Liverpool is the lone team standing at the top of the Premier League standings amid one of the most congested title races in recent memory. Merseyside club benefited from their comeback win against Brighton and a goalless draw between Manchester City and Arsenal, two other challengers for the title.

Entering Sunday, Liverpool was tied with Arsenal at the top, with each team having 64 points, one more than Man City behind them.

Liverpool faced Brighton, and things didn’t look good early on, as they conceded a goal in the second minute of the game. However, Luis Diaz scored an equalizer in the 27th minute and Mohammed Salah added another goal in the 67th minute to seal a 2-1 win.

Manchester City and Arsenal faced each other later in the day and didn’t exactly give the fans their money’s worth. What was expected to be an attacking clash turned out to be a defense-oriented affair. While City enjoyed 73% possession, the two teams only managed to account for three shots on target.

Now, Liverpool has 67 points, two more than second-placed Arsenal and three more than City in the third spot. Out of the three clubs, City has the easiest remaining schedule, facing five teams from the bottom 10 in the next nine games.

The post Liverpool Sits at the Top of Premier League After Man City and Arsenal’s Goalless Draw appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Arsenal slumped to a 2-1 defeat against Fulham at Craven Cottage on Sunday evening, marking their second back-to-back defeat following a 2-0 loss at home to West Ham United last weekend. Manager Mikel Arteta labeled the defeat as Arsenal’s “worst performance of the season.”

“We certainly need that reset after today, because that’s going to be in our tummy for a few days,” Arteta stated after the final whistle. “The game against West Ham feels very different, so you can move on. It’s football, it can happen. What happened today cannot happen again, because if you do that, we will never have the chance to be where we want to be. Today could have been a beautiful day to end the year, that’s for sure.”

The Gunners appeared to be off to a promising start when midfielder Bukhayo Saka scored to put Arsenal in the lead after five minutes of play. Raul Jimenez drew level in the 29th minute, while Bobby De Cordova-Reid put the hosts in front in the 59th minute. Fulham were able to protect their lead despite only maintaining 39% ball possession.

The post Arsenal Boss Calls Fulham Loss “Worst Performance of Season” appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Arsenal are believed to be looking at making a move for Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz in January, sources familiar with the matter have claimed. This comes after the Premier League club made three bids for the Brazilian in September 2022, all of which were rejected by Villa.

Luiz is viewed as a key player by Villa, with the club handing him a new contract through 2026. He has started in all 13 of the team’s Premier League matches so far this season, with the club rising to fourth place, which would secure UEFA Champions League qualification should they be able to retain this position.

For Arsenal, the pursuit of Luiz could be a financially straining one, given the club’s limited funds after spending over £200 million during the summer. The club is also waiting to confirm the future of Thomas Partey, who may depart the club in the January transfer window.

The post Arsenal Target Douglas Luiz in January Transfer Window appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta expressed his anger following his team’s 1-0 loss to Newcastle United in the Premier League on Saturday, labeling Anthony Gordon’s winning goal as an “absolute disgrace”.

VAR performed three separate checks on Gordon’s goal—one to see if the ball went out of play, one to see if Newcastle midfielder Joelinton committed a foul on Arsenal defender Gabriel, and another to determine if Gordon was offside.

“It’s incredible we have to talk about the result,” Arteta said in his post-match press conference. “We have to talk about how the hell this goal stands up. I feel embarrassed. It is an absolute disgrace this goal is allowed. It’s not a goal — for many reasons.”

With this first defeat of the season, the Gunners remain rooted to third place with 24 points. Both Liverpool and Aston Villa have the opportunity to leapfrog Arsenal if they win their respective games.

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Premier League side Arsenal are reportedly working towards signing midfielder Martin Odegaard to a new contract. The negotiations between the two sides are ongoing, but the London club is increasingly optimistic that they will manage to achieve their goal.

Odegaard is still under contract through the 2024-25 season. However, considering his growth as a player in recent seasons and his importance for the team, Arsenal wants to give him fresh terms and extend his time with the club sooner rather than later. They would like to lock the Norwegian at least until the summer of 2027.

The 24-year-old is expected to receive a significant salary increase that would make him one of Arsenal’s highest-paid players. He is currently earning £120,000 on a weekly basis.

