Arsenal, Man City face Premier League derby dates

Arsenal, Man City face Premier League derby dates
Arsenal's manager Mikel Arteta (center) celebrates with his players at the end of the English FA Cup soccer match between Arsenal and Oxford United on Monday. (AP)
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Updated 13 January 2023

Arsenal, Man City face Premier League derby dates

Arsenal, Man City face Premier League derby dates
  • Arsenal, with only one league defeat this term, are five points clear of City at the top of the Premier League table 

LONDON: Arsenal face a searching test of their title credentials in the hurly-burly of a north London derby this weekend as in-form Manchester United host defending champions Manchester City.

There are also multiple clashes between teams at the wrong end of the table, with Frank Lampard’s nosediving Everton side traveling to basement club Southampton.

Liverpool know they cannot afford too many more stumbles while it is crunch time for Graham Potter’s Chelsea, who are well adrift of the Champions League qualifying places.

Here are some of the key talking points ahead of the action.

Mikel Arteta’s young Arsenal team are in the middle of a run of fixtures that could make or break their title challenge.

They will be keen to get back to winning ways at the home of their fiercest rivals on Sunday after a goalless draw with high-flying Newcastle last week. Manchester United are the next visitors to the Emirates while City come calling in February.

Arsenal, with only one league defeat this term, are five points clear of City at the top of the Premier League table with nearly half the season gone.

Tottenham Hotspur have been inconsistent but are within touching distance of the top four and have not suffered a home league defeat against Arsenal since 2014.

Emile Smith Rowe, who returned this week after a long injury layoff, believes the Gunners can use defeat at Tottenham last season as added motivation for the trip to their local rivals.

Arsenal were comfortably beaten 3-0 at Spurs in May, losing the impetus in the fight for a top-four finish, with Tottenham finishing above them in the table.

“We are going to train really hard and we will use the energy, how we felt last year, and use it going into the game,” said Smith Rowe. 

Old Trafford has been a happy hunting ground for Pep Guardiola’s men in recent years — they have only lost twice there in the league since 2011.

City put United to the sword at the Etihad in early October, hammering their rivals 6-3 to underline their position as top dogs in the city.

But that proved a turning point for new United manager Eric ten Hag, whose team have lost just once in all competitions since that dismal day and the Red Devils are just four points behind City.

Marcus Rashford is the man in form for United, scoring seven times since returning from World Cup duty in Qatar, where he impressed for England.

City have shown a few uncharacteristic chinks in their armor this season, dropping points against struggling Everton on December 31 and suffering a shock 2-0 loss against Southampton in the League Cup this week.

Guardiola knows his side must improve at Old Trafford after the quarterfinal defeat on the south coast.

“Every game is different, different competition,” he said. “But of course, if we perform in this way, we will not have a chance.”

How much longer will Everton keep faith with Frank Lampard?

The Merseyside team have lost four of their past five Premier League games and are mired in the relegation zone — just three points above basement club Southampton, whom they host on Saturday.

Everton have not been relegated from the English top-flight since 1951 despite some close shaves, including last season.

Everton owner Farhad Moshiri has insisted he retains belief in both manager Lampard and the board of directors at Goodison Park.

“I am confident that we have skilled, experienced and focused professionals at all levels of the club,” he said. “We are all agreed that our current league position must and will improve.”

________________

Fixtures (1500 GMT unless stated)

Friday

Aston Villa vs. Leeds (2000)

Saturday

Man Utd vs. Man City (1230), Brighton vs. Liverpool, Everton vs. Southampton, Nottingham Forest vs. Leicester, Wolves vs. West Ham, Brentford vs. Bournemouth (1730)

Sunday

Chelsea vs. Crystal Palace (1400), Newcastle vs. Fulham (1400), Tottenham vs. Arsenal (1630)


Erling Haaland on the brink of achieving lifelong dream of Champions League glory

Erling Haaland on the brink of achieving lifelong dream of Champions League glory
Updated 17 min 56 sec ago

Erling Haaland on the brink of achieving lifelong dream of Champions League glory

Erling Haaland on the brink of achieving lifelong dream of Champions League glory
  • Norwegian star has scored 36 goals in Premier League, 12 times in 10 Champions League in his first season at the Etihad
  • Haaland has had an incredible debut season with the Etihad outfit, scoring a record-breaking 52 goals

