SPORT : Brighton vs Arsenal, Arteta to be without four key players for EPL clash

 Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta, will be without at least four first-team players for their trip to Brighton & Hove Albion on Tuesday.

A statement on the Gunners’ official website revealed that Gabriel Magalhaes, Thomas Partey, David Luiz and Willian will be unavailable for the game.

Magalhaes, who missed the 3-1 win over Chelsea, has tested positive for COVID-19.

Luiz and Willian are recovering from symptoms and will resume training later in the week.

Partey is also on the road to recovery.

“Gabriel – Has tested positive for COVID-19 and is isolating according to UK Government and Premier League protocols. We will continue to monitor and support Gabriel, and we are hoping he will be available again after our next two matches.

“Thomas Partey – Left thigh. Thomas has progressed well since the injury on 6 December. He has started to train outside and will continue with his daily assessments and monitoring.

“David Luiz – Since feeling unwell, David has returned to outside training and is due to re-join the full squad on Thursday (31 December).

“Willian – Since feeling unwell, Willian has returned to outside training and is due to re-join the full squad on Thursday (31 December),” the statement read.

SPORT : EPL, Abramovich to sack Lampard as Chelsea manager on one condition

 Chelsea owner, Roman Abramovich, will sack manager, Frank Lampard if he doesn’t deliver a Premier League top-four finish this season.

This claim was made by former Chelsea star, Craig Burley.

Lampard’s men are currently in the 6th position on the Premier League table with 26 points from 16 matches after losing 3-1 against Arsenal on Boxing Day.

“[Lampard’s] got players out of form, he’s got players that aren’t fully fit, and that is a problem,” Burley told ESPN.

“They’ve gone from looking one of the paciest, quickest sides in the Premier League, to one of the most pedestrian.

“That is a huge issue for him because you may have noticed with this owner Roman Abramovich, he does not suffer inconsistency, bad results, no matter who it is.

“So let me be clear, Lampard is back on the chopping board currently as we speak.”

Burley added: “It’s turn-up time for Lampard and these players. This cut and thrust period can make and break you.

“I’m not suggesting Abramovich is going to sack him [Lampard] in the next couple of weeks, but there is one thing they need to remember – top four. If they don’t get in the top four, he’s probably done.

“It’s a big season for him. It looked as if it was going swimmingly and now it looks like they’re sinking a little bit. They seem to have a weight around their feet. He’s going to have to find the reason to put it right.”

Meanwhile, Chelsea played a 1-1 draw with Aston Villa on Monday evening at Stamford Bridge, thanks to Olivier Giroud’s strike.

SPORT : EPL, Saha names five teams that can win title

 

Former Manchester United striker, Louis Saha, has said at least five teams can win the Premier League title this season.

Champions Liverpool are currently top, but have already drawn five matches and lost once.

A number of teams are within touching distance of the Reds and Saha believes Man City, Tottenham, Man United and Chelsea will rival Klopp’s charge for the title.

Saha told Ladbrokes: “I’d probably say there are four or five teams in with a genuine chance of winning the title.

“I’d definitely put Man United in there, Tottenham in there for sure as well. Chelsea have a good chance too, as well as the obvious two.

“I’m actually loving the competitiveness of the Premier League this season. Football needs it.

“When you look at leagues like Spain and France where it is always the same one or two teams – it’s great to see such a wide-open league in England.”

SPORT : EPL Iheanacho misses penalty as Leicester City fail to beat Crystal Palace

 Leicester City striker, Kelechi Iheanacho, on Monday missed a penalty in his side’s Premier League 1-1 draw against Crystal Palace.

Iheanacho missed a glorious opportunity to add to his tally this season at Selhurst Park as second-half goals from Wilfried Zaha, and Harvey Barnes ensured both Leicester and Palace got a point each.

The Nigerian international was handed his second league start of the campaign against Roy Hodgson’s side but missed an opportunity to give the Foxes the lead.

Leicester were awarded a penalty in the 19th minute during the match after James Tomkins brought down Luke Thomas in the box.