Martin Odegaard initially joined Arsenal on a mid-season loan from Real Madrid in 2021. After a promising second half of the 2020-21 season, The Gunners secured Odegaard on a permanent transfer, reportedly worth €35 million.

Acquiring Odegaard proved to be a wise decision, as he played an instrumental role in Arsenal’s highly successful 2022-23 season. He played 45 games in all competitions and ended up scoring 15 goals while adding eight assists. 

Odegaard started the new season in the same manner, scoring twice in the first four Premier League games.

The post Arsenal Working on a Contract Extension with Martin Odegaard appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Arsenal has reached an agreement with Premier League rivals West Ham United over the transfer of star midfielder Declan Rice, sources reported late on Wednesday. This comes after Manchester City pulled out of the race to sign the 24-year-old playmaker.

West Ham reportedly accepted Arsenal’s third bid for the player worth £100 million ($127 million) plus £5 million ($6.3 million) in add-ons. Although some minor aspects of the deal are yet to be confirmed, these terms are believed to be just a formality.

Man City expressed an interest in Rice given the team’s need to replace outbound central midfielder Ilkay Gundogan, who departed for FC Barcelona following the expiration of his contract with City.

Once Man City’s bid of £80 million plus £10 million in add-ons was rejected, they decided to bow out of the race to sign Rice in favor of pursuing other options. The club recently signed Croatian midfielder Mateo Kovacic from Chelsea for a deal worth £25 million plus another £5 million in add-ons.

Rice is the latest transfer in what is proving to be a busy summer window for the Gunners. On Wednesday, Arsenal confirmed the signing of striker Kai Havertz from Chelsea for £67.5 million.

The post Arsenal Reaches $133 Million Deal for West Ham’s Declan Rice appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Manchester City is preparing an offer for West Ham United center midfielder Declan Rice, sources revealed on Thursday. This comes as Arsenal looks to sign the player after their first two bids were rejected.

Should Man City decide to pounce on Rice this summer, they will be required to submit a largescale bid, considering that Arsenal’s latest bid of £75 million and a further £15 million in add-ons was rejected.

It is believed that City’s late entry to the race for Rice’s signature was due to the club deciding to hear about the future of captain Ilkay Gundogan. With Gundogan now headed to FC Barcelona, City is looking at Rice as his replacement.

With West Ham currently valuing Rice at £100 million, Arsenal is expected to return to them with a third offer. Now that Man City has entered the fray, however, the Hammers may look to increase their asking price.

West Ham manager David Moyes has signaled his interest in City midfielder Kalvin Phillips, who spent the majority of his debut season at the club on the bench. It is believed that Moyes would make a move for him should Rice join City.

The post Man City Challenges Arsenal Race To Sign Declan Rice appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Mikel Arteta insists on remaining calm following Arsenal’s 3-1 defeat at home to Manchester City in Wednesday night’s Premier League game at the Emirates Stadium. According to the Arsenal manager, a “psychological marathon” lies ahead in the race to the Premier League title.

By grabbing this crucial away victory, Man City has replaced Arsenal as Premier League leaders, tieing with the Gunners on 51 points each but remaining ahead on goal difference. Arsenal does, however, still have a game in hand, meaning that the top spot remains within reach if Arteta can motivate his team to bounce back.

“Psychologically there is a marathon still out there,” Arteta commented. “So psychologically [the title] is very far. I said it three months ago and I said it today, it’s about tomorrow. The most important thing is how we are tomorrow and focus on that because the rest of the things, we don’t know what is going to happen.”

Man City boss Pep Guardiola agreed with Arteta’s view, stating that there is still a long way to go in the title race. Guardiola believes that the title race may be decided when City and the Gunners face off at the Etihad Stadium in April.

The post Arteta Calls for Cool Heads Following Crucial Arsenal Loss to Man City appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The draw for the 2022-23 Europa League group stage has been completed, with Premier League giants Manchester United and Arsenal learning their fate for the upcoming tournament.

Arsenal, which narrowly missed out on Champions League football due to finishing 5th in the Premier League last season, has been placed in Group A of the competition, alongside Dutch Cup winners PSV, Bodo/Glimt, and FC Zurich. As a result, PSV manager Ruud Van Nistelrooy will return to face Arsenal after clashing with the Gunners during his five-year stint as a Manchester United player.

