Football

Manchester City, plagued by injuries, are desperate to end their losing streak in their final Premier League match before the international break. Chelsea, on the other hand, aims to worsen Arsenal's misery.Pep Guardiola's City, accustomed to success, have suffered three consecutive defeats, raising concerns. Last week, they were eliminated from the League Cup by Tottenham. Their unbeaten run in the Premier League ended at Bournemouth, followed by a 4-1 defeat to Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League.Despite being two points behind Liverpool, City is wary of losing further ground. Midfielder Bernardo Silva acknowledges the team's injury woes but emphasizes the importance of the upcoming international break.A positive for City was Kevin De Bruyne's return as a late substitute against Sporting after seven weeks out.Arsenal, meanwhile, could drop to eighth in the Premier League if results go against them. Mikel Arteta's team has earned only one point in their last three league games and lost 1-0 to Inter Milan in the Champions League.A defeat to Chelsea and a Liverpool win would leave Arsenal 10 points off the top spot. Thierry Henry believes Arsenal could be out of the title race if they lose.Liverpool, under Arne Slot, has won 14 of their first 16 games in all competitions. They have taken seven points from matches against Chelsea, Arsenal, and Brighton and have a perfect record in the Champions League.Slot downplayed the notion of Liverpool's success being "easy," emphasizing the intensity required to beat them. Liverpool faces a tough run of fixtures, but they have proven their mettle so far.

Fulham's Harry Wilson emerged as the hero on Monday night, scoring two dramatic stoppage-time goals to secure a thrilling 2-1 victory over Brentford in a pulsating west London derby.The Bees had taken the lead against the run of play in the first half through Vitaly Janelt's thunderous strike. Fulham dominated possession and created numerous chances, but they were unable to find a breakthrough until the dying moments.With time running out, substitute Wilson flicked home an equalizer from Adama Traore's cross. Moments later, the Welshman struck again, this time with a fortuitous header that wrong-footed Brentford goalkeeper Mark Flekken."It was an amazing feeling to come on and get the two goals to win the game," said Wilson. "We deserved it, we kept them pinned in throughout."The victory lifts Fulham to ninth in the Premier League standings, just three points off the top four. Brentford, who had been eyeing a top-half finish, remain in 12th place.Fulham started the match brightly, with Reiss Nelson testing Flekken early on. However, Brentford gradually grew into the game and took the lead through Janelt's stunning strike.Fulham continued to press for an equalizer, but they were frustrated by Brentford's resolute defense. Emile Smith Rowe missed a golden opportunity to level the scores just before halftime.After the break, Fulham continued to dominate possession, but they struggled to create clear-cut chances. It took until the 25th attempt on goal for the Cottagers to finally beat Flekken, with Wilson's inventive effort looping over the Dutch goalkeeper.Moments later, Wilson completed the comeback with a fortunate header that flew into the top corner."They both went in but not how I would have wanted!" Wilson admitted. "The first one I just helped it on to the back post and the second one was more lucky. I was trying to head it into the other corner but it hit my shoulder and went in."Fulham's late show was a testament to their never-say-die attitude. The Cottagers have now won three of their last four Premier League matches and will be looking to continue their momentum when they face Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday.

Mohamed Salah's cryptic social media post has sparked speculation about his future at Liverpool. The Egyptian forward, who scored the winning goal in Liverpool's 2-1 victory over Brighton on Saturday, hinted that he may be considering leaving the club.Salah's contract expires at the end of the season, and he has yet to agree to a new deal. He will be able to negotiate with non-English clubs in January, and his latest social media post has fueled rumors that he could be ready to move on."Top of the table is where this club belongs. Nothing less. All teams win matches but there's only 1 champion in the end. That's what we want," Salah wrote on Twitter. "Thank you for your support last night. No matter what happens, I will never forget what scoring at Anfield feels like."Salah's comments come after he revealed that he had not yet been contacted by Liverpool about a new contract. "To be fair I was coming to the game, it could be the last time (playing at Old Trafford)," he told Sky Sports in September.Liverpool manager Arne Slot is not concerned about Salah's future, or fans' concerns about defenders Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold, who are also out of contract at the end of this term."The contract situation becomes a problem if players don't perform as well as they are now," he said. "At the moment all three are in good places performing really well. There are ongoing discussions with the people Virgil says he has to talk to, and that's not me as you know."Salah is one of the most important players in the Liverpool squad, and his departure would be a major blow to the club. He has scored 174 goals in 284 appearances for the Reds, and has helped them win the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, and Carabao Cup.If Salah does leave Liverpool, it will be interesting to see where he goes. He has been linked with a move to Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Paris Saint-Germain. However, he has also said that he is happy at Liverpool and wants to stay at the club.

