NIGERIA

Former Kwara United coach, Samson Unuanel has urged the Nigeria Football Federation to give Super Eagles coach, Jose Peseiro the freedom to select his team for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast.

With the team set to announce the final list for the tournament before third January, 2024, Unuanel said the Portuguese tactician should be allowed to pick his strong team for the tournament.

He also insisted that the Nigeria Premier Football League players have not been given enough opportunity to prove their worth in the Super Eagles.

The joint bid by Nigeria and neighbours, Benin Republic is expected to win the hosting right of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.

The Confederation of African Football, CAF, will name host nations for the 2025 and 2027 Africa Cup of Nations finals on Wednesday.

The Executive Committee of CAF will vote on the bids for the 2025 and 2027 editions of the AFCON at a meeting billed to take place at the Marriott Hotel in the Zamalek area of downtown Cairo.

The joint bid by Nigeria and the Republic of Benin was in contest with Senegal, Egypt, Botswana and a tripartite arrangement of Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania for the 2027 event.

Nigerian international, Cyriel Dessers says he will keep fighting hard to become a regular starter at the Scottish Premiership club, Glasgow Rangers.

Dessers found himself out of Rangers’ starting line-up before returning in Sunday’s home win against Motherwell.

The Super Eagles player who scored the winning goal of the game, has been constantly criticised by pundits and supporters since his summer arrival from Italian club Cremonese.

Super Falcons forward, Uchenna Kanu, has revealed that she had to undergo some of the difficult aspect of life, becoming actualising her dream of playing for the national team.

Kanu, who was part of the team that was eliminated in the round of 16 of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, shared how she sold soda drinks, oranges, and pure waters in the streets of Aba to make ends meet.

The Racing Louisville striker gained prominence after representing Nigeria at the 2014 FIFA Under-seventeen Women’s World Cup and the 2014 FIFA Under-twenty Women’s World Cup.

Kano Pillars assistant coach, Mohammed Gambo has promised to redeem the image of the club in the Nigeria Premier Football League season.

Gambo expressed satisfaction with the team’s pre-season performance.

The Sai Masu Gida secured promotion to the top flight after finishing as runners-up at the Nigeria National League Super Eight playoff.

Gombe United head coach, Mohammed Babaganaru, has assured the club’s fans that his team is ready for the new season.

Babaganaru said his players know the challenges of playing in the Nigeria Premier Football League NPFL.

Gombe United will kick-start their 2023-24 NPFL season against Sporting Lagos at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Onikan, Lagos, thirty October.

The Nigeria National League NNL has debunked claims it is planning to adopt an abridged format for the 2023/24 season.

Its head of media and publicity, Amar Ignis said the information was completely false.

Ignis urged NNL clubs to disregard the information as they continue their preparation for the new season.

As part of football activities to elevate the status of grassroot football in Lagos State, forty non -football league clubs are expected to participate in the maiden edition of OneXBET Championship scheduled to kick off 3rd October.

The competition, initiated by former Nigeria’s international, Waheed Akanni, will be played across the five Divisional Football Associations, Ikeja, Badagry, Ikorodu, Lagos Island and Epe as each of the Conference will accommodate eight football teams.

Akanni, said the event would serve as a golden opportunity for the registered players to gain from the wealth of football experiences from former Nigeria’s internationals.

ENGLAND

Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola fears that the team are running the risk of trouble with the fitness of players ahead of the Carabao Cup clash at Newcastle United.

City have been contending with persistent injury problems at the start of the campaign and set to rest a number of stars at St James’ Park.

Bernardo Silva, John Stones and Kevin De Bruyne are injured, with Rodri suspended and both Mateo Kovacic and Jack Grealish making returns to the fold.

Manchester City have opted not to appeal the red card Rodri received during their two-nil win over Nottingham Forest.

This means the Spain midfielder will miss the Premier League champions’ next three games.

Rodri was shown a straight red card at the start of the second half after he raised his hands to Morgan Gibbs White’s throat.

