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Tag: English Premier League

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A kick-off to history: English Premier League gets its first Indian-origin referee

When Sunny Singh Gill blows the whistle at London’s Selhurst Park Stadium on Saturday, he will become the first person of South Asian origin to referee a match in the English Premier League. And in doing so, the 39-year-old will be carrying forward the family legacy.Sunny’s appointment to officiate the match between Crystal Palace and Luton Town was announced Tuesday by the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), which appoints referees for Premier League games. While the game itself might not be a marquee clash for a majority of football followers beyond those of the two clubs, for the Gills, from Iver near London, it’ll be a moment for generations. Sunny is the elder of the two sons of Jarnail Singh Gill, 62, who remains the only referee to have worn a turban in the English...
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Chelsea all at sea: Ponderous Pochettino, misfiring stars despite £1 billion in transfers and clueless American owner

Mauricio Pochettino was on a rambling roll after Chelsea’s loss to Wolves last week. His stream of thought went like this: “To be focused on playing football, you need to be free in your mind. You can’t be affected because of the stock market in New York or Tokyo, or the weather in I don’t know where because the farms cannot grow the cereals. That is why I keep my hair like this. It’s because I do not suffer for things that I am not in charge of. I only suffer for sport, for football, to try to improve the players, to give them good things. A good platform to win games. If there is no rain at my farm, I cannot grow the crops. You kill the business of my family on the farm and they need money. That is stress. With that, you can lose your hair. But I cannot lose my hair because the oppone...
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Jurgen Klopp to step down as Liverpool manager at the end of the season: ‘I am running out of energy….cannot do the job again and again’

Liverpool FC manager Jurgen Klopp on Friday announced that he will be stepping down from his role at the end of the ongoing football season. In a statement released on Liverpool’s website, Klopp was quoted saying, “I can understand that it’s a shock for a lot of people in this moment, when you hear it for the first time, but obviously I can explain it – or at least try to explain it. I love absolutely everything about this club, I love everything about the city, I love everything about our supporters, I love the team, I love the staff. I love everything. But that I still take this decision shows you that I am convinced it is the one I have to take. “It is that I am, how can I say it, running out of energy. I have no problem now, obviously, I knew it already for longer that I will have t...
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With a commanding display at Liverpool, Declan Rice shows he is Arsenal’s man for all seasons, and reasons

Did you see Declan Rice? Or rather how did you not see Declan Rice? At Anfield, the loudest and meanest arena in Europe, against a rageful Liverpool, there were large swathes of the game when it seemed that there was more than one Declan Rice on the pitch. He was there disrupting a pass; he was here bursting forth to create some space in the midfield; he was there mopping up for the faltering centre-back, heading a ball away to safety; he was there too, in the final third slipping in a pass into the box. Was it visual trickery of the retina-dazing fluorescence of Arsenal’s away shirt, or was it for real? For, how can a footballer perform so many roles! Were you sure he was not an AI-spawned robot footballer? But that’s how Rice has been for Arsenal this season, immense and impactful. A ...
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Premier League match suspended as Luton Town skipper Tom Lockye collapses on pitch vs Bournemouth

The Premier League match between Luton Town and Bournemouth was suspended after Luton’s captain Tom Lockyer collapsed in the middle of the pitch. In the second half,  the player fell on the ground near the centre circle and did not get back up again and the physios rushed into the field to administer the necessary medical actions. The player was ultimately stretchered off as both the teams left the field with the fans applauded. “There’s a break in play as Tom Lockyer seeks medical attention. We are all with you Locks,” Luton Town posted on X. There's a break in play as Tom Lockyer seeks medical attention. We are all with you, Locks 🧡 pic.twitter.com/vaGHqXf8Vk — Luton Town FC (@LutonTown) December 16, 2023 The Bournemouth staff doctor has confirmed that Tom Lockyer is “alert & res...
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Why Erik Ten Hag went for Andre Onana by discarding David De Gea

Carles Busquets, father of Sergio, spent most of his Barcelona days as an understudy to the imposing Andoni Zubizarreta. But one day, in 1993, Johan Cruyff, the visionary-manager, would put Busquets in the team-sheet ahead of Zubizarreta. To the shocked assistants, the Dutchman would patiently explain: “Andoni is an exceptional goalkeeper, but not good with his feet, Carles might not be as good as him with his hands, but with the feet he clearly is. And that’s the future of goalkeeping.” Busquets, who spent his early days at the La Masia academy dreaming to be a striker, would use his feet so much that he was mocked as the “goalkeeper without hands.” But Cruyff, a deep thinker of the game, was envisioning the future, how the role of the goalkeeper would evolve after the back-pass rule w...
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Watch: Alejandro Garnacho scores one of the greatest goals in the Premier League

Manchester United’s Alejandro Garnacho scored what can be termed as one of the best goals in the history of the Premier League as the Red Devils rode out 3-0 victorious over Everton at Goodison Park on Saturday. The Argentina winger scored an overhead goal to bring back memories of United legends like Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo. Rooney had famously nailed an overhead kick against Manchester City in 2011 to help the side to a 2-1 victory at Old Trafford. The match was happening with Everton fans up in arms over sanctions handed to the club for financial mismanagement. The club’s supporters were livid at the 10-point deduction slapped on them by a disciplinary commission last week. The Associated Press reported that many Everton supporters were holding up pink cards featuring the...
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Everton deducted 10 points due to FFP breach, come down to 19th position in Premier League table