Manchester United's hopes of a resurgence under interim manager Ruud van Nistelrooy were dashed as Chelsea held them to a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford. Despite Bruno Fernandes' penalty putting United ahead, Moises Caicedo's swift response denied them victory.United, still reeling from Erik ten Hag's dismissal, showed signs of improvement but struggled to overcome their familiar flaws. Chelsea, on the other hand, extended their unbeaten run in the Premier League to nine games.The match began with Chelsea threatening through Noni Madueke's header that struck the post. United gradually gained momentum but failed to capitalize on chances, with Marcus Rashford hitting the crossbar before halftime.After the break, Chelsea's Pedro Neto nearly broke the deadlock, but his shot went wide. United's breakthrough came when Robert Sanchez fouled Rasmus Hojlund in the box, allowing Fernandes to convert a penalty.However, Chelsea responded swiftly. A corner was cleared to the edge of the box, where Caicedo unleashed a stunning strike into the bottom corner. Chelsea nearly took the lead when Enzo Fernandez missed a golden opportunity with Andre Onana stranded.United pushed for a winner in the closing stages, but Garnacho's acrobatic effort flew over. The draw leaves United in 13th place, six points adrift of the top four, while Chelsea move above Arsenal into fourth on goal difference.Van Nistelrooy, who will be replaced by Ruben Amorim later this month, acknowledged the team's shortcomings. "We showed some good things, but we still have a lot of work to do," he said. "We need to be more clinical in front of goal and improve our decision-making."Chelsea manager Graham Potter praised his team's resilience. "We showed great character to come back after going behind," he said. "We're still a work in progress, but we're moving in the right direction."

Tottenham Hotspur stormed back from a first-half deficit to thrash Aston Villa 4-1 on Sunday, reigniting their hopes of a top-four finish in the Premier League.After Morgan Rogers gave Villa the lead in the first period, Spurs exploded in the second half with a flurry of goals. Brennan Johnson equalized shortly after the break, setting the stage for Dominic Solanki's heroics.Solanki's delicate dinked finish in the 75th minute put Spurs ahead, and he doubled his tally four minutes later, converting substitute Richarlison's cross. James Maddison added the icing on the cake with a stunning free kick deep into stoppage time.The victory lifts Tottenham to seventh in the table, just two points behind Villa, who missed out on the chance to climb into third spot.Villa, who wore training tops reading "Fuerza Valencia" in solidarity with the victims of the deadly floods in Spain, started brightly but failed to capitalize on their early chances.Spurs, despite the return of captain Son Heung-min from injury, struggled to create clear-cut opportunities in the first half. However, they came out firing after the break, with Johnson's equalizer setting the tone for a dominant second-half performance.Solanki's goals were the result of Tottenham's increased intensity and attacking prowess. The England international showed great composure and skill to put Spurs ahead and then seal the victory.Villa, who had been in good form under Unai Emery, were unable to match Tottenham's second-half surge. They failed to create any real chances and were punished for their defensive lapses.The result is a major boost for Tottenham's top-four hopes. They are now just two points behind Villa and have a game in hand. Villa, on the other hand, will be disappointed to have missed out on the chance to move into the top three.

Manchester United, under the interim leadership of Ruud van Nistelrooy, will face off against Chelsea in a highly anticipated Premier League clash on Sunday (IST) at Old Trafford. The Red Devils enter the match reeling from a disappointing 2-1 defeat to West Ham, which led to the sacking of manager Erik ten Hag.Chelsea, on the other hand, come into the game on a high after securing a 2-1 victory over Newcastle. The Blues currently occupy sixth place in the league standings, while Manchester United languish in 13th.Key Players to Watch:* Manchester United: Cristiano Ronaldo, Bruno Fernandes, Marcus Rashford* Chelsea: Raheem Sterling, Kai Havertz, Mason MountMatch Preview:Manchester United will be eager to bounce back from their recent setback and prove that they can compete with the league's top teams. Van Nistelrooy will be tasked with instilling a sense of urgency and discipline into the squad.Chelsea, meanwhile, will be looking to continue their winning ways and consolidate their position in the top six. Manager Graham Potter will be hoping for a strong performance from his attacking trio of Sterling, Havertz, and Mount.Match Details:* Date: Sunday, November 3* Time: 10 PM IST* Venue: Old Trafford, Manchester* Live Telecast: Star Sports Network* Live Streaming: Disney+ HotstarPrediction:Chelsea are slight favorites to win this match given their recent form and superior squad depth. However, Manchester United have a history of performing well against their rivals and will be determined to make a statement under their new interim manager. A close and competitive match is expected, with Chelsea likely to edge out a narrow victory.