Manchester United, which finished 6th in the Premier League in the 2021-22 season, finds itself in Group E, alongside La Liga outfit Real Sociedad, Sheriff Tiraspol, and Omonia Nicosia.

Elsewhere, Jose Mourinho’s Roma finds themselves in Group C, where the reigning UEFA Conference League champions face off with Real Betis. This clash will see Mourinho come face to face once again with Manuel Pellegrini, with whom he has a long-standing rivalry. Mourinho’s Chelsea squad edged Pellegrini’s Manchester City in 2015 to win the Premier League title.

Last season’s 7th placed side in the Premier League, West Ham United will play in the UEFA Conference League this season. The Hammers will face Anderlecht, FCSB and Silkeborg in Group B.

The post Europa League Draw Confirmed appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Leeds United doesn’t seem to be in the mood to sell Brazilian winger Raphinha. At least not for a price that Arsenal offered in a recent official bid.

Arsenal made Raphinha one of their priorities during the summer window and wanted to move quickly in order to avoid competition from major European clubs. However, according to The Athletic’s David Ornstein, their first offer was well below Leeds’ evaluation and was swiftly rejected.

Soccer insider Fabrizio Romano followed up Ornstein’s report by revealing that the offer was somewhere in the €40/45 million range. Romano also added that Arsenal’s crosstown rivals Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea are interested in the player.

Raphinha has arguably been Leeds’ best player since joining the club in 2020 from Ligue 1 side Rennes. The 25-year-old Brazilian played 66 games in all competitions in United’s jersey and scored 17 goals to go with 11 assists.

Leeds would prefer to keep Raphinha on board as they look to bounce back following a disappointing campaign in 2021-22 in which they narrowly escaped relegation. However, reports say that the club also understands Raphinha’s ambition to play in European competitions and won’t stand in the way if their price is met.

Raphinha’s preferred destination is believed to be Barcelona, but the chances of him landing there are slim. The Catalan club is in the midst of a financial crisis and has other priorities.

The post Arsenal’s Offer for Raphinha Rejected by Leeds United appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Liverpool is the lone team standing at the top of the Premier League standings amid one of the most congested title races in recent memory. Merseyside club benefited from their comeback win against Brighton and a goalless draw between Manchester City and Arsenal, two other challengers for the title.

Entering Sunday, Liverpool was tied with Arsenal at the top, with each team having 64 points, one more than Man City behind them.

Liverpool faced Brighton, and things didn’t look good early on, as they conceded a goal in the second minute of the game. However, Luis Diaz scored an equalizer in the 27th minute and Mohammed Salah added another goal in the 67th minute to seal a 2-1 win.

Manchester City and Arsenal faced each other later in the day and didn’t exactly give the fans their money’s worth. What was expected to be an attacking clash turned out to be a defense-oriented affair. While City enjoyed 73% possession, the two teams only managed to account for three shots on target.

Now, Liverpool has 67 points, two more than second-placed Arsenal and three more than City in the third spot. Out of the three clubs, City has the easiest remaining schedule, facing five teams from the bottom 10 in the next nine games.

The post Liverpool Sits at the Top of Premier League After Man City and Arsenal’s Goalless Draw appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Arsenal slumped to a 2-1 defeat against Fulham at Craven Cottage on Sunday evening, marking their second back-to-back defeat following a 2-0 loss at home to West Ham United last weekend. Manager Mikel Arteta labeled the defeat as Arsenal’s “worst performance of the season.”

“We certainly need that reset after today, because that’s going to be in our tummy for a few days,” Arteta stated after the final whistle. “The game against West Ham feels very different, so you can move on. It’s football, it can happen. What happened today cannot happen again, because if you do that, we will never have the chance to be where we want to be. Today could have been a beautiful day to end the year, that’s for sure.”

The Gunners appeared to be off to a promising start when midfielder Bukhayo Saka scored to put Arsenal in the lead after five minutes of play. Raul Jimenez drew level in the 29th minute, while Bobby De Cordova-Reid put the hosts in front in the 59th minute. Fulham were able to protect their lead despite only maintaining 39% ball possession.

The post Arsenal Boss Calls Fulham Loss “Worst Performance of Season” appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Arsenal are believed to be looking at making a move for Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz in January, sources familiar with the matter have claimed. This comes after the Premier League club made three bids for the Brazilian in September 2022, all of which were rejected by Villa.