Premier League club Everton was on Friday deducted 10 points for a breach of the Premier League’s profitability and sustainability rules in the 2021-22 season which led to them going down the league table from 14th to the 19th position in the ongoing season. “During the proceedings, the club admitted it was in breach of the PSRs for the period ending season 2021/22 but the extent of the breach remained in dispute. The Commission determined that Everton FC’s PSR Calculation for the relevant period resulted in a loss of 124.5 million pounds ($154.70 million), as contended by the Premier League, which exceeded the threshold of 105 million pounds permitted under the PSRs,” the Premier League said in a statement after its independent commission’s report. The club, however, expressed their ‘s...
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Saudi Arabia eyes stake in $30 billion Indian Premier League | Cricket News – Times of India

Saudi Arabia has expressed interest in buying a multibillion-dollar stake in the Indian Premier League, international cricket’s most lucrative event, following a string of investments that have upended professional sports including football and golf.Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s advisers have sounded out Indian government officials about moving the IPL into a holding company valued at as much as $30 billion, in which Saudi Arabia would then take a significant stake, people familiar with the matter said.The talks were held when the kingdom’s defacto ruler visited India in September, the people said, asking not to be named as the information is not public.Under plans discussed at the time, the kingdom proposed investing as much as $5 billion into the league and help lead an expansion...
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Premier League: Tottenham Hotspur hold on to top spot thanks to arch-rivals Arsenal’s win over Manchester City

Arsenal finally ended its 12-game losing streak to Manchester City in the Premier League after Gabriel Martinelli scored in the 87th minute Sunday to secure a 1-0 win over the defending champion. In a cagey match that featured few quality chances for either side, substitutes Kai Havertz and Martinelli combined for a late winner that made the Emirates crowd erupt. Havertz laid the ball off for Martinelli whose shot from outside the area took a deflection to wrongfoot City goalkeeper Ederson. It was a goal that put an end to six years of demoralizing league defeats against City — including a 3-1 loss at home last season that helped Pep Guardiola’s team finish five points above Arsenal. The team’s 12-match losing streak against City in the league was the longest against any opponent in the...
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Newcastle fan in stable condition after being stabbed in Milan

A 58-year-old Newcastle United fan was in stable condition in hospital after being stabbed in Milan by a group of hooded attackers on the eve of the team’s Champions League game against AC Milan, Italian police said on Tuesday. The supporter, a British national, was stabbed in the arm and back in the attack in the Navigli district of the city, a canalside area known for its nightlife. The back wound was the most serious but the victim is expected to be released from the Policlinco hospital in the coming hours, a police spokesperson said. He was with a friend when a group of seven or eight people, their faces covered by hoods, attacked him at about midnight (2200 GMT) on Monday.Most Read 1 Farida Jalal recalls the time when Amitabh Bachchan-Jaya Bachchan were dating: ‘...
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Premier League: Leandro Trossard goal seals Arsenal win at Everton, Chelsea held to goalless draw against Bournemouth

Arsenal claimed their first Premier League win at Everton for six years as Leandro Trossard’s second-half strike proved enough to secure the points at Goodison Park on Sunday. Everton, still without a win this season, had managed to frustrate the visitors who had a Gabriel Martinelli goal ruled out for offside via VAR in the first period. But the Londoners were eventually rewarded for their domination as Trossard’s shot cannoned in off the post after a clever build-up in the 69th minute. Unbeaten Arsenal joined Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool on 13 points from five games, two points behind leaders Manchester City who have a 100% record. A third successive 1-0 home defeat left Everton third from bottom with one point. Chelsea held to scoreless draw by battling Bournemouth Chelsea’s much...
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Everton ends Premier League goal drought in 2-2 draw with Sheffield United

Everton finally ended its Premier League goal drought in a 2-2 draw at Sheffield United on Saturday, with both teams earning their first point of the season. Arnaut Danjuma equalized for the visitors in the 55th minute and Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford made a double save in stoppage time to preserve the draw.Most Read 1 India vs Pakistan Live Score, Asia Cup 2023: Showers in Pallekele ahead of Pakistan’s chase of 267 2 Masaba Gupta says people thought father Vivian Richards left her ‘hundreds of crores’, so she didn’t need to work See More Everton was the only team to not score a single goal in the opening three rounds but Abdoulaye Doucoure bundled in the rebound after a corner to put Sean Dyche’s team ah...
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Super-sub Nunez grabs 2-1 win for 10-man Liverpool against Newcastle