Newcastle United dealt a significant blow to Arsenal's Premier League title aspirations on Saturday, securing a crucial 1-0 victory at St James' Park. The result handed Manchester City the opportunity to extend their lead at the summit to eight points.Alexander Isak emerged as the hero for Newcastle, heading home Anthony Gordon's precise cross in the 12th minute. Arsenal, despite dominating possession, struggled to create clear-cut chances and managed only one shot on target throughout the match.Mikel Arteta's side has now accumulated just one point from their last three outings, casting doubt on their title challenge. If Manchester City prevails against Bournemouth later on Saturday, they will establish an eight-point advantage over the Gunners.Arsenal's title hopes have been dented by injuries, and their performance against Newcastle highlighted their current struggles. The visitors started brightly but were quickly outplayed by a determined Newcastle side.Isak's goal proved decisive, and Arsenal's attempts to equalize were thwarted by a resolute Newcastle defense. Arteta's decision to make no changes at halftime backfired, as Newcastle nearly doubled their lead through Joe Willock.The introduction of Ethan Nwaneri and Oleksandr Zinchenko failed to spark Arsenal, and Isak continued to threaten the Arsenal goal. Arteta's late substitutions, including Ben White and Gabriel Jesus, proved ineffective as Arsenal squandered a golden opportunity to equalize in stoppage time.Newcastle's victory lifts them to eighth in the table, while Arsenal's title aspirations hang in the balance. The Gunners face a challenging schedule in the coming weeks, including a Champions League clash with Inter Milan and a Premier League encounter with Chelsea.

Erik ten Hag, the former Manchester United manager, has expressed his gratitude to the club's fans and staff following his departure. Ten Hag was sacked on Friday after a disappointing start to the season, with Sporting Lisbon head coach Ruben Amorim appointed as his permanent successor.During his two-year tenure at Old Trafford, Ten Hag guided United to victory in the League Cup final and a third-place finish in the Premier League in 2023. He also led the team to FA Cup glory against Manchester City in his second season. However, United's eighth-place finish in the league last season and a poor start to the current campaign ultimately cost Ten Hag his job.In a statement released by his representatives, Ten Hag thanked the fans for their unwavering support. "Thank you for always being there for the club," he said. "Whether it was at a game far away or a tough match at Old Trafford, your support has been unshakeable."Ten Hag also praised the atmosphere at Old Trafford, which he described as "electrifying." "I felt it many times," he said. "Also in away games, it gave the team and me an incredible feeling to hear the United chants taking over the opponents' stadiums."The Dutchman also expressed his gratitude to the club's staff for their support. "I would like to thank all the staff at the club for their unwavering support in good times and bad," he said.Ten Hag admitted that he had hoped to bring more trophies to United. "Of course, my dream was to bring more trophies to the cabinet," he said. "Unfortunately, that dream has come to an end."Despite his departure, Ten Hag wished United fans nothing but success in the future. "I wish all Manchester United fans nothing but success, trophies, and glory," he said. "Your support and the warmth I received from everyone at the club helped me feel at home. Thank you for this chapter in my life."

Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard is nearing his return to action after a two-month absence due to an ankle injury. Manager Mikel Arteta confirmed on Friday that Odegaard is in the final stages of his recovery and could be available for the upcoming Champions League clash against Inter Milan on Wednesday.Odegaard sustained the injury while playing for Norway in a Nations League match in September. His absence has been a significant blow to Arsenal, who have struggled for creativity and leadership in his absence.Arteta praised Odegaard's work ethic and determination during his rehabilitation. "He's physically now at the level required to compete," Arteta said. "With the work rate and hours he has put in, I'd be surprised that the moment he starts training with us; he looks ready. Hopefully, soon."The Norwegian midfielder's return will be a major boost for Arsenal, who are currently third in the Premier League, five points behind leaders Manchester City. The Gunners have collected just one point from their last two games and will be eager to get back to winning ways against Newcastle United on Saturday.However, Arteta ruled out Odegaard's involvement in the Newcastle game, stating that he needs more time to regain full fitness. "He's not ready to play against Newcastle," Arteta said. "We'll see how he deals with pain and if his movement is natural enough."Left-back Riccardo Calafiori will also miss the Newcastle game due to injury, while defender Gabriel is expected to be available if he trains well on Friday.