LONODN: Ever since he watched Manchester United overcome Chelsea on penalties in the 2008 final, Erling Haaland has been in love with the Champions League.
So much so that the striker was caught on video listening to the tournament’s anthem in his car while at Red Bull Salzburg and also used it as his wake-up alarm.
Haaland dreamed of playing and scoring in the competition — and winning it.
Manchester City bought the 22-year-old last summer from Borussia Dortmund for £52 million ($65 million) and tasked him to help them finally win European football’s biggest prize, having won every major domestic trophy.
“I have been coming here for a reason,” said Haaland.
But in a surprising confession, he says he feels “pressure” to help deliver that elusive first success — craved by the club’s Abu Dhabi owners since their 2008 takeover.
The Norwegian has had an incredible debut season with the Etihad outfit, scoring a record-breaking 52 goals.
Having helped City win the Premier League for a third successive campaign, Haaland was seen shouting “one more” when the side beat Manchester United 2-1 in last weekend’s FA Cup final at Wembley.
That one more is the Champions League, with Saturday’s final against three-time winners Inter Milan giving an opportunity for City to become only the 10th European club to win such a treble.
The victors would also get a place in the FIFA Club World Cup, to be held in Saudi Arabia in December, and Haaland said: “It would mean everything, of course (to win it).
“Of course I feel pressure. I would lie if I said I didn’t. You say it yourself and it’s true — they won the Premier League without me, they won every trophy without me,” he said. “So I’m here to try to do a thing that the club has never done before and I’ll do my best.”
Haaland says he did not consider this scenario at the start of the season.
“But, again, when you look at the team, how close they’ve been with every single trophy every single season, it’s not like it’s been not possible.
“We have been believing in ourselves ever since I came here. Just one game left — I don’t know what more to say. We have to play at our best to really have a chance.”
Haaland says he had belief in his ability even when he missed chances and failed to score on his debut in the FA Community Shield back in August as Liverpool beat City 3-1.
Immediately he came under scrutiny and questions were asked how he could complement a side that had won four Premier League titles in four of the previous five seasons.
The same was said of Jack Grealish, who has now flourished after a difficult opening season following his $126 million move from Aston Villa.
With a hearty laugh and a nod to their contrasting fortunes, Haaland added: “I told Jack sometimes players need maybe a year or something to come into the new league and new team and everything — and sometimes players come directly in and perform… I told him this.
“So, yeah, that was one game, Community Shield, I missed a couple of big chances. It can happen, it will happen again. What can you do? Nothing.
“We have to focus on the next thing, the next game and that’s what I did.
“I think often it’s a good thing when people start criticizing you. I scored every single game and then people started criticizing me — that’s what happened, basically.
“I don’t read anything because I think my brain would be a bit crazy if I was reading everything everyone is writing. I cannot do that but of course I get things with me and then it was even better to score two goals in the next game (at West Ham).
“When people criticize you it’s normally a good thing, it’s just about trying to smile a bit and enjoy life.”
While the criticism may have motivated Haaland, he admits he is part of a “special” squad who have helped him reach such lofty heights.
He has also thrived under the tutelage of Pep Guardiola — who is chasing a third Champions League after managing Barcelona to triumphs in 2009 and 2011.
“He is a detail freak,” added Leeds-born Haaland, whose dad Alf-Inge Haaland played for both Leeds and City. “I am really enjoying every single day with him, with the intense Pep — I like it. It is about the small details, keep on developing.
“I am still young, I can improve a lot and I am at the perfect place, to work with the best coach and players in the world.”
Haaland has fitted in perfectly with City’s talented and ambitious group and picked up Player of the Year awards aplenty.
He bettered the Premier League record of 34 goals, set by Alan Shearer and Andy Cole, with his tally of 36, has scored 12 times in 10 Champions League games and netted six hat tricks in all competitions.
Haaland says he set no goal targets at the start of the season, nor is he thinking about winning the Ballon d’Or this year, but admitted: “No, I didn’t expect to score this many goals but, again, I could have scored more.
“I’ve been missing a lot of chances, so I could have scored more — that’s the truth.”
His last goal came at Everton on May 14 but, with another smile and twinkle in his eye, he added: “You can think of it as one goal in eight games or 52 goals in 52 games and eight assists.
“You can think of it in both ways, I’m not stressed. I feel really good.”
It will feel even better if he — and City — are crowned kings of Europe.