Darwin Nunez came off the bench to score twice as Liverpool snatched a sensational 2-1 Premier League win at Newcastle United on Sunday, with the visitors bouncing back from a straight red card in the first half for captain Virgil van Dijk. The Uruguayan came on in the 77th minute before grabbing the limelight with two superb finishes, his first Premier League goals since scoring against Leeds United back in April. The 24-year-old, who had seemingly fallen down the pecking order among Liverpool’s attacking talents, stole the thunder of Newcastle winger Anthony Gordon, who looked set to end his side’s 13-game league run without a win over Juergen Klopp’s side. Having picked up an early yellow card, Trent Alexander-Arnold was lucky to stay on the field when he pulled down Gordon, but he g...
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Arsenal beat Forest 2-1 in Premier League opener

Arsenal began their new Premier League campaign with a 2-1 home win over Nottingham Forest on Saturday thanks to first-half goals from Eddie Nketiah and Bukayo Saka. Kickoff was delayed by 30 minutes due to turnstile issues at Emirates Stadium which prevented fans from getting in on time. But once the game kicked off Arsenal shot out of the blocks, dominating possession and cutting through Forest’s defence. Nketiah opened the scoring after being set up by a sublime turn and back-heel pass from Gabriel Martinelli before Saka doubled their advantage when he curled in a shot from range that easily beat his former team mate Matt Turner in Forest’s goal. Arsenal took their foot off the gas in the second half and were nearly punished when Taiwo Awoniyi gave Forest a lifeline with a late goal ...
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Can oil-money buy football dreams? As European football season beckons, the cash-rich shadow of Saudi Pro League looms large

It was Napoleon who had said, “whoever possesses Constantinople ought to rule the world.” By the end of June 10 – in pure footballing terms – it was Manchester City. Europe has, for long, been the heartbeat of club football. And City, the champions of England, were finally the champions of Europe. It was the last piece of silverware missing in their trophy cabinet and now, they had it. Making them unequivocally, the best football club in the world. Maybe even of all times. But just as the days rolled by and we moved closer to the beginning of another football year around the sun, Pep Guardiola’s juggernaut wasn’t the big topic of conversation in football circles. The departure of club captain Ilkay Gundogan and Riyad Mahrez wasn’t an issue. The arrivals of the likes of Josko Gvardiol an...
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Manchester City reportedly close to signing Croatia center back Josko Gvardiol

Manchester City is ready to make a big move in the transfer market, days before the start of the new season. The English and European champions are set to sign Croatia center back Josko Gvardiol for a reported 90 million euros ($98.3 million) from German club Leipzig, making him one of the world’s most expensive defenders. Neither City nor Leipzig have commented publicly about the deal for Gvardiol, who will reportedly undergo a medical examination this week. Manchester United’s Harry Maguire cost 80 million pounds (then $97 million) when he joined from Leicester in 2019, while Virgil van Dijk moved from Southampton to Liverpool for 75 million pounds (then $100 million) in 2018. The 21-year-old Gvardiol, known as “Little Pep” because of his name’s likeness to City manager Pep Guardiola,...
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British billionaire Joe Lewis, owner of Tottenham Hotspur, arrested on insider trading charges

Joe Lewis, the British billionaire who owns the Tottenham Hotspur soccer team, was taken into US federal custody in New York City on Wednesday, where he awaited an initial court appearance on insider trading charges alleging that he fed corporate secrets to romantic partners, personal assistants, friends and his pilots, earning them millions of dollars illegally.Two pilots — Patrick O’Connor and Bryan Marty’ Waugh — were also arrested, authorities said. All three men were expected to appear in Manhattan federal court.US Attorney Damian Williams, who announced the charges Tuesday night in a video, said in a release that Lewis was accused of “orchestrating a brazen insider trading scheme” that utilized his access to corporate boardrooms to feed inside tips to friends and lovers. “Those fo...
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Premier League clubs agree measures to combat anti-social behaviour

Premier League clubs unanimously agreed on Wednesday a series of new measures to tackle anti-social behaviour including tragedy-related chanting, gestures, graffiti and online abuse. The clubs decided at their Annual General Meeting to adopt measures focusing on prosecution, the regulatory environment, law enforcement, education and communications. An inter-football working group was set up in December to explore the options available to challenge the normalisation of such behaviour and incidents. #PL clubs unanimously agreed at the Annual General Meeting today a series of new measures to address the unacceptable rise in anti-social behaviour involving football tragedy-related chanting, gesturing, graffiti, online abuse and other behaviours ➡️ https://t.co/gdhvfzf6wr pic.twitter.com/LO...
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Erling Haaland breaks Premier League record as Manchester City reclaim top spot | Football News – Times of India

MANCHESTER: Manchester City's Erling Haaland scored his record-breaking 35th Premier League goal of the season to help secure a 3-0 victory against West Ham United that sent his side back to the top of the table on Wednesday.The Norwegian killed off a stubborn West Ham resistance when he dinked a delicate chip into the net after 70 minutes to break the record for the amount of goals in a single season in the Premier League.Treble-chasing City, who began the night in second place after Arsenal's defeat of Chelsea on Tuesday, had twice been denied by the woodwork as they were frustrated by relegation-threatened West Ham in the first half.But Nathan Ake made the breakthrough five minutes after the interval with a header from a free kick.Haaland then eased the tension around the Etihad Stad...