The English Premier League is currently evaluating plans for the return to the competition after nearly two months of being postponed due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic which has forced the cancellation of sports around the globe.

According to some reports, the Premier League could look to get creative with their plan to return to action, including the possibility of game times that are shorter than the habitual 90 minutes.

This plan would theoretically be put in place due to the increased number of games per week, a plan that the league could be forced to implement in order to finish the 2019-20 season before the end of the summer.

Reducing the number of minutes per match would theoretically reduce the physical toll on players’ bodies if they are forced to play two or three games per week, reducing the risk of injury and fatigue issues.

No definitive plan has been put in place, however, as Premier League teams are still waiting to find out when their season will get back underway and when teams will be able to return to training sessions.

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced leagues around the world to deal with unprecedented situations, some of which, as this case demonstrates, may require unprecedented solutions.

The post Premier League Reportedly in Talks to Shorten Games Post-Return appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Star Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne has admitted that he may have to look for a new team depending on the results of an appeal to the two-year Champions League ban that his team received for Financial Fair Play violations this season.

City, which has qualified for the competition in each of the past nine seasons, is set to miss out on the next two editions of the world’s premier club soccer competition after UEFA’s ruling. The club, however, is currently in an appeals process and expects the ban to be lifted or reduced.

However, if the two-year ban is upheld, De Bruyne admitted in an interview with Belgian media that he would have to consider going elsewhere to play. According to the midfielder, if the ban only lasted a year, he would be more likely to stay, but a two-year ban would be tough to stomach.

De Bruyne, who is one of the game’s premier midfielders and would certainly have lots of suitors if a transfer was forced, has provided 9 goals and 20 assists in all competitions this season.

City’s ownership will do their best to convince the Belgian star to stay even if the transfer ban is upheld, but they might be out of luck if De Bruyne decides that spending two seasons without playing in the Champions League is something that he wouldn’t accept.

The post Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne May Consider Leaving the Club appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Despite having loaned out Dean Henderson in every campaign since making the Manchester United senior team in 2016, the Red Devils are still bullish about the keeper’s future and reportedly have no plans to sell him this summer.

Henderson, who turned 23-years-old last month, has been on loan at newly-promoted Sheffield United since 2018. The England native was a key figure in the club’s promotion to the Premier League last season and has been its first-team keeper in the club’s impressive run in England’s top flight this season.

Despite still having Spanish keeper David de Gea under contract and no clear role for Henderson in the immediate future, the team still isn’t ready to sell him for a profit.

Henderson, whose current market value is estimated at $16 million, could head out on loan again next season. The Red Devils still appear to think that his future is between the sticks at Old Trafford, and they want to keep him around.

Juventus and Chelsea have been two of the clubs to reportedly express interest in Henderson this winter, but it appears that if Manchester United has its way, they won’t be able to touch their young star keeper unless they’re happy with a loan move.

The post Manchester United Has No Plans to Sell GK Dean Henderson appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, the talented attacker who has been a bright spot in a rough patch for Arsenal over the past couple of seasons, has received some controversial advice from the president of his native country’s football association.

Pierre Alain Mounguengui, the head of Gabon’s football association, said in an interview with ESPN that he believes that his country’s biggest star should aim for a club with loftier goals.

Mounguengui stated, “I don’t want to say that Arsenal aren’t ambitious, but Arsenal don’t have ambitions as high as some other clubs as far as Europe is concerned.” He went on to add, “If Pierre could secure a contract with a more ambitious club, he’d definitely find his place there.”

The Gunners have disappointed fans over the past two seasons, wondering if Aubameyang might leave for greener pastures. Arsenal finished in 5th place in the league last season without any trophies, and then were shockingly eliminated by Olympiacos in the first knockout round of this year’s Europa League.

Aubameyang, who turns 31-years-old this summer, has scored 49 goals in 75 games with the Gunners since joining the team in 2018 from Borussia Dortmund.

It remains to be seen if the Gabonese star will heed Mounguengui’s advice or keep trying his luck in North London.

The post Gabon FA President: Aubameyang Should Look For a “More Ambitious Club” appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The English Premier League called for a temporary suspension of the competition before the beginning of last week’s slate due to the ongoing outbreak of the coronavirus.

Now, league leaders and club representatives have spoken and decided that the competition won’t be back until April 30th, at the very earliest.

