Category: Sports

Arsenal are one win away from claiming their first Premier League title in 22 years.

This follows a battling 1-0 victory over already-relegated Burnley at the Emirates on Monday night.

The Gunners came into their last home fixture two points clear, knowing they could put pressure on Manchester City, who are away to Bournemouth on Wednesday night.

And Mikel Arteta named a very attacking side to face the Clarets.

Although Arsenal dominated the first half, they only had Kai Havertz’s header to show.

The goal proved to be the winner, as the league leaders took their tally to 82 points.

If City fail to beat Bournemouth tomorrow, Arsenal will be confirmed champions. Otherwise they would need to win at Crystal Palace in their final game on Sunday.

 EPL table: Arsenal go five points clear of Man City with narrow Burnley win

Kwara United technical adviser, Ashifat Suleiman has called on his players to show determination and focus ahead of their President Federation Cup Round of 64 clash with Sporting Supreme U-19.

The defending champions will begin their title defense on Tuesday at Prince Abubakar Audu University in Kogi.

Suleiman challenged the Harmony Boys to play with the mentality of champions and avoid an upset against the lower-league side.

“We are the defending champions and we must showcase the spirit of champions by playing with full focus, determination and concentration,” Suleiman told the club’s media.

Kwara United secured the 2025 title with a 1-0 win over Abakaliki FC in the final at Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Lagos. 

The victory ended their 49-year wait for a major trophy and earned them a spot in the CAF Confederation Cup.

President Federation Cup: Kwara United gear up for title defence

Nigeria’s Super Eagles have been placed in Pot A for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualification draw, DAILY POST reports.

The draw will hold at the headquarters of the Egypt Football Association, EFA on Tuesday.

Morocco, Senegal, Algeria, Egypt, Côte d’Ivoire and Tunisia are some of the continent’s heavyweights also placed in Pot A.

48 countries will participate in the qualifying series for the tournament which will be co-hosted by three countries Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.

The first two teams in each group will qualify for the tournament.

The competition will run from 19 June to 17 July 2027.

 AFCON 2027 Draw: Super Eagles placed in Pot A

Manchester United legend Gary Neville and Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher have picked their Premier League Player of the Season.

Neville picked Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes, while Carragher went for Arsenal’s Declan Rice.

The duo spoke today on the final Monday Night Football of the season.

“I could say Declan Rice, Gabriel, Bernardo Silva, but Bruno getting level on Premier League assists with Kevin De Bruyne and Thierry Henry puts him in the very best company in terms of what the Premier League has to offer creativity,” Neville said.

“Bruno deserves it for playing and persisting in a struggling team for half the season.”

Similarly, Carragher added, “I am a huge fan of Fernandes, but you are picking a player whose games have not had any real jeopardy. I would go with Declan Rice.

“He was outstanding in the Champions League semi-finals against Atletico Madrid. He’s been a driving force for Arsenal.”

EPL: Gary Neville, Jamie Carragher pick Player of the Season

Arthur Okonkwo has said he cannot wait to make his debut for the Super Eagles of Nigeria, DAILY POST reports.

Okonkwo, who was born in London to Nigerian parents, represented England at different age-group levels.

The goalkeeper was, however, cleared by the Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) to switch allegiance last month.

The 24-year-old is expected to be named in the Super Eagles squad for the Unity Cup tournament, which will hold later this month.

Okonkwo said he is excited about the chance to play for the three-time African champions.

“It’s an honour to be given the opportunity to play for your country. I’m excited, I can’t wait,” Okonkwo said on Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) TV.

Okonkwo eager to play for Super Eagles 

Serie A club Bologna have identified Nigerian striker Gift Orban as a  target ahead of the summer transfer window, DAILY POST reports.

Orban is currently on loan at another Serie A club Hellas Verona from Bundesliga outfit TSG Hoffenheim.

The 23-year-old is expected to return to Hoffenheim after Verona rejected the chance to sign him on a permanent transfer.

The former Lyon forward has scored seven times in 28 league appearances for the club this season.

Orban has, however, failed to make an appearance for Verona in their last four games following his altercation with a fan after the home defeat to AC Milan last month.

According to Transferfeed, he is valued around €8m to €10m, and is seen as cheap option by Bologna.

His Serie A experience has also attracted him to Bologna.

Transfer: Bologna plot move for Nigerian striker 

Manchester United legend, Gary Neville, has identified four signings that Xabi Alonso requires at Chelsea this summer. The Spaniard has accepted a four-year contract to take on the role of new manager at Stamford Bridge, effective July 1.

Alonso succeeds Liam Rosenior, who managed Chelsea for a mere 106 days following the dismissal of Enzo Maresca in January. 

The Blues, who were defeated by Manchester City in the FA Cup final on Saturday, find themselves in a precarious position in the Premier League.

Although Chelsea ended their six-match losing streak against Liverpool, they still sit 10th in the Premier League standings. With only two matches remaining this season, the west London club has minimal chances of securing a spot in the Champions League.

In spite of their challenges, Alonso’s appointment brings a glimmer of hope for the Premier League giants. The Liverpool icon is a proven victor and has a commendable record at Bayer Leverkusen. While his tenure at Real Madrid was brief, reports from Santiago Bernabeu indicate that the issues there were not solely his responsibility.