Ahead of the Carabao Cup tie at Anfield, Leicester City boss, Enzo Maresca, says Liverpool manager, Jurgen Klopp has built the best counter-attacking team in the world, as he prepares his side to face Liverpool on Wednesday.

During his two spells as part of Pep Guardiola’s coaching staff at Manchester City, Maresca had a ringside seat for some of English football’s greatest duels of the last decade.

Maresca believes there was nobody to match the Reds in certain aspects of the game.

Newcastle manager, Eddie Howe, says the team’s winger, Harvey Barnes has had a scan on a substantial foot injury and could be out for months rather than weeks.

Barnes limped off after twelve minutes of Sunday’s eight-nil thrashing of Sheffield United.

Barnes, signed from Leicester City in July for thirty-eight million pounds, has had a scan and is waiting to see if surgery is required.

Arsenal goalkeeper, Aaron Ramsdale has seemingly hit back at critics after he was seen celebrating a save made by team-mate David Raya.

Ramsdale was an unused substitute during the Gunners’ two-all draw with rivals Tottenham, with Raya being preferred to the England international.

Despite the fact he may be losing out on his number one spot at the Emirates, Ramsdale showed a heap of support for his team-mate during the tense North London Derby.

Meanwhile, Sports presenter, Richard Keys has hit back at Jamie Carragher following his comments about Arsenal goalkeeper, Aaron Ramsdale during the north London derby.

Also Former Chelsea player, Chris Sutton has leapt to the defence of Arsenal goalkeeper, Aaron Ramsdale after he was mocked by Jamie Carragher for applauding his goalkeeping rival David Raya during the north London derby.

Chelsea manager, Mauricio Pochettino has insisted he does not care if the team’s owners want to invade the dressing room after games, so long as they behave properly.

Pochettino spoke on the eve of his club’s Carabao Cup clash with Brighton, with co-controlling owner Behdad Eghbali having visited the players after their one-nil Premier League defeat by Aston Villa.

Owner Todd Boehly also been known to visit the dressing room in the past.

Chelsea and Brighton collide in a Carabao Cup contest at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday.

The Blues are desperate to rediscover some form, as Mauricio Pochettino’s side have not scored a goal in three consecutive games to sit 14th in the table.

To add insult to injury, this is the Blues’ worst start in front of goal since 1987, a statistic that needs to change immediately if the west London club want any shot of acquiring any silverware in 2023-24.

Chelsea legend, Frank Leboeuf believes his former side should have signed Harry Kane this summer and insisted their problems this season can be traced to the lack of an experienced striker.

The Mauricio Pochettino’s era has got off to a rocky start at Stamford Bridge, with the Blues 14th on the table with just five points in six matches following one-nil loss to Aston Villa at home.

Chelsea spent four hundred million pounds on players this summer, with Nicolas Jackson and Christopher Nkunku bolstering their attacking options.

Tammy Abraham could make a sensational return to Chelsea after three years at Roma as part of a swap deal for loanee Romelu Lukaku.

The academy star moved to the Eternal City following the appointment of former Chelsea head coach Jose Mourinho, and quickly flourished away from Stamford Bridge.

Abraham was instrumental in Roma’s inaugural Europa Conference League victory, and became the first English player to score more than ten goals in a single Serie A season for over thirty years.

Former England international, Phil Jones has announced his new career move after leaving Manchester United as a free agent in the summer.

Jones revealed on Tuesday that he has enrolled on a PFA global football sport directorship course and confirmed he was currently doing his coaching badges – including work at United.

Manchester United manager, Erik ten Hag has underlined the importance of team spirit at the team by hosting a barbecue for his players and their families at Carrington.

The talk around Old Trafford during a bumpy start to the season has been about unity and fostering the same togetherness that served United well during Ten Hag’s first season in charge.

The Dutchman also wanted to thank the families of the players and staff for their support.

OTHER LEAGUES

Real Madrid manager, Carlo Ancelotti says it is normal to face criticism as coach of the team.

Speaking in his pre-match conference ahead of the midweek clash with Las Palmas, Ancelotti maintained criticism does not affect him.

Real Madrid are currently third on the Laliga table with fifteen points after six matches in the division.