Teams engaged in a conference call on Thursday morning to discuss the league’s response to the ongoing COVID-19 epidemic, which has forced the postponement and cancellation of sports leagues around the world.

While no date was originally given when the league decided to suspend its competition a week ago, we now know that it will take at least until the end of next month for things to get going again.

At the present time, it’s unknown if the games will have to be played behind closed doors, or if fans will be allowed into the grounds to see the matches.

What does appear to be clear is that the Premier League is determined to finish the 2019-20 season. Liverpool currently holds a huge lead in the competition and will eventually win the title, however, there is plenty still left up for grabs in terms of Champions League and Europa League spots.

For now, fans will have to wait for one of the world’s most popular leagues to resume once again.

The post English Premier League Won’t Return to Action Until April 30th, at Earliest appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Manchester United staked their claim as a Champions League contender with a crucial 2-0 win in the Manchester Derby over eternal rivals Manchester City on Sunday.

United saw very little of the ball during the match, which ended with a 73% possession figure for Pep Guardiola’s City, but was able to generate a big number of shots against an opponent that looked defeated at times.

Despite finding themselves defending throughout the match, Ole Gunnar Solksjaer’s side kept City’s powerful offense at bay and took advantage of a couple of Ederson errors to take a huge victory from their biggest game of the season.

The Red Devils took a 1-0 lead early in the match after a Bruno Fernandes shot squeak under Ederson’s arms to give Manchester United a lead before halftime.

Try as they could, City just couldn’t figure out a Manchester United defense that barely allowed them to shoot at David de Gea’s net.

In stoppage time, Scott McTominay doubled Man U’s lead, taking advantage of a poor kick by Ederson to find an empty net and move the scoreboard to its 2-0 final.

Manchester United now finds itself in 5th place in the Premier League table, just 2 points behind Chelsea for the final Champions League slot.

The post Man U Takes Manchester Derby By 2-0 Final appeared first on SportzBonanza.

After a disappointing loss in the first leg of their Champions League Round of 16 matchup against Atlético Madrid, Liverpool looked to be in trouble of losing a second consecutive game on Monday night against West Ham United.

However, the Reds got the job done, coming back to beat relegation candidates West Ham by a 3-2 final score to maintain their iron grip on the Premier League title race.

The Reds struck first as Georginio Wijnaldum struck to put his team up 1-0 at Anfield in only the ninth minute of the match.

However, West Ham’s Issa Diop struck only three minutes later to even the game, bringing the match to 1-1, where the score remained until halftime.

Concern struck at Anfield after Pablo Fornals buried a Declan Rice cross into the net behind Alisson Becker to give his team a shock 2-1 advantage at minute 54.

Liverpool kept fighting, however, and evened the score 14 minutes later after a Mo Salah shot was fumbled by Irons keeper Lukasz Fabianski, rolling into the net.

The comeback was completed in the 81st minute after right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold delivered a perfect short cross to Sadio Mane, who buried his shot into a wide open net to give Liverpool a 3-2 advantage that they would not relinquish.

Liverpool now owns a 22-point advantage over second place Manchester City in the standings and could clinch if they win their next four matches.

The post Liverpool Escapes With 3-2 Win Against West Ham appeared first on SportzBonanza.

London rivals Arsenal and Chelsea played a derby match in this week’s 20^th fixture in the Premier League at Emirates Stadium. This match was the first for Mikel Arteta in front of Arsenal fans, but the end result ruined his moment. 

Arsenal scored early in the 13^th minute through Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang when Callum Chambers found Arsenal’s top striker after a corner kick. Before the end, Chelsea’s former defender David Luiz was almost sent off after he raised his leg and nearly missing Ngolo Kante’s head, avoiding a bigger incident. The referee saw the situation, but no whistle was blown. 

Frank Lampard’s team was isolated throughout the entire game, with Tammy Abraham having no chances until the very end. Brazilian-born Italian Jorginho replaced Emerson before the 2^nd half and that move by Lampard changed the outcome. Late in the 83rd minute, Mason Mount found Jorginho after a free kick in the box but the goal was given 2 minutes later after the VAR replay. This goal changed the momentum on Chealsea’s side when their top striker Tammy Abraham delivered the final blow just 3 minutes before the end. Abraham had one more chance to seal the win, but his shot went way over the crossbar. 

The post Chelsea Beats Arsenal in Terrific London Derby appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Norwich and Tottenham played a very interesting match in the 20^th fixture of the Premier League at Carrow Road. The home team was in the lead twice but the Spurs managed to earn a tough point at the end. 