As a new era appears to be on the horizon at Stamford Bridge, Neville has shared his insights on how Chelsea should approach recruitment this summer. He emphasised that relying solely on young players will not be beneficial.

Neville urged BlueCo to revise their transfer strategy and acquire seasoned players to assist Alonso during his summer rebuilding efforts at the club.

He stated on the Gary Neville Podcast on Sky Sports, “Chelsea possesses a significant level of inexperience across all departments. They are inexperienced on the field, and a change in their model is necessary.

“This approach of exclusively signing young players on substantial contracts… while no one is opposed to acquiring young talent, limiting themselves to only young players is a considerable error.”

Neville believes Chelsea has competent players in midfield. However, he underscored the need for an experienced centre-forward, a new goalkeeper, and additional support at centre-back.

Neville believes that Chelsea possesses talented players in midfield. However, he emphasised the necessity for an experienced centre-forward, a new goalkeeper, and additional support at centre-back.

“The first action I anticipate Xabi Alonso will take is to seek a new goalkeeper, a centre-back, and an experienced centre-forward.

“They have some seasoned players in central midfield, including Caicedo, Fernandez, and Lavia, which allows them to maintain a solid core.

“Additionally, they have a mix of dynamic wingers, but they are in need of a top-tier centre-forward. Joao Pedro is quite impressive, and I have a favorable opinion of him, while Liam Delap is still young.

“Nonetheless, they require a centre-forward who possesses both strength and class, as well as one or two centre-backs, and it is imperative that they acquire a new goalkeeper.”

Chelsea is set to compete against their rivals, Tottenham Hotspur, in the Premier League on Tuesday. A victory would enable them to overtake Brentford for eighth place, which secures a spot in the Europa Conference League, with only one match remaining this season.

EPL: Gary Neville names players Alonso should sign for Chelsea

Manchester United icon Rio Ferdinand has commented on Xabi Alonso’s decision to become the next Chelsea manager.

The Englishman expressed surprise regarding the choice made by Liverpool legend Alonso, who signed a four-year contract with the Blues.

Alonso, who made 210 appearances for Liverpool, had a successful playing career at Anfield. He was part of the Reds’ memorable victory in the 2005 Champions League final held in Istanbul. Even though Alonso departed from Liverpool in 2009, the Merseyside club has always held a special place in his heart.

Since establishing himself as a coach at the senior level, Alonso has been rumored to be a candidate for the managerial position at Anfield. Speculation has been rampant since the beginning of the year, particularly with Arne Slot facing challenges at Liverpool and Alonso leaving Real Madrid in January.

However, Chelsea has now officially announced their agreement with Alonso to succeed Liam Rosenior as the permanent manager at Stamford Bridge. In discussing the appointment, Ferdinand acknowledged that he believed Alonso would have the patience to wait and observe the situation with Slot at Anfield before committing to another club.

He remarked on Rio Ferdinand Presents via  Metro UK, “I’m genuinely surprised he’s taken that position. I’m not suggesting he’s the wrong choice.

“The reason I’m taken aback by his decision is that I thought he would have been patient enough to see how the Arne Slot situation at Liverpool would unfold.”

Ferdinand highlighted Alonso’s consistent expression of affection for Liverpool and suggested that the Spaniard would have been the next in line to take over from Slot, had he chosen to wait.

He said, “As an ex-Liverpool player, he cherished the club, always speaks positively about it, and one would think that was a relationship poised to develop behind the scenes.

“If he had just remained patient, considering the current circumstances and developments at Liverpool, he would surely be next in line for that position.”

Alonso has committed to ensuring Chelsea competes at the highest level consistently while also prioritizing the pursuit of trophies.

EPL: ‘I’m so surprised’ – Rio Ferdinand on Alonso’s move to Chelsea

Nigeria’s Flamingos will depart the country for Abidjan on Wednesday for the first leg of their 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifying fixture against Guinea.

The encounter is scheduled for Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire on Saturday.

The reverse fixture will hold at the Remo Stars Stadium, Ikenne on Saturday, 30 May.

Akeem Busari’s side arrived Ikenne last week for the final phase of their preparations for the qualifiers.

They thrashed Lakeside Queens 5-0 in a friendly game last Thursday.

Thirty-six players are currently in the team’s camp, with the number expected to be prune down before the team’s departure for Abidjan.

U-17 WWCQ: Flamingos depart for Abidjan ahead Guinea clash

Lobi Stars have intensified preparations for the President Federation Cup Round of 64 clash against Kogi United.

The Makurdi-based club thrashed non-league side St. Mark’s FC 6-0 in a warm-up match at the McCarthy Stadium on Sunday.

The game was their first after the completion of the 2025-26 Nigeria National League, NNL, season.

Lobi Stars will square up with Kogi United in Abuja on Wednesday.

They are determined to make up for the top-flight promotion setback with an impressive run in the cup competition.

Lobi Stars crashed out in the Round of 32 in 2025.

They last won the competition in 2003 when Lobi Stars defeated the defunct Sharks FC 2-0 in the final.

Lobi Stars gear up for President Federation Cup clash against Kogi United