Soccer: Marcus Rashford on target as Man United earn comfortable win

Soccer new signing Matthijs de Ligt grabbed his first goal while Marcus Rashford scored for the first time since March in Manchester United’s 3-0 Premier League victory at Southampton on Saturday. Alejandro Garnacho added a late goal for Erik ten Hag’s side who started the day 14th in the table after back-to-back losses. They now have six points from four matches while newly promoted Southampton remain without a point.

Southampton dominated early on but squandered a chance to take the lead in the 34th minute after United goalkeeper André Onana saved Cameron Archer’s poor penalty, sparking an immediate shift in momentum at St. Mary’s Stadium. A minute later, de Ligt headed in a sumptuous ball from Bruno Fernandes. Rashford, who had gone 13 games without a goal, then ended his drought with a diagonal shot from outside the 18-yard-box to the far corner in the 45th minute.

The hosts were reduced to 10 men in the 79th minute when defender Jack Stephens was sent off for a high tackle on Garnacho. In October 2023, Manchester City are at increasing risk of losing Kevin de Bruyne, as Saudi Pro League chiefs are reportedly ready to step up their hunt for the attacking midfielder with a ‘jaw-dropping’ contract offer. de Bruyne was targeted by Saudi officials in the summer, as they looked to take a plethora of top stars from Europe to the Middle East.

While world-class soccer players such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Neymar, and Sadio Mane are now playing in Saudi Arabia, de Bruyne could not be convinced to make the switch.

de Bruyne has been a fantastic servant for Manchester City, having notched an incredible 96 goals and 153 assists in 358 matches, helping them to win a host of trophies. Saudi officials are determined to make de Bruyne their latest big-name capture and will try to lure him to the country with a massive contract offer. Should de Bruyne leave though, then he will go as a modern-day Manchester City legend.

There will be jaw-dropping finances on offer. The report does not mention exactly how much de Bruyne could earn, or which team in particular is at the front of the queue to complete a deal. But if previous reports are to be believed, then it is Al Nassr who are leading the charge. This could see de Bruyne form an unstoppable partnership with five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo.

de Bruyne currently takes home £400,000 a week at Manchester City. At Al Nassr, though, de Bruyne could earn way more than this. Ronaldo is admittedly an extreme example, but he is picking up a whopping £3.6m per week in Saudi Arabia. It will be a shame if de Bruyne departs the Premier League at the end of the season, as many Manchester City fans will feel he still has plenty more top performances in him.

de Bruyne has helped the club to win one Champions League, five Premier League titles, two FA Cups, five League Cups, and one UEFA Super Cup.

de Bruyne is not the only elite Manchester City man who could soon find a new club, as Real Madrid have reportedly drawn up a huge offer for one of his team-mates. As Arsenal fought Manchester City for the title last season which would eventually fall away from them allowing Pep Guardiola and his team to once again lift the trophy. The reality however is perhaps even worse for Arsenal.

Questions regarding the 115 alleged breaches that were leveled at their title rivals that were never going to see a resolution within the timeframe of last season. The Premier League has called for a harsh penalty for Everton who are accused of breaking Financial Fair Play (FFP) and if found guilty could end up with a 12-point deduction. Naturally, this news has seen attention again switch to Manchester City and the continuing referral by the Premier League to a Commission that continues to work on the situation.

It has been relatively quiet since the news came to light. There is good reason for this and perhaps why Arsenal supporters, at least for now, need not worry themselves over it. The reason being, is that the sheer volume of allegations that Manchester City are facing means a lengthy process is being undertaken that could take years to fully process. James Carragher made the rather amusing quip online comparing Everton’s potential punishment to what could face Manchester City if they were found to be guilty.

The Premier League wants a 12-point deduction for Everton for one charge, Manchester City are going to end up in the National League North if the Premier League get their way.

The reality is with the Commission conducting its assessment of the allegations in private and confidential settings, it is unlikely there will be any information regarding when is a conclusion until its end. Therefore perhaps the anxiousness will emerge from the not knowing. In May 2023, chants of ‘Liverpool, Liverpool’ and loud boos drowned out the anthem, which could only be heard faintly.

