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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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.

Premier League side Arsenal will play the Major League Soccer’s best players at the upcoming 2023 MLS All-Star Game, according to The Athletic’s Pablo Iglesias Maurer and Paul Tenorio. The league is yet to officially confirm the news, but the deal is reportedly already set.

This will be the second time that Arsenal is featured at the MLS All-Star game. The London club’s first involvement was in 2016 when they got a 2-1 win thanks to the goals of Joel Campbell and Chuba Akpom. The lone goal for MLS All-Stars was scored by legendary striker Didier Drogba.

The 2023 MLS All-Star game is set to be played on July 19 in Washington D.C. at Audi Field, home of DC United. The MLS All-Star team is expected to be coached by DC’s head coach Wayne Rooney. The tradition in previous years was that the coach of the team that hosts the All-Star game sits on the bench of the All-Star team.

Having Arsenal as an All-Star game opponent means that the league is reverting to its old format in which MLS All-Star teams are facing the best European clubs. In the previous two years, MLS All-Stars played Liga MX All-Stars, winning both times.

The post Premier League’s Arsenal Set to Play in the 2023 MLS All-Star Game 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.

Arsenal’s midfielder Granit Xhaka didn’t mince his words while speaking with reporters after a shocking 0-2 loss to Newcastle United that knocked the London club out of the UEFA Champions League spot. Xhaka slammed the display Arsenal players put on and concluded that “we didn’t deserve to be on the pitch.”

“I can’t explain to you why. We didn’t do what the game plan was, not listening to the coach,” Xhaka said. “What happened was a disaster performance. You don’t deserve to play the Champions League or even Europa League. It’s very hard to take it at the moment.”

The 29-year-old Swiss international didn’t stop here. After being asked whether Arsenal’s inexperience was to blame for the meltdown, Xhaka said that he believes lack of effort was the bigger issue. 

“If someone isn’t ready for this game, stay at home. It doesn’t matter your age. If you’re nervous, stay on the bench or stay at home,” he added.

Arsenal was occupying the last UCL spot on Premier League standings ahead of the Newcastle game. However, by losing to Newcastle, Arsenal gave away the position to their London rivals Tottenham Hotspur. They can still regain it in the season’s final game, but too many things would have to fall in their favor. Tottenham would need to lose to already relegated Norwich City, while Arsenal would need to beat Everton.

The post Granit Xhaka Calls Out His Arsenal Teammates After Shocking Newcastle Loss appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The chances of French striker Alexandre Lacazette remaining with Arsenal are getting slimmer by day. Lacazette, who is set to become a free agent in the summer, recently told Canal Plus that he is already plotting his next move and having discussions with other teams.

“I’m in discussion with a lot of clubs, I’m open,” Lacazette revealed when asked about his future.

Lacazette’s primary goal is to play in the Champions League again, which will play a significant role in his decision. It is also one of the main reasons why the return to his boyhood club Lyon seems to be off the table. The Ligue 1 side is eighth in the standings and unlikely to play in European competitions.

“I want to play in Europe. It’s been a long time since I’ve played in the Champions League, I miss it,” Lacazette added.

While Arsenal appreciates Lacazette’s contribution and leadership in the locker room, reports indicate that they are not too keen to keep him in London. The Gunners are in the process of clearing their wage bill and would prefer to invest in younger players as they look to return to contention under Mikel Arteta.

Alexandre Lacazette has scored 71 goals and added 36 assists since joining the club in 2017. However, he has struggled to be impactful in 2020-21, scoring only six goals in 31 appearances in all competitions.

The post Arsenal’s Alexandre Lacazette on His Future: “I’m in Discussion with A Lot of Clubs” appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Things have gone from bad to worse for Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. After he was left out of the team for Premier League’s clash against Southampton over the weekend, Aubameyang has now also lost his captaincy.

The London team confirmed the news on their official website on Wednesday, issuing a statement in which they said that Aubameyang was stripped of his captaincy due to a “disciplinary breach last week.” The 32-year-old will also miss the upcoming match against West Ham United for the same reason.

While the Premier League club didn’t share further details about the “breach”, the reports say Aubameyang was punished after returning late from a “sanctioned holiday.”

According to The Athletic, the player was allowed to go and visit his sick mother last week. He was told to return on Wednesday night, but instead, Aubameyang returned on Thursday morning. This didn’t sit well with Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, who then decided the Gabon international isn’t suited for wearing the captain’s armband anymore.

This isn’t the first time Aubameyang clashes with Arteta over punctuality. He was left out for the match against Tottenham last season for arriving late to a team meeting.

Besides having troubles off the field, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has struggled when on the field in the past two seasons. In 14 games he played in Premier League in 2021-22, Aubameyang managed to score only four goals. He had 10 goals in 29 games in 2020-21.

The post Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang No Longer Arsenal’s Captain 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.

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.

