Marco Silva is delighted with Alex Iwobi’s peerless performances in a Fulham shirt and feels there’s more to come from the Nigerian international after he set up Fulham’s second goal in their win at Crystal Palace at the weekend.
Manchester United have sacked Erik ten Hag after a dismal start to the season. Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s new football structure kept Ten Hag in charge after winning the FA Cup but have parted ways with the manager just five months after that success at Wembley. United lost 2-1 against West Ham in the Premier League on Sunday, which represented their fourth loss in nine league games, and Ten Hag was relieved of his duties on Monday. Ten Hag was heavily backed in the summer transfer window and signed Joshua Zirkzee, Leny Yoro, Matthijs De Ligt, Noussair Mazraoui and Manuel Ugarte but results have been poor. The Dutchman’s spending in time charge of United surpassed £600million and he failed to build on an excellent first season, which saw United finish third and win the Carabao Cup. United contacted other managers in the build-up to the FA Cup final last season. Ten Hag oversaw a stunning victory against Manchester City at Wembley and Ineos decided to extend his contract, despite compelling evidence suggesting he should have been relieved of his duties. The statement confirming Ten Hag had been sacked read: “Erik ten Hag has left his role as Manchester United men’s first-team manager. Erik was appointed in April 2022 and led the club to two domestic trophies, winning the Carabao Cup in 2023 and the FA Cup in 2024. “We are grateful to Erik for everything he has done during his time with us and wish him well for the future. Ruud van Nistelrooy will take charge of the team as interim head coach, supported by the current coaching team, whilst a permanent head coach is recruited.” Ratcliffe made radical changes after acquiring a minority stake in United and there was mixed reaction to keeping Ten Hag after he oversaw the most defeats in all competitions since 1977/78. Although United won the FA Cup last term, they finished eighth in the Premier League, which was their lowest-ever finish in the top-flight, and recorded a minus goal difference.
Bukayo Saka couldn’t hide his disappointment after we were twice pegged back to draw at home to Liverpool on Sunday. After missing our last two games with a hamstring injury, our No. 7 was back with a bang, smashing home at the near post to put us ahead. But despite Mikel Merino also finding the net in the first half, we could only take a point against high-flying Liverpool. After the game Saka said: “We’re disappointed. I feel like we didn’t show our best selves for 90 minutes and it cost us in the end. We believe we should have won it. “For sure, there’s definitely some positives – Liverpool are a top team, credit to them. But the overall feeling is that we didn’t show our best selves for the whole game, especially more in the second half, and it cost us in the end.” Saka’s goal was his 50th Premier League goal for the club, becoming the youngest player in our history to reach a half century. Another milestone for our 23 year old academy product. “Hopefully that can push us to some silverware as well,” he added. “I hate to miss games, so I was buzzing to be back. I had this game in mind to come back for and I was feeling good out there, and I was happy to get an early goal.”
Africa’s richest man Aliko Dangote has given up hope of buying Premier League football club Arsenal after its value shot up while he was building the continent’s largest oil refinery. The billionaire, an ardent fan of the London team, said in 2019 that he would consider buying Arsenal after completing his 650,000 barrel-a-day refinery outside Lagos, Nigeria. This year, the $20 billion plant has started producing diesel and jet fuel and refining gasoline. “I regret not buying it before but my money was needed in completing my project then,” the tycoon said in an interview on Bloomberg Television in New York on Monday. “I don’t have that kind of excess liquidity to go and buy a club for $4 billion,” which he suggested was about Arsenal’s current valuation, adding that he would have bought it for $2 billion a few years ago. Arsenal is owned by American billionaire Stan Kroenke, whose son Josh takes an active role in the club. There is no suggestion that Kroenke would sell the club. In 2021, Spotify founder Daniel Ek — also an Arsenal fan — said he had an offer rejected. Either way, Dangote believes completing the refinery was a good decision considering the value of the petroleum project to Nigeria — even if it affected his sporting ambition. The billionaire and the government have long said the project will finally wean Africa’s largest crude producer off imported fuel and help it end a subsidy that costs billions of dollars annually. Dangote believes the dollars saved from importing gasoline will boost supply and support the West African nation’s currency. The naira has come under pressure, losing about 70% of its value since reforms last year, intended to attract inflows, enabled it to trade freely. “I think the best decision was for us to go and complete our refinery,” Dangote said. “I will remain a major supporter of Arsenal.” The Gunners finished second behind Manchester City for the last two seasons, with manager Mikel Arteta vying to win its first Premier League title since 2004.