Djokovic beats cramping Alcaraz to reach French Open final

Djokovic beats cramping Alcaraz to reach French Open final
Updated 35 min 21 sec ago

Djokovic beats cramping Alcaraz to reach French Open final

Djokovic beats cramping Alcaraz to reach French Open final
  • Djokovic will break the record he shares with Rafael Nadal for the most men's Grand Slam titles if he beats Casper Ruud or Alexander Zverev in Sunday's final
  • The 36-year-old Serb can also eclipse Nadal as the tournament's oldest winner and regain the number one ranking from Alcaraz

PARIS: Novak Djokovic defeated an ailing Carlos Alcaraz 6-2, 5-7, 6-1, 6-1 on Friday to become the second oldest men’s finalist in French Open history and close in on a record 23rd Grand Slam title.
Djokovic, a two-time Roland Garros champion, will break the record he shares with Rafael Nadal for the most men’s Grand Slam titles if he beats Casper Ruud or Alexander Zverev in Sunday’s final.
The 36-year-old Serb can also eclipse Nadal as the tournament’s oldest winner and regain the number one ranking from Alcaraz, who was severely limited by cramp in the last two sets.
“First and foremost I have to say tough luck for Carlos, because at this level the last thing you want is cramp, physical problems at the last stages of Grand Slam,” said Djokovic.
“I feel for him, I feel sorry and I hope he can recover.”
Alcaraz’s physical struggles drained the suspense as he gamely fought to carry on after a thrilling first two sets, with Djokovic dominating the opener before the Spaniard levelled in the second.
The 20-year-old pulled up clutching his right calf as Djokovic held serve for 1-1 in the third set, effectively giving his rival the next game rather than struggle through to the changeover.
Alcaraz was a shadow of the unshakeable, all-action player who began the match, his movement heavily restricted as Djokovic breezed through the rest of the set.
He returned for the fourth set after a bathroom break looking somewhat more mobile, but after Djokovic saved a break point in the opening game any lingering resistance from Alcaraz subsided.


Inter’s Martinez dreaming of World Cup and Champions League double

Inter’s Martinez dreaming of World Cup and Champions League double
Updated 44 min 16 sec ago

Inter’s Martinez dreaming of World Cup and Champions League double

Inter’s Martinez dreaming of World Cup and Champions League double
  • The 25-year-old will pair up with either Edin Dzeko or Romelu Lukaku in attack as his team face Manchester City in Istanbul as big underdogs
  • Martinez, who was also recently married, is in hot form coming into Saturday's final, with 11 goals in his last 13 matches

ISTANBUL: Lautaro Martinez said Friday that he is hoping to make it a perfect season by winning the Champions League with Inter Milan six months after World Cup glory with Argentina.
The 25-year-old will pair up with either Edin Dzeko or Romelu Lukaku in attack as his team face Manchester City in Istanbul as big underdogs.
Martinez, who was also recently married, is in hot form coming into Saturday’s final, with 11 goals in his last 13 matches helping Inter secure a top four spot in Serie A, win the Italian Cup and reach the biggest game in club football.
And the man they call ‘The Bull’ is keen to celebrate another major win in what has been a hugely positive campaign, with 28 goals in all competitions and three trophies to his name.
“I think they (the World Cup and Champions League) are the two most important finals you can play, the only thing that changes is the shirt you’re wearing,” Martinez told reporters.
“The sensations are the same, as is the desire to get there. It’s the result of our work throughout year. We’re at the final and we need to be ready for the fans and the club.
“We know that Manchester City are a very tough team to take on given their individual and collective qualities. We’re ready to work hard and counteract what they can do to give ourselves an advantage.
“It’s definitely been a very positive season for me.... six months ago I played in the World Cup and now I’m facing Manchester City in the Champion League final. I’m delighted with how this season has gone, how I have done and I hope we can finish it in best way possible.”
Hakan Calhanoglu is dreaming of lifting the Champions League trophy on home turf as the Turkiye captain is set to start in Inter’s midfield.
The 29-year-old will become the first Turkish player to win Europe’s top club competition should Inter stun heavy favorites City.
He will be lining up against Germany midfielder Ilkay Gundogan, the descendent of Turkish immigrants who chose to represent the country of his birth.
“I’m very happy and proud to be playing the final in my home county. I’m sure my country and people are behind me, and I hope as a Turkish player I can lift the trophy,” said Calhanoglu.
“It’s a special match, playing in Istanbul is different for me. I’d like to enjoy this moment because it might not ever come along again.
“I know that my people are with me... I think it’s more import for them that I win than Ilkay as I’d be only Turkiye player to win the Champions League.”


