Premier League
BRITAIN TO TAKE FURTHER STEPS AGAINST RACISM IN FOOTBALL
The British Government has raised concerns over the growing racism in football and has come out to say it will not rule out taking “further steps” if football authorities fail to deal with racism.
Play was stopped during Chelsea’s win at Tottenham on Sunday after Antonio Rudiger said he heard monkey noises.
The Professional Footballers’ Association has called for a government inquiry following the alleged abuse.
“Racism of any kind has no place in football or anywhere else and we must confront this vile behaviour,” said a Downing Street spokesperson.
“Clearly there remains more work to be done by the football authorities in tackling this issue and we are committed to working with them on this to stamp it out.
“The FA, Premier League and English Football League have significantly stepped up their efforts, but we expect them to continue to prioritise this issue and to consult with both players and supporter groups, and we will be monitoring how the football authorities implement their plans through the season.
“We will continue working with the authorities on this, including the Professional Footballers’ Association and we don’t rule out taking further steps if required.”
Sports minister Nigel Adams said he had held positive talks with Tottenham, the Premier League and the PFA, adding: “I am in no doubt that Tottenham are doing all they can to identify anyone responsible, and that they will take the strongest possible action.”
Cheslea centre-back Rudiger reported the alleged racist abuse from the crowd to his captain Cesar Azpilicueta, who told referee Anthony Taylor and the game was stopped.
Shortly after the stoppage, an announcement made over the public address system warned that “racist behaviour is interfering with the game”.
Second and third addresses followed with the game heading towards its conclusion.
The Metropolitan Police is working with Tottenham to identify anyone responsible, with the club promising to “take the strongest possible action”.
Iffy Onuora, the Professional Footballers’ Association’s equalities coach told BBC Sport that racism has increased in the UK since Brexit referendum.
“There is upheaval following the [Brexit] referendum and the election and that’s caused this fracture,” he said.
“That emboldens people. It’s been legitimised by some of the language from the politicians. We lost an MP only four years ago and we think that was such a seminal moment but that’s been and gone and we’ve used that as a moment to think what are we doing here.
“Things have got worse if anything and how can that be? Somehow we have to look at this differently and be bolder.”
The FA said: “We are working with the match officials, the clubs and the relevant authorities to fully establish the facts and take the appropriate steps.”
Speaking in August, Premier League chief executive Richard Masters said the organisation was “determined to tackle discrimination”.
“One incident is one incident too many,” added Masters. “We want to encourage fans when they see other supporters making discriminative comments, abusing other people they do report it and that’s important.”
Spurs defender Jan Vertonghen says anyone responsible for racist abuse are “idiots” and do not identify with the club.
“I have got no idea how people still, or ever, thought this way,” said the Belgium international.
Vertonghen says he “loves” and the UK because its multi-cultural society and that reports of racism “hurts”.
“I didn’t hear anything, but if these things are still happening it is a disgrace and we should act strongly against it,” he added.
“Sometimes you think people are smarter than this. I am very convinced it is just a minority, but it is very wrong.
“I don’t know if it is getting worse. It shouldn’t be there in any way. I just can’t get my head around how people still do this. I have got no words for it.
“If any of their players or our players are affected then I apologise in the name of Spurs, but they are minority idiots. We don’t identify with these people.”
Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho said “I feel very sorry every time something happened and I will always support every decision the authorities can make.
“Society needs help. And then football is a micro-society. Do we need help? Yes. But society needs help. We need to eradicate any form of discrimination and this case we are talking about racism. Football and society needs help.”
New Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti said, “It is a problem everywhere. I had a big fight last year in Italy (as Napoli manager) when Kalidou Koulibaly was abused in the stadium in Milan. We have to be strong.
“Football cannot allow people to abuse others. Every federation in the world has to be strong against this.”
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola insisted that “I don’t think [racism] will be completely eradicated. We have to fight but we will need a lot of time to eradicate it. It is a battle we have to fight it every day, in schools especially, in the families at home to try to do a better society in the future for the next generation. It is a battle day-by-day.”
Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder opined that “I have always thought that it’s a societal problem and is attached to football grounds.
“If you are sat next to someone who is doing it, saying terrible, terrible things, just out them. Out the people next to you. Be brave and police your own football ground. Isolate them and let’s get them out.”
Newcastle manager Steve Bruce said “I think I’m like everybody else, you’re sickened and saddened by it.