Nigerian midfielder Alex Iwobi has urged Fulham find the consistency to deliver impressive victories like Saturday’s win over Newcastle United regularly. Iwobi shone as Marco Silva’s side inflicted the Magpies’ first defeat of the campaign in an outstanding 3-1 win. Iwobi revealed to FFCTV after the final whistle that the squad were desperate to respond to the midweek League Cup exit at Preston in a positive fashion. “We wanted to bounce back from the Cup defeat that we had and we thought let’s start on the front foot against a team that’s been unbeaten before this match. “We aimed to do that and I thought we did, especially in the first half. We work on our link up play in training all the time; me, Antonee Robinson and Emile [Smith Rowe]. “We try to make that triangle all the time, so when it’s coming off in games, it’s a plus for us. A big shout out to Antonee Robinson – even though he didn’t get on the ball, he took a couple of defenders [away] and made it easy for me to spot Emile, who made the run in behind.” The midfielder felt Fulham let their standards slip at the start of the second half as Harvey Barnes reduced Newcastle’s arrears within thirty seconds of the restart, but praised the squad’s resilience as they ground out a big victory. “We knew that they were going to come out fast in the second half, but we have to deal with it better. There was probably a touch of offside [about the goal] but we have to defend better and deal with it ourselves. “We were able to bounce back and get another goal. We weren’t able to keep a clean sheet, but we’ll take the three points regardless. “We knew how hard we worked [in the] previous games. Staying mentally focused for the 95 minutes was the aim and we were able to do that for the rest of the game. We had people like Reiss, Reedy and Sander Berge came on and gave us that extra focus and energy that we needed. “We were able to defend, but also able to get another goal that killed them game off. We talked about staying focused before the game and we made sure we did that today. Remaining consistent is the aim.” Iwobi identified the psychological message behind the importance of beating Newcastle at the Cottage – as Fulham hope to continue the fine form that has underpinned their successful return to the top flight over the past two seasons. “Our performances have been very good – I’d say apart from Ipswich – but it’s getting the results is the most important thing. It was a great performance and a great result. If we remain consistent, we’ll definitely finish better than we did last season. “It sends a message to any other team that we can compete with anyone, teams who are going for the top four or the Champions’ League, that no one can come to our fortress and take any points from us.”
Nigerian defender Ola Aina starred for 90 minutes in Nottingham Forest win over Liverpool on Saturday. His compatriot Taiwo Awoniyi was on the bench for the entire duration of the tie. Liverpool dropped points for the first time this season after a second-half stunner from Callum Hudson-Odoi earned Forest their first victory at Anfield in 55 years. Arne Slot’s side were yet to concede a league goal this term, before the introduction of Hudson-Odoi from the Forest bench, with Nuno Espirito Santo masterminding the unlikely 1-0 win. The substitute scored the winner in the 72nd minute after Liverpool’s retreating backline offered him the time and space to measure a shot from 20 yards. He obliged, bending a perfectly precise strike beyond Alisson at full stretch into the far corner. Ryan Yates was a workhorse in the Nottingham Forest midfield Liverpool, with lofty ambitions in Slot’s first season in charge, created plenty but lacked any cutting edge as every final pass or attempted finish failed to hit the mark. Their 14 shots at goal – five on target – were a sign of the home side’s obvious dominance, but unlike the opening three weeks of the campaign where they scored seven times, they were unable to convert such superiority into goals.
Erling Haaland has won the Premier League Player of the Month award for August following his electric start to the season for Manchester City, while Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler has snared the Manager of the Month gong.Haaland, after a summer of rest, roared into life at the outset of the domestic league season, banging in consecutive hat-tricks to sit on seven goals after just three games.The Norwegian – if he can stay fit – already appears the early favourite to win the Premier League Golden Boot with his nearest current challengers – Mo Salah, Noni Madueke, Bryan Mbeumo and Luis Diaz – already four back, on three goals each.Haaland – as part of a City team that have made an ominous, 100% start to their 2024/25 Premier League campaign – scored in the opening-day win over Chelsea, before grabbing trebles against first Ipswich, and then West Ham.While on Norway duty in the recent UEFA Nations League international break, Haaland added another strike to his already bulging season tally against Austria.The other nominees on the list had been Salah, Mbeumo, Amadou Onana, Cole Palmer, David Raya, Bukayo Saka and Danny Welbeck.City’s next test is a home meeting with Brentford on Saturday, before they host Inter in their opening UEFA Champions League tie of the season, a mouthwatering repeat of the 2023 final, which City memorably won in Istanbul.The Citizens then play Arsenal at the Etihad on September 22 in a match that could already hold big implications for the title race.
Ikorodu City Football Club of Lagos has announced the signing of new centre back Somto Nnoli. Somto joins from Royal Trust Football Club and will look to help shore up the defense of the side in the new football season. The centre back, who can also feature as a defensive midfielder, joined the Premier League new entrant on a two year deal till 2026.