‘Mighty Penguins’ documentary tells story of football team with challenges of Down syndrome

‘Mighty Penguins’ documentary tells story of football team with challenges of Down syndrome
Brentford Penguins founder Allan Cockram with his players. (Supplied)
Updated 09 June 2023

‘Mighty Penguins’ documentary tells story of football team with challenges of Down syndrome

‘Mighty Penguins’ documentary tells story of football team with challenges of Down syndrome
  • British-Arab director Ahmed Twaij writes about the origins of the production which premieres at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York on Saturday

For many, it is difficult to imagine living with Down syndrome, its challenges as well as its beauties, but “Mighty Penguins” is a film that achieves exactly that.

It gives you a glimpse into such a world and what we find is one filled with passion, love and emotional intelligence, but also complicated by hardships and prejudice.

This weekend, the film sees its premiere at the prestigious Tribeca Film Festival in New York. Using the story of the Brentford Penguins, a football team in West London for children with Down syndrome, “Mighty Penguins” challenges our preconceptions of the condition.

It is a film I co-directed and co-produced — It Was All a Dream Productions — with Louis Myles, a British-Irish filmmaker from Fever Media, who recently won the coveted Best Documentary award at the AIPS Awards. “Mighty Penguins” is part of a series produced by John Skipper’s Meadowlark Media and Firelight Media, titled “Sports Explains the World.”

By taking you in to the world through the lens of a child with Down syndrome, “Mighty Penguins” allows you to explore life free of the prejudices that come with adulthood. The film is filled with laughs and tears as the emotional human story is told.

Affectionately titled the Brentford Penguins, the soccer team for children with Down syndrome was created by Allan Cockram, a former professional footballer for Brentford Football Club.

Allan was a Jack the Lad-type footballer in the 1980s. Brentford FC’s supporters all related to his down-to-earth shenanigans and adored him. Famed for his mullet, or “flowing locks” as he lovingly refers to his formerly long hair, Allan struggled after retiring from the sport. The income for footballers in the lower English leagues at the time was not the best, he found himself working as a taxi driver and searching for a purpose.

It was only until Phil, a young child with Down syndrome, became a regular pick-up for Allan did he find inspiration once again. The brutal honesty of Phil and pure love toward others moved Allan, and they often found themselves playing football in the park. But Phil sadly passed away, still a high school teenager, affecting Allan deeply. However, it was this heart-breaking death that motivated the birth of the Brentford Penguins.

The team meets every Sunday morning, come rain or shine for training sessions at Gunnersbury Park, London. What the film shows is that this is no ordinary football team, but more a family. You are taken to see these weekly training sessions through a cinema verite-style lens, as well as an intimate look into the lives of three of the children, Special K, Captain Charlie and Peanut.

The film follows the team as they prepare for their moment in the spotlight at an English Premier League match. They are tasked with being guard of honor for Brentford versus Leicester at the G-Tech Community Stadium. Although seen as a small gesture of goodwill by many, the moment means so much more for the Penguins. It represents a flourishing community being welcomed into wider society.

Despite being made up of players who are sometimes not included in mainstream events, the team discovers a community built around football for itself. Led by Allan, who we discover has had to struggle with his own demons but thrives as a Pied Piper character to the Penguins, the team together build their own support system as they show how football transcends mere entertainment.

There have been plenty of stories that show how sport can impact wider society. The Iraqi men’s 2007 Asia Cup football victory managed to put a pause on the civil war ravaging the country, for example. Qatar’s hosting of the 2022 World Cup helping quash Islamophobia across the globe, is another. The Brentford Penguins really have managed to shape their own story too.

Underpinning the film is the importance of community and the battle against loneliness. This is what drives the narrative as those portrayed search for their own acceptance in life before eventually finding it.

Expectant parents often fear that their children could be born with Down syndrome, but Mighty Penguins shows how beautiful each of the children truly are. The crew fell in love with all the participants and the journey of getting to know the Brentford Penguins has been an emotional journey filled with laughs and tears, just as the film reflects. We will forever be part of the Penguin family.

The film is truly a must-watch.


Seismic changes in Saudi football will be felt across Asian game

Seismic changes in Saudi football will be felt across Asian game
Updated 09 June 2023

Seismic changes in Saudi football will be felt across Asian game

Seismic changes in Saudi football will be felt across Asian game

Asian football has never seen anything like this.