“God Save the King” was drowned out by boos and chants at Anfield as it was played ahead of the Reds’ 1-0 win over Brentford to mark the crowning of King Charles III and the Queen Consort. The jeering started immediately after the PA announcer confirmed that the national anthem would be played moments before kick-off. Reds skipper Jordan Henderson appeared to sing along with the anthem from the touchline as a substitute, but most players from multiple nationalities decided to keep silent.

Fans were seen at Anfield with anti-monarchy banners, some of which read ‘not my King’ in reference to legendary Liverpool forward ‘King Kenny’ Dalglish. Clubs were not obliged to play the anthem before kick off, but the Merseyside club announced they would do so as they anticipated failing to do so could lead to national backlash. But the national anthem had been jeered by some of their fans prior to last season’s FA Cup final at Wembley.

Liverpool’s history of booing the national anthem stems from long-held anti-establishment sentiment within the city and a feeling of disconnect with the British government.

The goal, Mohamed Salah’s 100th at Anfield and 30th of the season, moved Liverpool within one point of fourth-place Manchester United, although they have played two more games. Jurgen Klopp’s side followed the anthem controversy with an important if unconvincing 1-0 win over Brentford, as Salah scored the only goal of the game after 13 minutes. Klopp’s men will next be in action when they face relegation-threatened Leicester.

The British national anthem has been met with resounding boos at Anfield, with Liverpool fans drowning out the music with heckles before their fixture against Brentford hours. The club said it was asked to play “God Save the King” by the Premier League to mark the king’s coronation, despite strong opposition. Liverpool said how spectators chose to react to the anthem was a personal choice, while the team’s manager, Klopp, said he did not have an opinion on the subject.

The booing coming from around the entire ground was so loud people did not even know the anthem had started. The Premier League contacted all home clubs and strongly suggested to mark this historic occasion across home matches this weekend and provided a list of activity for clubs to get involved in. Before kick-off and in recognition of the Premier League’s request to mark the coronation, players and officials will congregate around the centre circle when the national anthem will be played.

It is, of course, a personal choice how those at Anfield on Saturday mark this occasion and some supporters have strong views on it.

That is over the whole country. Liverpool fans have been booing the national anthem since the 1980s. Beginning as a protest against the establishment, particularly during then prime minister Margaret Thatcher’s managed decline of the city, and now representing dissatisfaction with the condition of the country. So George Sephton, Anfield’s long-serving stadium announcer, began to explain the National Anthem was about to be played.

Sephton’s tone is as recognizable at Liverpool’s home as the team’s red shirt but it was becoming harder and harder to hear what he was saying. There was shouting and whistling, widespread dissent, and then the drum roll for “God Save the King” began. But Sephton had pressed play too early. And in block 202 and all around the stadium, the reaction everyone outside the city had expected from Liverpool supporters and the marking of the Coronation had come to pass.

Usually this level of animosity is only reserved for when the Manchester clubs are in town but this was different. Half the stadium did not want anything to do with the National Anthem, so they booed and they whistled and they shouted. By the time Sephton had properly started the anthem, you could only make it out if you really listened hard. Those who were not booing showed their true allegiances, hollering the words ‘Liverpool! Liverpool!’ repeatedly.

At the other end of the stadium, Brentford fans, some of whom were dressed in Union Jack hats, joined in but there was nothing from Liverpool, save for Henderson who sang on the bench.

There have been many remarkable moments at Anfield and this, for many reasons, was another that would not be forgotten. Liverpool had been placed in an impossible position by the Premier League, who had issued its members with flimsy guidance, and, as a club, they were angry. Not as angry as the fans, however. This, to be clear again, was not about booing King Charles or any single member of the Royal Family per se.

The long-standing grievance Liverpool supporters hold is focused on the establishment. The National Anthem is symbolic of their distrust. It is why the booing and whistling got louder in block 202 until the final note of the anthem, when Sephton instantly flicked a switch and played the first bars of “You’ll Never Walk Alone”. Now there was unity and now a stadium was singing something in which it believed.