Bosnian international Mario Vrancic scored the first goal for Norwich in the 18^th minute, bringing huge joy to the stands. Norwich’s top striker Teemu Pukki scored the 2^nd goal, but after the consultation with the VAR system, the referee disallowed the goal due to an offside. 

Jose Mourinho’s team had no other choice but to press the hosts in their own half and that paid off when Christian Eriksen scored a wonderful free-kick in the 55^th minute. Another goal was disallowed in the 58^th minute, this time for Tottenham’s Delle Alli. 

Serge Aurier helped Norwich to retain the lead again when he scored a goal in the 61^st minute. Tottenham had one final push to earn at least a point and then, Christoph Zimmermann committed a foul in the penalty box. Once again VAR was consulted and the referee pointed at the spot. Harry Kane successfully converted the penalty, making the final result 2-2. 

The post Harry Kane Saves Point For Tottenham Against Norwich appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The current European champions Liverpool have extended their lead to 13 points at the top of the league after their victory over 2^nd placed Leicester City, on a traditional Boxing Day fixture. Jurgen Klopp’s side once again proved that they are the only candidates for the Premier League title so far. Liverpool is chasing their 19^th league title, first since 1990. 

Liverpool put four goals in Schmeichel’s net, having no problem against the surprisingly-weak 2^nd placed Leicester, who stood no chance against The Reds.  

The score was open by Roberto Firmino in the 31^st minute, after Alexander-Arnold’s cross landed on Firmino’s head. Leicester had huge problems in the defense, but Sadio Mane’s strike was deflected by Schmeichel right after the goal was scored. Leicester had zero shots in the first half, proving that Liverpool are the better team at the moment. 

Nothing changed in the 2^nd half for Leicester as Liverpool maintained full control over the field. Caglar Soyuncu tapped the ball with his hand in the penalty box 20 minutes before the end. James Milner converted the penalty into success and made it 0-2. Until the end, Firmino and Alexander-Arnold finished the job, scoring two more goals for a final result of 0-4. 

The post Liverpool Solidifies Top Position With Win Over Leicester appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The English Premier League is currently evaluating plans for the return to the competition after nearly two months of being postponed due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic which has forced the cancellation of sports around the globe.

According to some reports, the Premier League could look to get creative with their plan to return to action, including the possibility of game times that are shorter than the habitual 90 minutes.

This plan would theoretically be put in place due to the increased number of games per week, a plan that the league could be forced to implement in order to finish the 2019-20 season before the end of the summer.

Reducing the number of minutes per match would theoretically reduce the physical toll on players’ bodies if they are forced to play two or three games per week, reducing the risk of injury and fatigue issues.

No definitive plan has been put in place, however, as Premier League teams are still waiting to find out when their season will get back underway and when teams will be able to return to training sessions.

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced leagues around the world to deal with unprecedented situations, some of which, as this case demonstrates, may require unprecedented solutions.

The post Premier League Reportedly in Talks to Shorten Games Post-Return appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Star Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne has admitted that he may have to look for a new team depending on the results of an appeal to the two-year Champions League ban that his team received for Financial Fair Play violations this season.

City, which has qualified for the competition in each of the past nine seasons, is set to miss out on the next two editions of the world’s premier club soccer competition after UEFA’s ruling. The club, however, is currently in an appeals process and expects the ban to be lifted or reduced.

However, if the two-year ban is upheld, De Bruyne admitted in an interview with Belgian media that he would have to consider going elsewhere to play. According to the midfielder, if the ban only lasted a year, he would be more likely to stay, but a two-year ban would be tough to stomach.

De Bruyne, who is one of the game’s premier midfielders and would certainly have lots of suitors if a transfer was forced, has provided 9 goals and 20 assists in all competitions this season.

City’s ownership will do their best to convince the Belgian star to stay even if the transfer ban is upheld, but they might be out of luck if De Bruyne decides that spending two seasons without playing in the Champions League is something that he wouldn’t accept.

The post Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne May Consider Leaving the Club appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Despite having loaned out Dean Henderson in every campaign since making the Manchester United senior team in 2016, the Red Devils are still bullish about the keeper’s future and reportedly have no plans to sell him this summer.

