Premier League
DELE ALLI: ARSENAL IDENTIFIES BOTTLE-THROWER
Arsenal has that they have identified an image of the person who threw a bottle at Tottenham’s Dele Alli on Wednesday and are “embarrassed” by the incident.
England midfielder Alli, 22, was struck on the head by a plastic bottle during Spurs’ 2-0 win in the Carabao Cup quarter-final at Emirates Stadium.
“Anyone identified will receive a lengthy club ban and their details will be passed to the police to commence legal proceedings,” said the club.
Alli was hit by a bottle thrown from the crowd as Arsenal prepared to take a throw-in in the 73rd minute.
The Metropolitan Police says it is working with Arsenal to try to identify the person responsible, but no arrests have been made.
“We have all been embarrassed by the individual who threw a bottle at Dele Alli,” Arsenal added in a statement.
“Behaviour of this type has no place at Emirates Stadium and after analysing CCTV footage, which showed him leaving the stadium after throwing the bottle, we have identified an image of the suspect.
“We are liaising with the Metropolitan Police and investigations continue in order to apprehend the culprit.”
The Football Association is aware of the incident and will support the police and clubs as they look into the matter.
Alli will face no action for responding with a 2-0 gesture to fans – referencing the scoreline
Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino praised Alli for the restraint he showed after being struck by the object thrown from the crowd.
“It was an amazing reaction,” Pochettino said in his news conference to preview Sunday’s match with Everton.
“In another country the player was going to be down on the pitch. Dele behaved really well. Arsenal should be grateful to him because the player could have gone down and created a massive problem.
“I think the behaviour was top from Dele. Sometimes he is criticised but he was very mature.”
Arsenal’s statement added: “We are not responsible for the actions of one individual, but send our apologies to Dele Alli and everyone at Tottenham Hotspur for this incident.
“We do not tolerate any anti-social, discriminatory or violent behaviour at Arsenal Football Club.”
Pochettino added that Arsenal should not be punished for the actions of one person, claiming: “One person cannot create a mess in a club like Arsenal.
“Arsenal is going to take a big decision, with responsibility to fix. People have to behave and celebrate and support your team but in the right way.
“It’s such a dangerous thing, if the bottle hit him on his head or his eyes we’re then talking about a very bad thing.
“There’s no point when you go to enjoy a game and that happens.”
Alli had earlier scored the second goal and Spurs went on to reach the semi-finals with a 2-0 victory.
Wednesday’s incident follows a banana skin being thrown towards Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the Premier League match between the sides at the same venue on 2 December.
The Spurs fan responsible was fined and banned from football for four years on Tuesday.
BBC Radio 5 live pundit Dion Dublin, who was co-commentating on the game, said: “It’s sad to see. It’s mindless. Why would you do that?
“It must have had water or something in it to reach Dele Alli. Why would you risk being idiots?
“Just support your club, don’t do ridiculous things like that.”
When asked about the incident after the game, Alli told Sky Sports: “It is what it is. It made the goal a bit sweeter and the win.”
An EFL spokesperson told BBC Sport the matter would be up to the Football Association to investigate, but they would “assist” if required.
Thomas Partey, who formerly played for English Premier League soccer club Arsenal, has been charged with rape and sexual assault, London’s Metropolitan Police said on Friday.
Partey, a Ghana international, was charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, with the charges relating to three women and the offences reported to have taken place between 2021 and 2022, the statement said.
Partey’s management did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
He is due to appear at London’s Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Aug. 5.
Partey, 32, was signed by Arsenal from Atletico Madrid for 50 million euros ($59 million) in October 2020 and became a key member of Arsenal’s first team.
He was first arrested in July 2022, though he was not named at the time and continued to play for Arsenal while investigations were ongoing.
-Reuters
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Five players including England forward Marcus Rashford and Argentina winger Alejandro Garnacho have informed Manchester United that they wish to explore a future away from the Premier League side, a club source said on Friday.
Brazilian midfielder Antony, Dutch defender Tyrell Malacia and England international Jadon Sancho are also looking to leave the club, the source added.
Rashford, who has made more than 400 senior appearances for United, has fallen out of favour with manager Ruben Amorim, played for Aston Villa on loan while United had their worst-ever Premier League campaign, finishing 15th in the standings.
Amorim had called Rashford’s work rate into question, saying he would rather put a goalkeeper coach on the bench than a player not giving their all.
Rashford said he was feeling fitter and better since joining Villa, where he scored two goals in 10 league appearances.
United also failed to qualify for the Champions League as they lost the Europa League final 1-0 to Tottenham Hotspur. Garnacho, who was a late substitute in the final, voiced his displeasure on social media after the loss.
“Up until the final, I played every round helping the team, and today I play 20 minutes, I don’t know,” he wrote in a post . “The final will influence (my decision), but the whole season, the situation of the club.”
Sancho was on loan at Chelsea, where he made 31 league appearances last season. Antony, who joined United from Ajax Amsterdam in 2022 for a reported initial transfer fee of more than $100 million, scored five goals in 17 LaLiga appearances on loan at Real Betis.
Malacia joined Dutch side PSV Eindhoven on loan in February.
-Reuters
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Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes turned down the opportunity to join Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal in order to keep playing “at the highest level”, he said on Tuesday.
The Portuguese midfielder admitted that he had considered the move, which media reports said was worth four times his current salary, after being contacted by Al-Hilal’s president.
“There was that possibility, the president of Al-Hilal called me a month ago to ask me about it,” Fernandes, who is preparing to face Germany with Portugal, told reporters on Tuesday.
“It was a big offer, very ambitious. There was a waiting period for me to think about the future.”
Fernandes ultimately decided to stay at United and said he was motivated by his desire to continue playing at the top level and encouraged by his family and the club’s coach Ruben Amorim.
“I would be willing to do it if Manchester United thought so,” Fernandes added. “I spoke to the coach Ruben Amorim who really tried to talk me out of it. The club said they would not be willing to sell me, only if I wanted to leave.
“I spoke to my wife and family, and she asked me what my personal goals were in my career.
“It would have been easy to move there but I want to keep myself at the highest level, playing in the big competitions and I feel capable of it. I am happy with my decision.”
The 30-year-old Fernandes scored 19 goals and provided 19 assists in 57 appearances across all competitions for United last season, winning the club’s Player of the Year award for the fourth time.
However, it was a season to forget for the team, as they finished 15th in the Premier League, their lowest league finish in half a century, and lost the Europa League final to Tottenham Hotspur.
-Reuters
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