Luiz is viewed as a key player by Villa, with the club handing him a new contract through 2026. He has started in all 13 of the team’s Premier League matches so far this season, with the club rising to fourth place, which would secure UEFA Champions League qualification should they be able to retain this position.

For Arsenal, the pursuit of Luiz could be a financially straining one, given the club’s limited funds after spending over £200 million during the summer. The club is also waiting to confirm the future of Thomas Partey, who may depart the club in the January transfer window.

The post Arsenal Target Douglas Luiz in January Transfer Window appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta expressed his anger following his team’s 1-0 loss to Newcastle United in the Premier League on Saturday, labeling Anthony Gordon’s winning goal as an “absolute disgrace”.

VAR performed three separate checks on Gordon’s goal—one to see if the ball went out of play, one to see if Newcastle midfielder Joelinton committed a foul on Arsenal defender Gabriel, and another to determine if Gordon was offside.

“It’s incredible we have to talk about the result,” Arteta said in his post-match press conference. “We have to talk about how the hell this goal stands up. I feel embarrassed. It is an absolute disgrace this goal is allowed. It’s not a goal — for many reasons.”

With this first defeat of the season, the Gunners remain rooted to third place with 24 points. Both Liverpool and Aston Villa have the opportunity to leapfrog Arsenal if they win their respective games.

The post Arsenal Manager Arteta Expresses Outrage Over Newcastle Loss appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Premier League side Arsenal are reportedly working towards signing midfielder Martin Odegaard to a new contract. The negotiations between the two sides are ongoing, but the London club is increasingly optimistic that they will manage to achieve their goal.

Odegaard is still under contract through the 2024-25 season. However, considering his growth as a player in recent seasons and his importance for the team, Arsenal wants to give him fresh terms and extend his time with the club sooner rather than later. They would like to lock the Norwegian at least until the summer of 2027.

The 24-year-old is expected to receive a significant salary increase that would make him one of Arsenal’s highest-paid players. He is currently earning £120,000 on a weekly basis.

Martin Odegaard initially joined Arsenal on a mid-season loan from Real Madrid in 2021. After a promising second half of the 2020-21 season, The Gunners secured Odegaard on a permanent transfer, reportedly worth €35 million.

Acquiring Odegaard proved to be a wise decision, as he played an instrumental role in Arsenal’s highly successful 2022-23 season. He played 45 games in all competitions and ended up scoring 15 goals while adding eight assists. 

Odegaard started the new season in the same manner, scoring twice in the first four Premier League games.

The post Arsenal Working on a Contract Extension with Martin Odegaard appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Arsenal has reached an agreement with Premier League rivals West Ham United over the transfer of star midfielder Declan Rice, sources reported late on Wednesday. This comes after Manchester City pulled out of the race to sign the 24-year-old playmaker.

West Ham reportedly accepted Arsenal’s third bid for the player worth £100 million ($127 million) plus £5 million ($6.3 million) in add-ons. Although some minor aspects of the deal are yet to be confirmed, these terms are believed to be just a formality.

Man City expressed an interest in Rice given the team’s need to replace outbound central midfielder Ilkay Gundogan, who departed for FC Barcelona following the expiration of his contract with City.

Once Man City’s bid of £80 million plus £10 million in add-ons was rejected, they decided to bow out of the race to sign Rice in favor of pursuing other options. The club recently signed Croatian midfielder Mateo Kovacic from Chelsea for a deal worth £25 million plus another £5 million in add-ons.

Rice is the latest transfer in what is proving to be a busy summer window for the Gunners. On Wednesday, Arsenal confirmed the signing of striker Kai Havertz from Chelsea for £67.5 million.

The post Arsenal Reaches $133 Million Deal for West Ham’s Declan Rice appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Manchester City is preparing an offer for West Ham United center midfielder Declan Rice, sources revealed on Thursday. This comes as Arsenal looks to sign the player after their first two bids were rejected.

Should Man City decide to pounce on Rice this summer, they will be required to submit a largescale bid, considering that Arsenal’s latest bid of £75 million and a further £15 million in add-ons was rejected.