Henderson, who turned 23-years-old last month, has been on loan at newly-promoted Sheffield United since 2018. The England native was a key figure in the club’s promotion to the Premier League last season and has been its first-team keeper in the club’s impressive run in England’s top flight this season.

Despite still having Spanish keeper David de Gea under contract and no clear role for Henderson in the immediate future, the team still isn’t ready to sell him for a profit.

Henderson, whose current market value is estimated at $16 million, could head out on loan again next season. The Red Devils still appear to think that his future is between the sticks at Old Trafford, and they want to keep him around.

Juventus and Chelsea have been two of the clubs to reportedly express interest in Henderson this winter, but it appears that if Manchester United has its way, they won’t be able to touch their young star keeper unless they’re happy with a loan move.

The post Manchester United Has No Plans to Sell GK Dean Henderson appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, the talented attacker who has been a bright spot in a rough patch for Arsenal over the past couple of seasons, has received some controversial advice from the president of his native country’s football association.

Pierre Alain Mounguengui, the head of Gabon’s football association, said in an interview with ESPN that he believes that his country’s biggest star should aim for a club with loftier goals.

Mounguengui stated, “I don’t want to say that Arsenal aren’t ambitious, but Arsenal don’t have ambitions as high as some other clubs as far as Europe is concerned.” He went on to add, “If Pierre could secure a contract with a more ambitious club, he’d definitely find his place there.”

The Gunners have disappointed fans over the past two seasons, wondering if Aubameyang might leave for greener pastures. Arsenal finished in 5th place in the league last season without any trophies, and then were shockingly eliminated by Olympiacos in the first knockout round of this year’s Europa League.

Aubameyang, who turns 31-years-old this summer, has scored 49 goals in 75 games with the Gunners since joining the team in 2018 from Borussia Dortmund.

It remains to be seen if the Gabonese star will heed Mounguengui’s advice or keep trying his luck in North London.

The post Gabon FA President: Aubameyang Should Look For a “More Ambitious Club” appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The English Premier League called for a temporary suspension of the competition before the beginning of last week’s slate due to the ongoing outbreak of the coronavirus.

Now, league leaders and club representatives have spoken and decided that the competition won’t be back until April 30th, at the very earliest.

Teams engaged in a conference call on Thursday morning to discuss the league’s response to the ongoing COVID-19 epidemic, which has forced the postponement and cancellation of sports leagues around the world.

While no date was originally given when the league decided to suspend its competition a week ago, we now know that it will take at least until the end of next month for things to get going again.

At the present time, it’s unknown if the games will have to be played behind closed doors, or if fans will be allowed into the grounds to see the matches.

What does appear to be clear is that the Premier League is determined to finish the 2019-20 season. Liverpool currently holds a huge lead in the competition and will eventually win the title, however, there is plenty still left up for grabs in terms of Champions League and Europa League spots.

For now, fans will have to wait for one of the world’s most popular leagues to resume once again.

The post English Premier League Won’t Return to Action Until April 30th, at Earliest appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Manchester United staked their claim as a Champions League contender with a crucial 2-0 win in the Manchester Derby over eternal rivals Manchester City on Sunday.

United saw very little of the ball during the match, which ended with a 73% possession figure for Pep Guardiola’s City, but was able to generate a big number of shots against an opponent that looked defeated at times.

Despite finding themselves defending throughout the match, Ole Gunnar Solksjaer’s side kept City’s powerful offense at bay and took advantage of a couple of Ederson errors to take a huge victory from their biggest game of the season.

The Red Devils took a 1-0 lead early in the match after a Bruno Fernandes shot squeak under Ederson’s arms to give Manchester United a lead before halftime.

Try as they could, City just couldn’t figure out a Manchester United defense that barely allowed them to shoot at David de Gea’s net.

In stoppage time, Scott McTominay doubled Man U’s lead, taking advantage of a poor kick by Ederson to find an empty net and move the scoreboard to its 2-0 final.

Manchester United now finds itself in 5th place in the Premier League table, just 2 points behind Chelsea for the final Champions League slot.

The post Man U Takes Manchester Derby By 2-0 Final appeared first on SportzBonanza.

After a disappointing loss in the first leg of their Champions League Round of 16 matchup against Atlético Madrid, Liverpool looked to be in trouble of losing a second consecutive game on Monday night against West Ham United.

However, the Reds got the job done, coming back to beat relegation candidates West Ham by a 3-2 final score to maintain their iron grip on the Premier League title race.

