EPL: Awoniyi reflects on Nottingham Forest’s victory over Chelsea

Former Manchester United star Wayne Rooney has issued a caution to young midfielder Max Dowman, reminding him that senior players at Arsenal will keep him humble.

Rooney’s remarks followed Dowman’s impressive performance in Arsenal’s 2-0 Premier League win over Everton at the weekend, where he scored a crucial late goal at the Emirates Stadium.

Despite this achievement, Rooney believes that senior figures, including manager Mikel Arteta, will ensure the 16-year-old remains focused and modest amid rising expectations.

“Max shows confidence on the ball, holding onto it well and taking on defenders,” Rooney said on The Wayne Rooney Show.

“However, Mikel Arteta and some of the senior players in the Arsenal squad will not let him get ahead of himself.”

Dowman’s goal marked a historic moment for him in the Premier League, and he now looks forward to the upcoming Champions League clash against Bayer Leverkusen on Tuesday.

EPL: Rooney warns Dowman over Arsenal senior players

Former Nigeria captain and coach Sunday Oliseh has praised the offensive capabilities of Super Eagles forwards Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, and Akor Adams.

Since the commencement of the 2025–2026 season, Osimhen, Lookman, and Adams have collectively netted 51 goals for their respective clubs and the national team—28 for Galatasaray’s Osimhen, 12 for Sevilla’s Adams, and 11 for Atletico Madrid’s Lookman.

While the attacking talent of Nigeria has been evident on the field, their recent performances unveil a troubling reality.

The Super Eagles’ remarkable journey in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations conceals the disappointment of failing to qualify for consecutive World Cups, despite possessing world-class strikers.

Although Oliseh commended Nigeria’s attacking trio, he emphasized that the Super Eagles still encounter considerable obstacles as they approach the 2030 World Cup qualifiers.

In a discussion on Global Football Insights With Oliseh, the two-time World Cup participant remarked, “Let us examine the facts. We currently have world-class dominance from Victor Osimhen, Akor Adams, and Ademola Lookman.

“It is a pleasure to witness these players in action. They are effectively dismantling European defenses. They serve as our driving force at present, but even the finest fuel is ineffective if the engine is malfunctioning.”

Oliseh cautioned that many members of Nigeria’s current squad may not be available for the next World Cup and urged the Nigeria Football Federation to begin preparations for the future.

‘It’s joy to watch them perform” – Sunday Oliseh hails three Super Eagles stars

Super Eagles midfielder Raphael Onyedika has explained how he was able to score two goals in Nigeria’s 3-1 victory over Uganda.

He also hailed Samuel Chukwueze who helped set up both of his goals in Nigeria’s 3-1 victory against Uganda in the final Group C match at the Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON,  in Morocco on Tuesday evening.

The Club Brugge midfielder netted twice in the second half and was awarded Man of the Match for his excellent performance at the Fez Stadium in Morocco.

After the game, Onyedika praised Chukwueze’s performance and explained that the goal-scoring combination was something they had practiced during training.

“It’s exactly what we train for, so it’s just a matter of seconds. You have to make a decision, and sometimes when you decide, it doesn’t happen right away, but you just have to be ready,” he said.

“I know Samuel really well, and every time he dribbles, he always looks for the first person and then cuts back. I try to stay in that position as much as I can, and today I was in a good spot again.”

The Club Brugge midfielder was happy to win the Man of the Match award and said it was the result of all his hard work over the years.

“I feel really happy and I can’t explain why.  This is the moment I’ve been working for my whole life, and I’m really happy it finally happened,” he said.

Nigeria won their match and finished first in Group C with nine points, which allowed them to move on to the next round.

How I scored two goals against Uganda – Onyedika