Iheanacho was given the opportunity to take the spot-kick, but the former Manchester City star missed the glorious chance, failing to fire his effort past goalkeeper, Vicente Guaita.

The 24-year-old played for 72 minutes before he was replaced by Demarai Gray.

Iheanacho’s compatriot, Wilfred Ndidi, was did not play the match.

The result means Leicester still maintain the second position on the Premier League table with 29 points from 16 matches.

SPORT : Mesut Ozil in shock move to join Ronaldo at Juventus

 

Arsenal are set to offload playmaker, Mesut Ozil, out in a shock move to Juventus on a six-month loan, according to Italian newspaper, Tuttosport.

The Premier League club are willing to subsidise Ozil’s mammoth £350,000-a-week salary to help seal the deal with Juventus in the January transfer window.

Ozil’s agent has also been in contact with the Serie A champions over a potential free transfer in 2021.

The move would reunite Ozil with his former Real Madrid team-mate, Cristiano Ronaldo, at Allianz.

Ozil has not played for Arsenal under manager, Mikel Arteta, since football resumed after the COVID-19 lockdown.

The 32-year-old was also dropped from Arsenal’s 25-man Europa League squad.

The ex-Germany international joined Arsenal from Real Madrid in the summer of 2013 under the regime of former Gunners manager, Arsene Wenger.

SPORT : Everton vs Man City game called off

 Monday night football between Manchester City and Everton has been postponed, because of a COVID-19 outbreak among the City squad.

It is the second Premier League fixture to be called off this season due to Coronavirus outbreak, after Aston Villa vs Newcastle earlier this month.

On Christmas Day, Manchester City announced Gabriel Jesus and Kyle Walker had tested positive for coronavirus, along with two members of club staff.

The club has now closed their first-team training ground.

A Manchester City statement read: “After the latest round of Covid-19 testing, the club returned a number of positive cases, in addition to the four already reported on Christmas Day.

“With the security of the bubble compromised, there posed a risk that the virus could spread further amongst the squad, the staff and potentially beyond.

“Based on strong medical advice the Premier League, in consultation with both clubs, have decided to postpone the fixture.”

SPORT : Everton’s, predicted line up against Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City Side

 Everton have been relatively impressed under Carlo Ancelotti and they are placed second in the table after beating Sheffield United last time out.

They are just three points adrift of Merseyside rivals Liverpool and their run of wins in a row has defined their surge up to the EPL log.

The Italian boss Carlo Ancelotti has no fresh injury concerns ahead of the Manchester City duel. Though he will make do without six of his key players.

The major players to be missing out here include Allan, James Rodriguez, Lucas Digne and Richarlison while Jean-Philippe Gbamin and Fabian Delph are relatively sidelined for this match.

The unavailability of the four important players could see the Toffees approach the game with a defensive platform.

With Lucas Digne not available, Ben Godfrey should take up the left-back role, though Seamus Coleman could return to the starting eleven to feature at the right back.

Yerry Mina and Michael Keane should continue as Everton defensive pair in the central defence while goalkeeper Jordan Pickford should keep his place in goal.

In the midfield, Tom Davies should partner Abduolaye Duocoure in, pivot with the two sitting behind to stifle what Kevin De Bruyne may be trying to make out for his side in transition.

Gylfi Sigurdsson will continue on the number 10 role looking to pull the string for his side in the attacking third.

With the match coming too early for James Rodriguez (Colombia) and Richarlison (Brazil), Alex Iwobi and Bernard are expected to feature in their stead on both flanks.

In the attack, the in-form top scorer Dominic Calvert-Lewin should spearhead the charge for goals for his Everton side.

Everton probable eleven against Manchester City in a 4-2-3-1 Formation Scheme.

Jordan Pickford; Seamus Coleman, Michael Keane, Yerry Mina, Ben Godfrey; Abdoulaye Duocoure; Ben Davies; Alex Iwobi, Gylfi Sigurdsson, Bernard; Dominic Calvert-Lewin.