Exclusive Source

Leandro Trossard scored with his first touch, and Thomas Partey added a second as Arsenal avenged last season’s Premier League defeats to Aston Villa with a 2-0 win at Villa Park.  Unai Emery’s side had twice derailed Arsenal’s Premier League title hopes last season, including a 2-0 victory at the Emirates that severely dented their championship aspirations. In the highly anticipated rematch, Villa once again posed a serious threat, particularly in the second half.  Ollie Watkins had two golden opportunities to give Villa the lead, but the striker’s poor finishing proved costly. He missed a clear chance in the first half, dragging a shot wide when it seemed easier to score. Later, his close-range header was brilliantly saved by Arsenal’s David Raya.  Arsenal, struggling to find a breakthrough, saw their fortunes change when Trossard entered the game. Just two minutes after coming on, the Belgian forward coolly finished Bukayo Saka’s cut-back to break the deadlock in the 6...

The Norwegian grabbed his seventh Premier League treble in what was eventually a routine win after Pep Guardiola's side fell behind early.   Fantasy Premier League managers were licking their lips at the prospect of Erling Haaland facing newly-promoted Ipswich Town in Manchester City's first home game of the season on Saturday, and they had every right to be excited.  The Norwegian bagged a hat-trick as the champions monstered the top-flight new boys 4-1, but the performances of Kevin De Bruyne and Savinho were equally impressive in what was a hugely enjoyable afternoon for Pep Guardiola's side, save for an early shock.  That came in just the seventh minute when Ipswich crafted a clever breakaway move and Sammie Szmodics put the ball through Ederson's legs, sending the travelling Tractor Boys (and girls) into raptures. But the joy of the visitors, who were playing City for the first time in the league since the 2000-01 season, did not last long.  The electric Sa...

With a week of the summer window left to run, Arsenal are finally wrapping up a deal for Real Sociedad midfielder after a deal worth up to £33.5million was agreed.  The Spain international has flown to London to undergo a medical and signed a five-year contract. The Gunners are then being tipped to launch a bid for Napoli striker Victor Osimhen, while Fabio Vieira is heading back to Porto on loan.  Chelsea are busy shipping out players, most notably Raheem Sterling and Ben Chilwell, and could facilitate Osimhen's Naples exit after reportedly agreeing to sell Romelu Lukaku to the Italian side for £25m.  Manager Enzo Maresca has confirmed the club are interested in signing a recognised goalscorer, and could turn to Osimhen themselves.  Manchester United, meanwhile, are closing in on a deal for Manuel Ugarte after further talks with Paris Saint-Germain. The midfielder is expected to join on a loan-to-buy deal, and should be joined by Mail wonderkid Sekou Kone at Old Tra...

The second weekend of the season kicks off on the south coast Close  Brighton vs Manchester United  Table toppers Brighton beat United 2-1 on Saturday to stay perfect in the Premier League after Joao Pedro scored a late winner in the fifth minute of added time.  Brighton took the lead when Kaoru Mitoma received the ball on the left flank before his cross went through United's defence and into the six-yard box where Danny Welbeck stuck a leg out to score against his former club.  Amad Diallo drew United level at the hour mark when he was put through on goal and  22-year-old cut inside his marker before shooting, with the ball being deflected past keeper Jason Steele and into the net. With the game seemingly heading for a draw, Brighton's pressure paid off when Simon Adingra found space in the box and chipped the ball over United's defenders to an unmarked Pedro who headed home to give them their second win of the season.

Enzo Maresca said he has been "honest" rather than brutal with Raheem Sterling and Ben Chilwell as both continue to train away from Chelsea's first-team squad.  The Chelsea manager believes he has been clear with the "more than 15 players" - including forward Sterling and left-back Chilwell - who are being asked to train apart from his main group.  Maresca said Chelsea look like "a mess... from outside" as they attempt to trim a bloated squad, but he insisted that was far from being the reality. He also denied there is any further need for "clarity" about Sterling's status, as the 82-cap England international's representatives have claimed.  Maresca stated he spoke to Sterling before leaving him out of the squad for Chelsea's 2-0 defeat to Manchester City in the Premier League on Sunday. He does not expect to have further conversations with Sterling prior to the play-off match against Servette in the Conference League on Thursda...

Nigeria’s long search for a head coach is in its final stages, but complications persist with two candidates left in the race. The Super Eagles have been without a permanent boss since Finidi George stepped down only two matches into a two-year contract he signed as recently as May. George, who was part of the Nigeria squad that won the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon), had initially held the role in an interim capacity for the March international window.  He managed only one win over the course of his four matches in charge, and the 2-1 defeat by Benin that rounded off his short-lived tenure leaves Nigeria languishing second from bottom in their 2026 World Cup qualifying group. Amid much speculation, as well as the involvement of the country’s sports minister, Nigeria have honed in on two candidates: Swede Janne Andersson and Frenchman Herve Renard. Whoever gets the nod, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) is in a race against time as qualifying for the 2025 Afcon begins o...

Arsenal's meteoric rise from top-four disappointment last season to title challengers just one-year on wasn't foreseen by many. However, the reality is that this side seems set to stay at the top under the stewardship of Mikel Arteta and his young squad that may only get better.   The side currently sit six points clear at the top of the table, but having played one game more than rivals Manchester City and with a head-to-head lying in wait at the end of this month, it's a huge test for where this side really are. For the mastermind behind this rise, the details have been on the finer points surrounding life at the Emirates Stadium.  You go day by day honestly," Arteta responded ahead of this weekend's clash with West Ham when asked if he foresaw this title challenge eight months ago. "There is so much that happens in a month in football that you cannot really look. Obviously, the aim was to take this football club back where it belongs and that’s fighting and...