By Yinka Ezun
Both teams score
Man city v Leeds…. GG
Arsenal v west ham..GG
Union B v Freiburg…GG
Machean v Gent ….GG
Straight choice
Man city v Leeds… 1
Chelsea v Everton.. 1
Liverpool v Newcastle..1
Stugart v Bayern…. 2
Bayern lev v Hoffman..1
2.5
Man city v Leeds…. 2.5
Stugart v Bayern…2.5
Chelsea v Everton…2.5
Arsenal v west ham..2.5
Machean v Gent….2.5
Outbreak of Covid-19 hits Manchester United
Manchester United suffered an outbreak of Covid-19 among players and staff on Sunday (Dec 12), jeopardising their next Premier League game against Brentford.
United, who won 1-0 at Norwich City on Saturday, are due to travel to Brentford on Tuesday.
Website The Athletic reported that a small number of players and staff had returned positive lateral flow tests on Sunday morning and were sent home before the team’s training session, with the Premier League notified about the situation.
The report also said that the group that travelled to Norwich had returned negative results before Saturday’s game.
Brighton & Hove Albion’s home game against Tottenham Hotspur, due to be played on Sunday, was called off due to a number of Covid-19 cases at Tottenham last week.
Britain raised its Covid alert level on Sunday in response to the rapid spread of the Omicron variant of the virus
Rangers’ Aribo makes Afcon 2021 statement with goal versus Hearts
The Nigeria international found the net as the Gers secured an away victory over the Jambos on Sunday
Joe Aribo showed signs of what could be expected of him at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations with a goal as Rangers secured a 2-0 away win over Hearts in Sunday’s Scottish Premiership outing.
The Nigeria midfielder capped off an impressive display by finding the net as the Gers maintained their lead at the summit of the log.
Heading into the fixture billed for the Tynecastle Park in Edinburgh, the Jambos were still basking in the euphoria of their triumph over Livingston, while the visitors were unbeaten in their last five matches in all competitions.
Hearts began the game on a bright note and they almost took the lead within one minute but goalkeeper Allan McGregor tipped Liam Boyce’s effort over the bar.
In the ninth minute, the visiting side took the lead through Alfredo Morelos after he was sent through by Zambia international Fashion Sakala.
Sakala could have doubled Rangers’ advantage two minutes later but he could not find the net despite receiving a fine pass from Ryan Kent, who had skinned Taylor Moore.
In the 13th minute, Aribo doubled the Gers’ advantage after smashing the ball past goalkeeper Craig Gordon after he was teed up by Connor Goldson’s defence-splitting pass.
Although the hosts tried to reduce their deficit, they were unlucky in front of goal as they went into the half-time break with a two-goal disadvantage.
Scott Arfield could have made it 3-0 for Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s men a minute before the hour mark, but goalkeeper Gordon did well to stop the goal-bound effort.
Hearts’ ambition of launching a late comeback faded into the thin air as Josh Ginnelly was given his marching orders for a second caution.
Super-sub Benjamin Woodburn tested McGregor with an effort on 85 minutes, and he was lively to deny Boyce from the rebound before the Gers used their man advantage to keep the ball well inside the Hearts half.
Aribo – who now boasts six league goals in the 2021-22 campaign – was in action from start to finish alongside Calvin Bassey. Sakala was substituted for John Lundstram with 10 minutes left to play.
Aribo and Bassey are expected to make Nigeria’s cut for the 2021 Afcon billed for Cameroon. Gernot Rohr’s Super Eagles have been zoned in Group D alongside Egypt, Sudan and Guinea Bissau.
For Sakala, he will not be playing at the biennial football showpiece following Chipolopolo’s failure to qualify.
CAF turns down Egypt’s request to alter Afcon 2021 calendar
Following the overlapping of the FIFA Club World Cup and the Africa Cup of Nations finals in January, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has turned down the request of Egypt’s Al Ahly to move up the January 9 date set for the continental premier football tournament.
Ahly are the current African Champions League winner and also have a considerable number of players in the Egyptian squad.
There are players of other national teams that will also be affected. They are: Ali Maaloul (Tunisia), Aliou Dieng (Mali) and Badr Benoun (Morocco).
Al Ahly are set to participate in the 2021 Club World Cup, their second under Pitso Mosimane, from 3 February 2022 to the 12th, in the United Arab Emirates.
If Egypt, Mali and Morocco reach the knockout stages of Afcon, Al Ahly will have to compete in the Club World Cup without these key players.
The African champions have, therefore, demanded the Egyptian FA to play the role in helping them resolve this issue.
In their statement, Al Ahly revealed that they sent a letter to the EFA in which they emphasized on the role they played in always helping the national team throughout history.
They also claimed that they need full support of Egypt’s football governing body as they will not only be representing Egypt but also the whole African continent.
According to Egyptian publication Ahram, CAF rejected the appeal and announced that the kick-off date for the Africa Cup of Nations remains 9 January.
Egypt will feature in Group D along with Nigeria, Sudan and Guinea Bissau.
Eto’o: Drogba and Toure celebrate new president of Cameroon FA
Ivory Coast legends Didier Drogba and Yaya Toure have congratulated Samuel Eto’o after his successful election as the new president of Cameroon Football Federation (Fecafoot).
The former Barcelona and Real Madrid striker won the election on Saturday after beating interim president and fourth vice-president of the Confederation of African Football, Seidou Mbombo Njoya by 43 to 31 votes.
The 40-year-old’s triumph for a new path in football administration follows an illustrious playing career that saw him win major titles around the world which includes the Africa Cup of Nations, Uefa Champions League, Fifa Club World Cup, La Liga and several individual awards.
His rivals on the pitch and friends outside the playing area – Drogba and Toure, moved swiftly to send their best wishes and Drogba described Saturday’s success as a step to revive football on the African continent.
Congratulations to Samuel Eto’o for this election at the head of the Cameroonian football federation. Glimmers of hope for the renaissance of African football,” Drogba tweeted.
“Congratulations President! Fantastic to see my friend Samuel Eto’o flying high and elected as the Fecafoot president. Wonderful news,” Toure tweeted.
Eto’o, in his appreciation message to the electorates and fans, highlighted the triumph as a proud moment in his life.