Premier League side Arsenal will play the Major League Soccer’s best players at the upcoming 2023 MLS All-Star Game, according to The Athletic’s Pablo Iglesias Maurer and Paul Tenorio. The league is yet to officially confirm the news, but the deal is reportedly already set.

This will be the second time that Arsenal is featured at the MLS All-Star game. The London club’s first involvement was in 2016 when they got a 2-1 win thanks to the goals of Joel Campbell and Chuba Akpom. The lone goal for MLS All-Stars was scored by legendary striker Didier Drogba.

The 2023 MLS All-Star game is set to be played on July 19 in Washington D.C. at Audi Field, home of DC United. The MLS All-Star team is expected to be coached by DC’s head coach Wayne Rooney. The tradition in previous years was that the coach of the team that hosts the All-Star game sits on the bench of the All-Star team.

Having Arsenal as an All-Star game opponent means that the league is reverting to its old format in which MLS All-Star teams are facing the best European clubs. In the previous two years, MLS All-Stars played Liga MX All-Stars, winning both times.

The post Premier League’s Arsenal Set to Play in the 2023 MLS All-Star Game 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.

Arsenal’s midfielder Granit Xhaka didn’t mince his words while speaking with reporters after a shocking 0-2 loss to Newcastle United that knocked the London club out of the UEFA Champions League spot. Xhaka slammed the display Arsenal players put on and concluded that “we didn’t deserve to be on the pitch.”

“I can’t explain to you why. We didn’t do what the game plan was, not listening to the coach,” Xhaka said. “What happened was a disaster performance. You don’t deserve to play the Champions League or even Europa League. It’s very hard to take it at the moment.”

The 29-year-old Swiss international didn’t stop here. After being asked whether Arsenal’s inexperience was to blame for the meltdown, Xhaka said that he believes lack of effort was the bigger issue. 

“If someone isn’t ready for this game, stay at home. It doesn’t matter your age. If you’re nervous, stay on the bench or stay at home,” he added.

Arsenal was occupying the last UCL spot on Premier League standings ahead of the Newcastle game. However, by losing to Newcastle, Arsenal gave away the position to their London rivals Tottenham Hotspur. They can still regain it in the season’s final game, but too many things would have to fall in their favor. Tottenham would need to lose to already relegated Norwich City, while Arsenal would need to beat Everton.

The post Granit Xhaka Calls Out His Arsenal Teammates After Shocking Newcastle Loss appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The chances of French striker Alexandre Lacazette remaining with Arsenal are getting slimmer by day. Lacazette, who is set to become a free agent in the summer, recently told Canal Plus that he is already plotting his next move and having discussions with other teams.

“I’m in discussion with a lot of clubs, I’m open,” Lacazette revealed when asked about his future.

Lacazette’s primary goal is to play in the Champions League again, which will play a significant role in his decision. It is also one of the main reasons why the return to his boyhood club Lyon seems to be off the table. The Ligue 1 side is eighth in the standings and unlikely to play in European competitions.

“I want to play in Europe. It’s been a long time since I’ve played in the Champions League, I miss it,” Lacazette added.

While Arsenal appreciates Lacazette’s contribution and leadership in the locker room, reports indicate that they are not too keen to keep him in London. The Gunners are in the process of clearing their wage bill and would prefer to invest in younger players as they look to return to contention under Mikel Arteta.

Alexandre Lacazette has scored 71 goals and added 36 assists since joining the club in 2017. However, he has struggled to be impactful in 2020-21, scoring only six goals in 31 appearances in all competitions.

The post Arsenal’s Alexandre Lacazette on His Future: “I’m in Discussion with A Lot of Clubs” appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Things have gone from bad to worse for Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. After he was left out of the team for Premier League’s clash against Southampton over the weekend, Aubameyang has now also lost his captaincy.

The London team confirmed the news on their official website on Wednesday, issuing a statement in which they said that Aubameyang was stripped of his captaincy due to a “disciplinary breach last week.” The 32-year-old will also miss the upcoming match against West Ham United for the same reason.

While the Premier League club didn’t share further details about the “breach”, the reports say Aubameyang was punished after returning late from a “sanctioned holiday.”

According to The Athletic, the player was allowed to go and visit his sick mother last week. He was told to return on Wednesday night, but instead, Aubameyang returned on Thursday morning. This didn’t sit well with Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, who then decided the Gabon international isn’t suited for wearing the captain’s armband anymore.

This isn’t the first time Aubameyang clashes with Arteta over punctuality. He was left out for the match against Tottenham last season for arriving late to a team meeting.

Besides having troubles off the field, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has struggled when on the field in the past two seasons. In 14 games he played in Premier League in 2021-22, Aubameyang managed to score only four goals. He had 10 goals in 29 games in 2020-21.

The post Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang No Longer Arsenal’s Captain appeared first on SportzBonanza.