It is believed that City’s late entry to the race for Rice’s signature was due to the club deciding to hear about the future of captain Ilkay Gundogan. With Gundogan now headed to FC Barcelona, City is looking at Rice as his replacement.

With West Ham currently valuing Rice at £100 million, Arsenal is expected to return to them with a third offer. Now that Man City has entered the fray, however, the Hammers may look to increase their asking price.

West Ham manager David Moyes has signaled his interest in City midfielder Kalvin Phillips, who spent the majority of his debut season at the club on the bench. It is believed that Moyes would make a move for him should Rice join City.

The post Man City Challenges Arsenal Race To Sign Declan Rice appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Mikel Arteta insists on remaining calm following Arsenal’s 3-1 defeat at home to Manchester City in Wednesday night’s Premier League game at the Emirates Stadium. According to the Arsenal manager, a “psychological marathon” lies ahead in the race to the Premier League title.

By grabbing this crucial away victory, Man City has replaced Arsenal as Premier League leaders, tieing with the Gunners on 51 points each but remaining ahead on goal difference. Arsenal does, however, still have a game in hand, meaning that the top spot remains within reach if Arteta can motivate his team to bounce back.

“Psychologically there is a marathon still out there,” Arteta commented. “So psychologically [the title] is very far. I said it three months ago and I said it today, it’s about tomorrow. The most important thing is how we are tomorrow and focus on that because the rest of the things, we don’t know what is going to happen.”

Man City boss Pep Guardiola agreed with Arteta’s view, stating that there is still a long way to go in the title race. Guardiola believes that the title race may be decided when City and the Gunners face off at the Etihad Stadium in April.

The post Arteta Calls for Cool Heads Following Crucial Arsenal Loss to Man City appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The draw for the 2022-23 Europa League group stage has been completed, with Premier League giants Manchester United and Arsenal learning their fate for the upcoming tournament.

Arsenal, which narrowly missed out on Champions League football due to finishing 5th in the Premier League last season, has been placed in Group A of the competition, alongside Dutch Cup winners PSV, Bodo/Glimt, and FC Zurich. As a result, PSV manager Ruud Van Nistelrooy will return to face Arsenal after clashing with the Gunners during his five-year stint as a Manchester United player.

Manchester United, which finished 6th in the Premier League in the 2021-22 season, finds itself in Group E, alongside La Liga outfit Real Sociedad, Sheriff Tiraspol, and Omonia Nicosia.

Elsewhere, Jose Mourinho’s Roma finds themselves in Group C, where the reigning UEFA Conference League champions face off with Real Betis. This clash will see Mourinho come face to face once again with Manuel Pellegrini, with whom he has a long-standing rivalry. Mourinho’s Chelsea squad edged Pellegrini’s Manchester City in 2015 to win the Premier League title.

Last season’s 7th placed side in the Premier League, West Ham United will play in the UEFA Conference League this season. The Hammers will face Anderlecht, FCSB and Silkeborg in Group B.

The post Europa League Draw Confirmed appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Leeds United doesn’t seem to be in the mood to sell Brazilian winger Raphinha. At least not for a price that Arsenal offered in a recent official bid.

Arsenal made Raphinha one of their priorities during the summer window and wanted to move quickly in order to avoid competition from major European clubs. However, according to The Athletic’s David Ornstein, their first offer was well below Leeds’ evaluation and was swiftly rejected.

Soccer insider Fabrizio Romano followed up Ornstein’s report by revealing that the offer was somewhere in the €40/45 million range. Romano also added that Arsenal’s crosstown rivals Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea are interested in the player.

Raphinha has arguably been Leeds’ best player since joining the club in 2020 from Ligue 1 side Rennes. The 25-year-old Brazilian played 66 games in all competitions in United’s jersey and scored 17 goals to go with 11 assists.

Leeds would prefer to keep Raphinha on board as they look to bounce back following a disappointing campaign in 2021-22 in which they narrowly escaped relegation. However, reports say that the club also understands Raphinha’s ambition to play in European competitions and won’t stand in the way if their price is met.

Raphinha’s preferred destination is believed to be Barcelona, but the chances of him landing there are slim. The Catalan club is in the midst of a financial crisis and has other priorities.

The post Arsenal’s Offer for Raphinha Rejected by Leeds United appeared first on SportzBonanza.