Nasarawa Utd
Two second half goals in a-five-minute-period by former NPFL top-scorer, Godwin Obaje, ensured that reigning champions of the league, Rangers International bounced back to winning ways, beating Nasarawa United FC 2-0 in a match day 10, at Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu on Sunday, November 3, 2024.
Smarting from a heartwarming 1-1 draw in Ilorin and 0-0 draw in Uyo in the last two match days, coach Fidelis Ilechukwu made three changes to the last match day starting squad, handing starts to goalkeeper, Kingdom Osayi and Godwin Obaje while captain of the side, Chinemerem Ugwueze also started in the very entertaining encounter watched by an appreciable number of fans.
ALSO READ: Nigerian Community In Libya Paying Dearly For CAF Verdict
Opting for a 4-4-2 formation which was aimed at pushing the visitors back so as to contain the exploits of leading goal scorer, Anas Yusuf, with Frank Uwumiro and Godwin Obaje leading the attack with the quartet of Isaac Saviour, Kazeem Ogunleye, Chinemerem Ugwueze and Ejike Ugochukwu anchoring the middle of the pack while the back-four of Effimi Nsi, Evans Ogbonda, Austine Opara, and Ifeanyi Onyebuchi providing cover for the man between the sticks, Kingdom Osayi.
The first period witnessed a lot of missed opportunities on both ends but with more missed chances coming the way of the home side as Effimi Nsi failed to connect when set up by Isaac Saviour on 14 minutes which was followed by Frank Uwumiro’s stinging shot that was pushed out by goalkeeper, Galadima Mohammed on 16 minutes just as Godwin Obaje could not fathom how his efforts on 22 and 40 minutes failed to rest inside the net and Ejike Ugochukwu, Isaac Saviour’ efforts were bravely stopped by Galadima on 36 and 45 minutes.
When both sides returned for the second period, the home side continued to push and probing for openings which came on 55 minutes when Obaje met an Uwumiro cut-back with precision to open his goals account for the season and on 60 minutes, he grabbed his brace in the match as he expertly tucked in the spot kick awarded his side after he was wrestled down inside the box by Victor Collins as the fans yelled for more goals in celebrations.
Obaje would have made it a hat trick of goals on 67 minutes after being fed by Evans Ogbonda but his effort missed target by inches just few minutes after substitute, Silas Nenrot’s stinging shot was pushed out by an alert Galadima on 65 minutes while Nenrot’s effort that found the back of the net was ruled out for offside on 70 minutes. Opportunities also came the way of Kazeem Ogunleye and Godwin Obaje in the 71 and 73 minutes but there were no further goals to show for all the dominance.
As the game neared it closing period, coach Ilechukwu handed game time to two of his young stars, Daniel Onyia and Kelechi Edeh and they did not disappoint.
In the post-match chat, chief-coach of the Enugu side, Ekeh Ekenedilichukwu, said, “This was a great game with a good result against a quality side. They proved difficult in the first half but after some talks at the break, we got our acts together and converted two of the numerous chances that we created. We are happy with the result and would work harder to convert our chances in subsequent matches.”
Two-goals hero, Godwin Obaje, while reacting to the media after the encounter, said, “We are happy we got the win and I am really glad to have scored in my first start for the season. It goes a long way to show that we are gradually getting into the needed shape to challenge for a good season. Nasarawa United gave us a good fight but we showed more resolve to win.”
With the win, Rangers now occupy the 5th spot on the 20 team log with fifteen points from ten matches and would next play against Plateau United in a match day 11 fixture at the New Jos Stadium, Jos in the coming weekend.
Sports
Nigerian Community In Libya Paying Dearly For CAF Verdict
It appears the Libyans are venting their frustration on the Nigerian community in reaction to the recent verdict of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) over the botched African Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier involving the senior men’s football team of both countries.
Recall that the Super Eagles of Nigeria went through harrowing experiences in the hands of hosts, Libya when they travelled to the north African country to keep an October 16 date with their Libyan national team counterparts.
The near-death experiences, which hit the globe spontaneously, thanks to social media, received widespread condemnation culminating in the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) withdrawing the Super Eagles from the game, reporting the matter to the CAF, who later awarded the game and three points the Nigerian national side, including a fine of $50,000.00 against Libya.
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Feeling undone, with the outcome of their gimmicks, the Libyan authorities are now seeking a pound of flesh from the Nigerian community in their country, in a manner that suggests that they have taken the football warfare from the field to the streets.
They appear focused on getting the Nigerians pay for sins of their home country in daring to seek justice from CAF through imposition of fines, new taxes, and stringent enforcement of resident/work permits, in a manner that suggest that CAF can impose a fine, but Nigerians would have to pay it.
Amidst the fines and new taxes, there’s already an outcry of mass arrest from the Nigerian community in Libya, according to the https://punchng.com/.
Recall that the Nigerian football contingent was held at the Al-Abraq Airport in eastern Libya for over 20 hours upon arrival for the second leg of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier between the Super Eagles and Libya’s national team.
They were scheduled to land at the Benghazi Airport and travel for nearly four hours by road to Benina, where the match would have been played.
However, less than an hour before landing, the Tunisian pilot reportedly received a directive from the Libyan authorities to divert the flight to the Al-Abraq Airport, located 150 miles away from the destination.
The attendant public outcry compelled the NFF to withdraw the Super Eagles from the qualifying match and file an official complaint against Libya at the CAF.
In its ruling on Saturday, October 26, signed by its Chairman, Ousmane Kane, the disciplinary committee of the African football governing body awarded the Super Eagles of Nigeria three points and three goals for the abandoned match.
In addition, the disciplinary board ruled that the Libyan Football Federation (LFF) breached Article 31 of the AFCON Regulations and Articles 82 and 151 of the CAF Disciplinary Code.
The panel also ordered the LFF to pay a fine of $50,000 within 60 days of the notification of the decision.
The LFF has expressed displeasure with the CAF’s verdict.
The LFF President Nasser Al-Suwai’I described it as “unjust and malicious,” alleging that the NFF’s influence within the CAF played a major role in the outcome.
A report on Monday by a Libyan outlet, Libyan Observer, quoted Al-Suwai’I saying the LFF would file an official appeal within hours and that if the appeal was denied, the body would resort to the Court of Arbitration for Sport to ensure “their legitimate rights are secured.”
Campaign against Nigerians
Following the CAF ruling, a popular Libyan news blog, Libya News Today 1, on Sunday, thus, “All Libyan TV channels are urging the government to arrest the Nigerian workers who are working here in Libya without legal papers. They have to pay $500 plus taxes.
“The fine that Libya is accused of will be paid by Nigerian citizens who live in Libya. We have been subjected to injustice. We have no borders with Nigeria. What benefit are they to us? They’re a burden on the Libyan people. They have to go back home.”
The blog has more than 188,000 followers on Facebook and 57,000 likes.
The post was accompanied by a video of a Libyan TV presenter, who said, “Anyone who is living in Libya and working without paying tax is eating haram, which means sinful money. The government should make every effort to arrest all Nigerians who are working in Libya so that they can pay a tax of $500 and regulate their stay in the country by obtaining residence permits.”
Another Libyan site, Libya INF.TV, reported that Libyan stations wanted the government to start arresting Nigerian workers.
“Those who don’t have Libyan papers will have to pay a fine of $500 for taxes. If you refuse deportation, no mercy. The Libyan government will pay the Nigerian government from their citizens’ money,” the post said.