The Reds struck first as Georginio Wijnaldum struck to put his team up 1-0 at Anfield in only the ninth minute of the match.

However, West Ham’s Issa Diop struck only three minutes later to even the game, bringing the match to 1-1, where the score remained until halftime.

Concern struck at Anfield after Pablo Fornals buried a Declan Rice cross into the net behind Alisson Becker to give his team a shock 2-1 advantage at minute 54.

Liverpool kept fighting, however, and evened the score 14 minutes later after a Mo Salah shot was fumbled by Irons keeper Lukasz Fabianski, rolling into the net.

The comeback was completed in the 81st minute after right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold delivered a perfect short cross to Sadio Mane, who buried his shot into a wide open net to give Liverpool a 3-2 advantage that they would not relinquish.

Liverpool now owns a 22-point advantage over second place Manchester City in the standings and could clinch if they win their next four matches.

The post Liverpool Escapes With 3-2 Win Against West Ham appeared first on SportzBonanza.

London rivals Arsenal and Chelsea played a derby match in this week’s 20^th fixture in the Premier League at Emirates Stadium. This match was the first for Mikel Arteta in front of Arsenal fans, but the end result ruined his moment. 

Arsenal scored early in the 13^th minute through Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang when Callum Chambers found Arsenal’s top striker after a corner kick. Before the end, Chelsea’s former defender David Luiz was almost sent off after he raised his leg and nearly missing Ngolo Kante’s head, avoiding a bigger incident. The referee saw the situation, but no whistle was blown. 

Frank Lampard’s team was isolated throughout the entire game, with Tammy Abraham having no chances until the very end. Brazilian-born Italian Jorginho replaced Emerson before the 2^nd half and that move by Lampard changed the outcome. Late in the 83rd minute, Mason Mount found Jorginho after a free kick in the box but the goal was given 2 minutes later after the VAR replay. This goal changed the momentum on Chealsea’s side when their top striker Tammy Abraham delivered the final blow just 3 minutes before the end. Abraham had one more chance to seal the win, but his shot went way over the crossbar. 

The post Chelsea Beats Arsenal in Terrific London Derby appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Norwich and Tottenham played a very interesting match in the 20^th fixture of the Premier League at Carrow Road. The home team was in the lead twice but the Spurs managed to earn a tough point at the end. 

Bosnian international Mario Vrancic scored the first goal for Norwich in the 18^th minute, bringing huge joy to the stands. Norwich’s top striker Teemu Pukki scored the 2^nd goal, but after the consultation with the VAR system, the referee disallowed the goal due to an offside. 

Jose Mourinho’s team had no other choice but to press the hosts in their own half and that paid off when Christian Eriksen scored a wonderful free-kick in the 55^th minute. Another goal was disallowed in the 58^th minute, this time for Tottenham’s Delle Alli. 

Serge Aurier helped Norwich to retain the lead again when he scored a goal in the 61^st minute. Tottenham had one final push to earn at least a point and then, Christoph Zimmermann committed a foul in the penalty box. Once again VAR was consulted and the referee pointed at the spot. Harry Kane successfully converted the penalty, making the final result 2-2. 

The post Harry Kane Saves Point For Tottenham Against Norwich appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The current European champions Liverpool have extended their lead to 13 points at the top of the league after their victory over 2^nd placed Leicester City, on a traditional Boxing Day fixture. Jurgen Klopp’s side once again proved that they are the only candidates for the Premier League title so far. Liverpool is chasing their 19^th league title, first since 1990. 

Liverpool put four goals in Schmeichel’s net, having no problem against the surprisingly-weak 2^nd placed Leicester, who stood no chance against The Reds.  

The score was open by Roberto Firmino in the 31^st minute, after Alexander-Arnold’s cross landed on Firmino’s head. Leicester had huge problems in the defense, but Sadio Mane’s strike was deflected by Schmeichel right after the goal was scored. Leicester had zero shots in the first half, proving that Liverpool are the better team at the moment. 

Nothing changed in the 2^nd half for Leicester as Liverpool maintained full control over the field. Caglar Soyuncu tapped the ball with his hand in the penalty box 20 minutes before the end. James Milner converted the penalty into success and made it 0-2. Until the end, Firmino and Alexander-Arnold finished the job, scoring two more goals for a final result of 0-4. 

The post Liverpool Solidifies Top Position With Win Over Leicester appeared first on SportzBonanza.