Over the past decade or two, we have seen a number of the world’s best players make the move to Asia: Rivaldo signed for Bunyodkor in Uzbekistan, Alessandro del Piero for Sydney FC, Xavi for Al Sadd and Andres Iniesta for Vissel Kobe, to name just a few.

There was also the explosion in China in the mid-to-late 2010s that saw the likes of Oscar, Hulk and Carlos Tevez make the move east.

But the scale of what we are witnessing in Saudi Arabia is unlike anything we have seen before.

Quite aside from the impact within Saudi Arabia, the landmark signing of Karim Benzema along with other names such as N’Golo Kante and Sergio Busquets — and let’s not forget a certain Cristiano Ronaldo in all of this — has the potential to completely reshape the face of Asian football.

There are significant differences between what happened in the Chinese Super League and what is taking place in Saudi Pro League now. While the project in China had state backing, it was largely financed by private real estate developers and fell apart as soon as the ruling Chinese Communist Party party tried to cool the spending largesse. The project in Saudi Arabia, however, is directly linked to the country’s Vision 2030 agenda.

Just this week, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman outlined a new vision for sport in the country, and in particular football, with leading clubs to be privatized. The big four are all being taken over by the Public Investment Fund, and the annual revenue of the SPL will be increasing from $120 million to a staggering $480 million.

The sheer scale and ambition are unlike anything ever seen in Asian football, with the ultimate aim of having the SPL as one of the 10 best leagues worldwide.

What that means for Asian football could be seismic.

“The investment in Saudi domestic football is one of the pivotal moments in the (Asian Football Confederation),” James Kitching, former FIFA director and leading sports executive, told Arab News.

“It will drive viewership in Saudi football, and by extension, AFC competitions, as big names ply their trade in Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, and other cities. It will increase competitiveness in men’s AFC club competitions, as other clubs strive to keep up and compete with the Saudi clubs, which many already struggle to do.

“Similarly, a new generation of Saudi youth will reap the benefits and will likely usher in a new era of success in AFC men’s youth competitions and consistent participation in youth World Cups.

“The knock-on effect will mean that other nations will need to invest heavily in their technical development and club professionalization to remain competitive, which in turn increases the levels of men’s football in Asia across the board.”

With three of the big four clubs — Al-Ittihad, Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr — all due to participate in the AFC Champions League this coming season, the benefit for Asia’s premier club competition could be immediate.

That the AFC and its media partner Football Marketing Asia are about to go to market for the next commercial cycle for the revamped AFC club competitions is quite serendipitous. It should be an easy sell.

“Saudi Arabian club football is currently in the top three leagues in Asia; the outcome of this investment will balloon it into the stratosphere,” Kitching, also a former senior executive at the AFC, continued.

“Unlike the Chinese bubble, which burst, this is a long-term commitment into one of the biggest cultural institutions in the country — football. The level of investment is a message that Saudi Arabia is serious, and a force to be reckoned with.”

Yasser Al-Misehal, the president of the Kingdom’s football federation, who also sits on both the AFC and FIFA executive committees, is cognizant of the role his country has to play in the development of football across the continent.

“We know the role the league plays in our footballing footprint across Asia,” he told Arab News.

“We have strong partnerships, growing fan bases and of course player recruitment across the AFC. We see Asia as a key component for our future opportunities and ambitions, including football, commercial and investment.

“Football is our country’s favorite sporting passion, and we are working hard to inspire even more to enjoy the beautiful game. This includes investments at all levels, on pitch and off, to provide access for all and even greater opportunity. 

“Whether it’s player signings, club ownership or grassroots investments, these recent announcements reflect our country’s ambition to put sport at the heart of everyday life in Saudi Arabia.”

The scale of the investment has raised eyebrows around the world, but for Kitching, increased investment in Asian club football, rather than Europe, is long overdue and could herald a new era for Asian football.

“Saudi Arabia is leading the way, investing heavily in their domestic game, while the rest of the world, and particularly Asian money, is seeking to buy football clubs in Manchester, Milan, London, Rome, and anywhere else that permits private ownership,” the Adelaide-based Kitching said.

“A pillar of AFC policy should be to actively encourage and harness the Asian money being spent outside of Asia on football and seek to have that invested within Asian football — whether domestically, or in Asian club competitions, or both.

“There’s a giant pot of gold that leaves Asia on an annual basis and props up a chunk of European football — leveraging that investment to pay the best players, invest in the best development, and generate the most media rights.

“That money should be spent in Asia.”