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Tag: Arsenal FC

  • Tussle for 3 UEFA Champions League slots as EPL set to conclude on Sunday

    Tussle for 3 UEFA Champions League slots as EPL set to conclude on Sunday

    The 2024-25 Premier League season draws to a close on the late afternoon of Sunday 25 May, with all 10 matches kicking off simultaneously across England from 6pm Kenyan time.

    UEFA Champions League spots are up for grabs ahead of the season ender matches on Sunday evening.

    With the title decided (Liverpool continue to bask in the glory of their emphatic triumph this season) and relegation settled (Southampton, Ipswich Town and Leicester City are heading straight back to the EFL Championship a year after securing their promotion to the top flight), the focus will fall on the battle for places in the UEFA Champions League, Europa League and Conference League.

    Champions Liverpool are looking to end a successful campaign with a win over Crystal Palace at Anfield and runners-up Arsenal will be confident of wrapping up their season with a routine victory against relegated Southampton at St Mary’s Stadium.

    To that end, the key clashes are Aston Villa away to Manchester United, and Nottingham Forest hosting Chelsea.

    Aston Villa have come on strongly in the last few weeks, with their strong run in the Champions League fueling their desire to have more European nights next season, and they will back themselves to win at Old Trafford against a Man United team which has performed well in Europe, but been dismal in the Premier League.

    The Red Devils will also be coming into this game off the back of a season-defining appearance in the Europa League final on Wednesday 21 May, and be on either a major emotional high or low.

    Fulham’s Alex Iwobi celebrates scoring their side’s first goal of the game during the Premier League match at Craven Cottage, London. Picture date: Sunday April 20, 2025.

    Chelsea will travel to the City Ground, where they are scheduled to lock horns with their top-five rivals, Nottingham Forest, on Sunday, May 25, with teams hopeful of securing qualification for next season’s Champions League.

    This will be the 16th meeting between the two teams in the Premier League and Chelsea have the edge in this rivalry, having won five games compared to Forest’s four wins, while six matches have ended in a draw.

    Meanwhile, Manchester City, who have a game in hand, have their fate in their own hands, as they will secure a top-five finish if they win their last two matches, which are against AFC Bournemouth at Etihad Stadium on May 20 and Fulham at Craven Cottage on May 25.

    Sunday 25 May 2025
    All matches kick off at 18:00 EAT

    AFC Bournemouth v Leicester City
    Fulham v Manchester City
    Ipswich Town v West Ham United
    Liverpool v Crystal Palace
    Manchester United v Aston Villa
    Newcastle United v Everton
    Nottingham Forest v Chelsea
    Southampton v Arsenal
    Tottenham Hotspur v Brighton & Hove Albion
    Wolverhampton Wanderers v Brentford

  • UEFA Champions League semi finals to reach a dramatic conclusion

    UEFA Champions League semi finals to reach a dramatic conclusion

    The final of the UEFA Champions League is just 90 minutes for two teams, as the San Siro and Parc des Princes play host to thrilling return-leg semifinal matches pitting Paris Saint-Germain against Arsenal and Inter Milan against Barcelona, respectively.

    On the evening of Tuesday 6 May, Inter Milan will welcome Barcelona to the north of Italy for the return game of their thrilling tie. The teams played out a barn-burning 3-3 draw in Catalunya, which set up this clash perfectly.

    “Next week, Inter can’t just defend,” said Barca manager Hansi Flick. “They have to try and score too. It’s the semifinal of the Champions League, and the four best teams in Europe are there.

    “We play with style and confidence, and we know what we can do. We have 90 minutes next week, and hopefully that’s enough to get to the final. That’s our goal, and we will fight for it.”

    Inter manager Simone Inzaghi is looking forward to the return clash on home soil: “There were excellent moments today but times where we suffered too. We were facing a great team in the form of Barcelona. But now they know they’re facing a great side in Inter next week and in Milan.”

    The evening of Wednesday 7 May sees the focus switch to the French capital, where Paris Saint-Germain hold a 1-0 advantage over Arsenal ahead of their clash at the Parc des Princes.

    Ousmane Dembélé scored the only goal of the first leg match at the Emirates Stadium.

    Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta knows that turning the tie around away from home will be tough but remains optimistic: “If you want to be in the Champions League final, you have to do something special. We have to do something special in Paris to be there.”

    Man of the Match in the first leg, Vitinha, wants to see PSG repeat the strength and spirit of their first-leg showing in London: “I’m happy for the result but, more importantly, for this side’s performance. We showed true team spirit, attacking and defending together when it was necessary, too. That’s what matters. We really showed our desire to reach the final. We need to repeat the performance in Paris.”

     The two aggregate winners from the semifinals will progress to the final, which will be held at the Bayern Munich Arena in Germany on Saturday, 31 May.

  • London rivalry between Arsenal and Chelsea headlines a truncated weekend of EPL action

    London rivalry between Arsenal and Chelsea headlines a truncated weekend of EPL action

    Premier League action returns with round 29 matches which will be played on Saturday 15 and Sunday 16 March 2025.

    The North London derby clash will be the icing on the cake as Arsenal welcomes Chelsea .

    Liverpool and Newcastle United will be facing off in the Carabao Cup at Wembley Stadium on
    Sunday evening.

    Eight matches will be played – and the pick also comes from the English capital, as Arsenal welcome Chelsea to the Emirates Stadium.

    While the Gunners will likely have to settled for a runners-up finish behind Liverpool in the league standings, the Blues are fighting to finish in the top four and secure qualification for next season’s UEFA Champions League, adding major stakes to this London derby.

    “The team spirit in this moment has to be upset in terms of they [the players] have to be upset,” said Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca.