“We criticise Europe and parts of it, and unfortunately it’s creeping back into our game. Really, it’s a society thing and I don’t think it will be long before we see teams walk off the pitch. Nobody wants to see it.
“You just can’t come to terms that somebody wants to go to a football match and do that to an individual. I’m like everybody else, let’s find out whoever it was and ban them for life.”
Liverpool’s hold on their Premier League title continued to weaken as they went down 3-2 at Brentford on Saturday, their fourth successive league defeat leaving them sixth in the table.
Manchester United climbed up to fourth with a roller-coaster 4-2 home win over Brighton & Hove Albion while promoted Sunderland are in dreamland after a 2-1 win at Chelsea lifted them to second place.
Newcastle United sealed a late 2-1 victory at home to Fulham thanks to an 89th-minute goal by Bruno Guimaraes.
Liverpool, who appeared to have emerged from their slump with a 5-1 Champions League win at Eintracht Frankfurt on Wednesday, suffered more misery in London after recent defeats at Crystal Palace and Chelsea.
They have lost four league games in a row for the first time since 2021 and could find themselves seven points behind leaders Arsenal if they beat Crystal Palace on Sunday.
“What I have to do is look at what we do wrong and what we do right. I have a clear idea of where we have to improve but that hasn’t been the case in other games,” Liverpool manager Arne Slot said. “We didn’t do the basics right today.”
Dango Ouattara volleyed Brentford in front following a long throw-in by Michael Kayode was flicked on and Kevin Schade went through to make it 2-0 in the 45th minute.
Milos Kerkez replied for the visitors in first-half stoppage time with his first Liverpool goal from Conor Bradley’s cross.
But Igor Thiago restored Brentford’s two-goal advantage from the penalty spot and although Mohamed Salah gave Liverpool hope with a clinical finish, they could not force an equaliser in 10 minutes of stoppage time.
MAN UNITED EARN THIRD LEAGUE WIN IN A ROW
Manchester United are beginning to show signs of consistency, with Matheus Cunha, Casemiro and a Bryan Mbeumo double helping them secure a third successive league win for the first time since Februsry 2024.
Cunha arrowed home a sublime 24th-minute strike into the bottom corner and Casemiro doubled the lead 10 minutes later with a deflected shot before Mbeumo’s well-taken third put the hosts in complete command.
Danny Welbeck pulled one back for Brighton with a free kick, however, before Charalampos Kostoulas’s stoppage-time header ensured a nervy finish.
With Brighton committing everyone forward in search of the equaliser, however, Mbeumo fired a fine strike into the roof of the net to confirm United’s win.
“I enjoy it a lot here,” Mbeumo told Sky Sports. “It hasn’t been easy at the start. It’s a new environment, a new expectation but I think with the link up with the team, everything is going the right way.”
TALBI’S LATE SUNDERLAND WINNER
Sunderland shocked Chelsea when substitute Chemsdine Talbi curled in a winner deep into stoppage time.
The visitors had gone behind in the fourth minute when Alejandro Garnacho claimed his first goal for the London side, but the lead was cancelled out by Wilson Isidor in the 22nd minute.
The game appeared to be heading for a draw until Talbi collected a pass from fellow substitute Brian Brobbey and placed his low shot perfectly to grab his first goal for Sunderland.
“It’s a good performance, especially after the early goal,” Sunderland coach Regis Le Bris said. “We won three points. We are happy with the way we played. It is important to grab this opportunity when possible.”
Chelsea’s loss left them eighth in the table.
Newcastle were heading for a frustrating draw before captain Guimaraes scored at the death. William Osula drove to the edge of the box, but his shot was parried into the path of the Brazilian who poked the ball home from close range.
Jacob Murphy had scored for the Magpies in the 18th minute, before Sasa Lukic levelled after halftime.
“Late goals don’t just affect the game you’ve won, they affect mood and belief going forward,” Newcastle manager Eddie Howe said.
“It can have a big knock-on effect. We’ve had heartbreak the other way. This felt like a massive moment for us. We found a way to win.”
Newcastle climbed to 11th in the table and Fulham fell to 16th. Brentford are 10th.
-Reuters
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Bruno Fernandes has revealed he rejected a lucrative move to Saudi Arabia in favour of pursuing his Manchester United dreams.
United captain Fernandes is set to make his 300th appearance for the club in an Oct 25 Premier League match against Brighton at Old Trafford.
United have struggled for much of Fernandes’ time in Manchester and last season they finished 15th – which ranked as the club’s worst final top-flight position since 1973-74.