Xabi Alonso has been tipped to replace Carlo Ancelotti as Real Madrid coach from next season.

The Liverpool legend has been a first-team manager for less than a year after taking over Bayer Leverkusen last October, after managing Real Sociedad’s B team for three years before.

Real’s hierarchy are not concerned by Alonso’s lack of managerial experience and have made the 41-year-old their preferred choice to become Ancelotti’s successor.

Borussia Dortmund are stalling over making a move to re-sign Jadon Sancho from Manchester United due to concerns about his discipline.

Sancho has been exiled from United training in recent weeks after claiming on social media that he had been a ‘scapegoat’ by manager Erik ten Hag earlier this month.

He is facing an uncertain future at Old Trafford after being banned from using United’s first-team facilities, and other clubs are closely monitoring his situation.

UEFA has confirmed that Russia will be readmitted to European Under-seventeen competitions for the first time since the country’s invasion of Ukraine nineteen months ago.

European football’s governing body says boys and girls should not be punished for the actions of adults.

UEFA suspended all Russian teams from European competitions when the full-scale invasion began in February 2022.

Former Scotland and Everton, striker Duncan Ferguson is the new manager at Inverness Caledonian Thistle.

Ferguson signed a three-year contract with the club currently bottom of the Scottish Championship.

A club statement said he was the stand out candidate after an extensive recruitment process.

OTHER SPORTS

In Tennis, Britain’s Jamie Murray and New Zealander Michael Venus have won their fourth men’s doubles title of the season at the Zhuhai Championships.

The second seeds beat United States pair Nathaniel Lammons and Jackson Withrow 6-4, 6-4 in China.

It was their fourth title in 2023, following victories in Dallas, in the Bosnian city of Banja Luka at the Srpska Open, and in Geneva.

In Cricket, Ben Duckett has made an unbeaten century but England were denied the chance to post a mammoth total against Ireland as the third one-day international was abandoned because of rain.

Duckett was one hundred and seven not out off seventy-eight balls as England reached 280-4 off thirty-one overs at the County Ground before heavy rain curtailed play.

The umpires decided at fifteen point two-one no further play would be possible.

In Formula one, Britain’s Jessica Hawkins has become the first woman in almost five years to test a Formula 1 car.

Aston Martin announced on Tuesday that Hawkins completed twenty-six laps in their 2021 car at the Hungaroring near Budapest last Thursday.

The former W Series racer, alternated in the car with test and reserve driver Felipe Drugovich.

In Rugby, England prop Kyle Sinckler says he is grateful to be at his second World Cup after convincing Steve Borthwick he would recover from injury in time.

Sinckler was a doubt for the tournament in France after tearing a pectoral muscle in his chest before England’s final warm-up game with Fiji in August.

Sinckle recovered in time to play in England’s second World Cup match, against Japan.

In Golf, English professional golfer, Luke Donald has changed Europe’s opening strategy at the Ryder Cup with the hope of making a fast start as they try to extend a thirty year unbeaten home run against the United States.

The US enjoyed a record 19-9 win in 2021 but have not won on European soil since triumphing at The Belfry in 1993.

The home side gets to choose whether to start Friday’s first session with four foursomes or four fourball matches, with the other format following in the afternoon session.

In Athletics, Two-time world 200m champion Dafne Schippers has retired at the age of thirty-one.

The Dutchwoman won gold at the 2015 World Championship in Beijing and in London two years later.

Competing in the same era as sprint greats Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Elaine Thompson-Herah, Schippers also claimed one hundred metre silver at the 2016 Olympics in Rio.

SOCCER ACTION CONTINUES TODAY IN THE CARABAO CUP – THIRD ROUND

Aston Villa vs Everton

Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City

AFC Bournemouth vs Stoke City

Brentford vs Arsenal

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

Fulham vs Norwich City

Lincoln City vs West Ham United

Liverpool vs Leicester City

Newcastle United vs Manchester City

TODAY’S THOUGHT

“Run when you can, walk if you have to, crawl if you must; just never give up.” –Words from Dean Karnazes.