    “We have to be upset because we are not happy with the results. We are all aware we are in a club where we are not here to survive, but to fight to win titles.

    They are the same players that for 19-20 games were top four, second for the most part of the season. For sure, after this moment, they are going to be better players and better professionals.”

    You can also catch all the action while on the move by Streaming all matches on the DStv Stream app.

    The round opens with a quartet of late afternoon kick-offs, including the ‘David Moyes Derby’, as Everton welcome West Ham United to Goodison Park, while outgoing champions Manchester City will play host to Brighton & Hove Albion.

    The Seagulls have enjoyed an impressive campaign under Fabian Hurzeler, who is hoping to see his charges continue to do the basics right when they face the Citizens and his “role model” Pep Guardiola.

    “His [Guardiola’s] achievements are impressive, but it’s not a game between me and him,” said

    Hurzeler. “It’s a football game for Brighton and Hove Albion and we want to win this football game.”

    The round also features another London derby between Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur, as well as Leicester City hosting an embattled Manchester United – with the Foxes hoping to finally get a win over the Red Devils after losing to them in the Carabao Cup, Premier League and FA Cup so far this season.

    Saturday 15 March
    18:00: Everton v West Ham United

    18:00: Ipswich Town v Nottingham Forest

    18:00: Manchester City v Brighton & Hove Albion

    18:00: Southampton v Wolverhampton Wanderers

    20:30: AFC Bournemouth v Brentford

    Sunday 16 March
    16:30: Arsenal v Chelsea

    16:30: Fulham v Tottenham Hotspur

    22:00: Leicester City v Manchester United

     

  • Arsenal hosts defending champions Man City in a make-or-break match for the Gunners

    Arsenal hosts defending champions Man City in a make-or-break match for the Gunners

    Arsenal and Manchester City have established a high-class rivalry in the Premier League in recent seasons, and they will add another chapter with a clash at the Emirates Stadium in London on the evening of Sunday, 2 February 2025.

    Match background

    Meetings of these two clubs in recent seasons have been effective ‘title deciders,’ but that is not so much the case this time around.

    The Gunners have failed to reach the standard that they have maintained for the past couple of campaigns, while the Citizens’ reign as four-time successive champions of the league is set to come to an end this season.

    But as two heavyweights chasing momentum and a place in the top four of the standings, this match still has major prestige and importance—and no little needle, with City boss Pep Guardiola declaring “war” after the teams’ tempestuous 2-2 draw back in September.

    What the teams are saying

    Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta on his respect for his counterpart at Man City:

    “I respect [Guardiola] profoundly. I am so grateful for everything he did for me and continues to do for me, and I consider him a friend. I love and respect all of the staff there because I worked with them for four years, and when I said that I know them, I meant I know how hard they work.”

    Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola on the aggression between the teams:

    “I would say that sometimes the emotions are so there. Gabriel [Arsenal defender] said it perfectly after the match: ‘This is a war; we are here to provoke the opponent, to push them,’ and at the end, what can you do? So, we have to, okay, you provoke me, okay, I’m there. You want a war? Now we war. So, what do I have to do?”

    Players to watch

    Martin Odegaard – Arsenal

    Arsenal simply do not look the same team when Martin Odegaard is not in the line-up.

    The Norwegian not only possesses superb movement and passing but also sets the tone for the press.

    Phil Foden—Manchester City

    After a quiet first half of the season, Phil Foden appears to be ‘getting his groove back’ and will be hungry to make a major impact in this clash at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday evening.

    Manchester City’s Phil Foden celebrates scoring their side’s second goal of the game during the Premier League match at the Gtech Community Stadium, London. Picture date: Tuesday January 14, 2025.

    Head-to-head

    In head-to-head stats, Arsenal and Man City have met in 212 matches across all competitions since 1893. The Gunners have claimed 100 wins compared to 65 for the Citizens, while 47 games have been drawn.

    To upgrade or manage your subscription, download the MyDStv app on your mobile app store or visit www.dstv.com.

    You can also catch all the action while on the move. Stream all matches on the DStv Stream app by downloading it from the app store today!

    The teams’ most recent meeting was the above-mentioned 2-2 draw in September 2024. Arsenal are unbeaten in their last four matches against City in all competitions.

    Catch the action Live on Supersport this Sunday 2nd February starting from 7:30pm EAT.

    A win for either side will for sure revive their title-chasing ambitions, with a loss dimming their chances to catch up with leaders Liverpool.

    :Courtesy of Showmax

  • Arsenal away to Chelsea in North London derby, the highlight of EPL Week 11

    Arsenal away to Chelsea in North London derby, the highlight of EPL Week 11

    English Premier League will enters week 11 this weekend with a huge clash between the North London arch rivals Chelsea who will host Arsenal on Sunday evening at the Stamford Bridge.

    Both teams are in the top five, making this a highly anticipated encounter.

    Elsewhere, Manchester City will aim to rebound from their shock defeat to Bournemouth when they take on Brighton & Hove Albion.

    All times shown are your local time
    Saturday 9th November 2024
    Brentford 18:00 Bounermouth
    Crystal Palace 18:00 Fulham
    Westham United 18:00 Everton
    Wolves 18:00 Southampton
    Brighton 19:30 Manchester City
    Liverpool 23:00 Aston Villa

    Sunday 10th November
    Manchester United 17:00 Leicester City
    Nottingham 17:00 Newcastle United
    Tottenham 17:00 Ipswich
    Chelsea 19:30 Arsenal

    All matches are available for streaming on Showmax.

    Liverpool, on the other hand, will face a determined Aston Villa side.

    Manchester United will look to maintain their momentum against Leicester City, while Tottenham Hotspur will be eager to build on their recent victory as they take on newly-promoted Ipswich Town.