They also lost the Europa League final against fellow strugglers Tottenham to shatter their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League.
Fernandes was offered an escape route during the close-season when Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal reportedly expressed interest.
But he spurned the move to focus on unfinished business with the 20-time English champions, who last won the title in 2013.
“We always say we have an offer from Saudi because obviously wherever I have to go, they have to come. They can choose not, but I’d prefer them to come,” he said, in reference to wife Ana and his family.
“And obviously the first thing she said was ‘have you achieved everything you wanted to achieve at the club?’ Because she knows that I haven’t.”
Fernandes has sometimes been criticised for an overly emotional attitude on the pitch, with team-mates subjected to frustrated tirades.
But United boss Ruben Amorim accepts the Portugal midfielder’s fiery personality is part of his burning desire to win the Premier League and Champions League.
“The manager spoke with me,” Fernandes said.
“He said I was still part of the project. He wanted me to stay. The club said the same.
“I always said that if the club was like ‘Bruno, we want to cash in, we want to make some money, we don’t think you can be part of the future project’ or whatever, I would be like ‘OK, I have to find a solution for myself, whatever is best for me and my family, and I will leave’.
“But obviously that wasn’t the case. I felt that I was still part of the plan, that I could still help the club to achieve whatever was our aims.”
Fernandes has a contract until 2027, with the option of a further year.
And the 31-year-old has no intention of discussing his future with anyone until after the World Cup in 2026.
“As I’ve always said, I feel good here,” he said. “I want to achieve my dreams still. But obviously I can’t talk by the side of the club.
“I’ve seen a lot of news. I’ve seen a lot of people talking that I had an agreement to go already next season. If the club has done that agreement, it wasn’t made with me, so I haven’t spoken with anyone
.
“My agent also knows how I work, so if he wants to talk to me, it will be after the World Cup. Because until then, I won’t speak to anyone.” –
-AFP
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Manchester United’s Harry Maguire struck a late header to seal a thrilling 2–1 Premier League victory over Liverpool on Sunday, ending their nine-year drought without a win at Anfield and dealing a blow to the reigning champions’ title chase.
Liverpool, who have lost four consecutive games across all competitions for the first time since November 2014, dropped to fourth in the table on 15 points, four behind leaders Arsenal.
United, who won back-to-back league games for the first time since manager Ruben Amorim was appointed last November, climbed to ninth with 13 points.
United’s Bryan Mbeumo stunned the home crowd with a goal a minute after kickoff when Amad Diallo pushed forward before flicking a ball for the forward to run onto and fire home from inside the box.
Irate Liverpool fans thought play should have been stopped before the goal with Alexis Mac Allister down clutching his head after a collision with teammate Virgil Van Dijk.
SQUANDERED CHANCES
Cody Gakpo hit the post three times before finally scoring the equaliser in the 78th minute, when he tapped in Federico Chiesa’s cross.
But Maguire sent United fans into a frenzy with the winner in the 84th when Bruno Fernandes floated the ball in for the big defender to outjump Ibrahima Konate and power home a header.
“It means everything,” Maguire told Sky Sports.
“They’ve had the better of us over the last few years and it’s not been good for our club and we’ve have not given our fans enough days like today. It’s been a long time coming, coming to this ground and picking up three points.
“I’ve been here seven years now and to come to this ground every time and not get three points has been tough. So it’s for the fans, I hope they have a great night tonight.
There were shouts for a Liverpool penalty early on when Casemiro’s cross struck Diallo’s arm. But the VAR video referee determined Diallo’s arm was in a natural and justifiable position.
Liverpool had 19 shots to United’s 12 including several jaw-dropping near misses.
‘SLOPPY’ LIVERPOOL
Gakpo was lively all game, hitting the post twice in the first half, and then nearly making it third time lucky when he smashed another shot off the post shortly after the break.
He missed a sitter in the dying minutes, however, when he headed the ball well wide of the net.
An off-form Mohamed Salah squandered a brilliant chance in the second half when the ball fell to him unmarked at the far post, but he launched it wide, his face etched with frustration.
“I think we conceded a very sloppy second goal,” said Reds captain Virgil van Dijk. “We worked so hard to get back into the game and we created great opportunities to score the winner but if you concede a second goal like that, that is the disappointing part.
“We need to stay humble and stay working and keep our confidence as high as possible,” he added. “When things get tough, it is important we keep the mentality of being there for each other. It is a long season.”
-Reuters
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