Sephton, whose first match doing this particular job was in August 1971, has a feel for the mood of the crowd and there are days when he simply fades out the music and allows those in the stadium to take over from Gerry Marsden. This was one such occasion. Undoubtedly, there would have been Liverpool fans dotted around Anfield who were uncomfortable with it all.

There were plenty of flags outside homes in districts not far from the ground and many within the city are proud of the Royal Family.

Let us not forget, that Sir Kenny Dalglish was overwhelmed when he received a knighthood in 2018 and Henderson was similarly humbled when he was made an MBE in 2022. But in block 202 nobody was interested in marking the start of the New Carolean era, and that was always going to be the case. The only ‘royalty’ they cared for here was Salah, whose first-half goal carried him into the top five on the club’s all-time scoring list, and Dalglish.

In April 2023, Tottenham Hotspur FC, commonly known as Spurs, is a professional football club based in Tottenham, London. The club was founded in 1882 and has since become one of the most successful and popular football clubs in the world. Everton FC, on the other hand, is a professional football club based in Liverpool. The club was founded in 1878 and has a rich history of success in the sport.

Spurs has a long and illustrious history in English football. The club has won two league titles, eight FA Cups, four League Cups, and two UEFA Cups. In the 1960s, Spurs became the first English club to win a European trophy when they won the European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1963. The club’s most successful period came in the 1960s and early 1970s when they won two league titles and a UEFA Cup.

In recent years, Spurs have become a consistent top-four team in the Premier League and have qualified for the UEFA Champions League in four of the last five seasons.

Everton FC is one of the oldest football clubs in the world and has a rich history of success. The club has won nine league titles, five FA Cups, and one European Cup Winners’ Cup. Everton’s most successful period came in the 1980s when they won two league titles, four FA Cups, and a European Cup Winners’ Cup. In recent years, Everton has struggled to compete at the top of the Premier League and has not won a major trophy since 1995.

As of the time of writing, Spurs is currently in 6th place in the Premier League table with 36 points from 21 games. They have won 10, drawn 6, and lost 5 games so far this season. Everton FC, on the other hand, is currently in 7th place in the Premier League table with 33 points from 20 games. They have won 10, drawn 3, and lost 7 games so far this season.

When comparing the statistics of Spurs and Everton FC, it is clear that Spurs have the edge. Tottenham have scored 38 goals and conceded 20 goals in the Premier League this season, while Everton have scored 28 goals and conceded 24 goals. Spurs’ top scorer in the league this season is Harry Kane with 12 goals, while Everton’s top scorer is Dominic Calvert-Lewin with 11 goals.

In terms of player performance, Spurs’ attacking trio of Harry Kane, Heung-Min Son, and Gareth Bale have been in excellent form this season.

Kane leads the league in assists with 11, while Son has scored 11 goals and Bale has scored 3 goals and provided 2 assists in limited playing time. Everton, on the other hand, have relied heavily on the goal-scoring abilities of Dominic Calvert-Lewin and the creativity of James Rodriguez. Spurs’ main strength this season has been their attack, which has been one of the most potent in the Premier League.

The attacking trio of Kane, Son, and Bale have combined for 26 goals and 14 assists in the league this season. However, Spurs have struggled defensively, conceding 20 goals in 21 games. Everton FC’s main strength this season has been their defense, which has been one of the best in the Premier League. They have conceded just 24 goals in 20 games, which is the same number as league leaders Manchester City.

However, Everton’s attack has been inconsistent, with Calvert-Lewin carrying much of the goal-scoring burden. Tottenham Hotspur FC and Everton FC have several key fixtures coming up in the Premier League. Spurs will face Manchester City, Chelsea, and Arsenal in their next three games, while Everton will face Liverpool, Manchester City, and Chelsea in their next three games.

These fixtures will be crucial in determining each team’s position in the table and their chances of qualifying for European competition next season.

Spurs has the potential to finish in the top four and qualify for the UEFA Champions League next season. With the attacking trio of Kane, Son, and Bale in excellent form, Spurs have the firepower to compete with any team in the league. However, their defensive issues will need to be addressed if they are to achieve their goals. Everton FC has had a solid season so far and has the potential to finish in the top six and qualify for the UEFA Europa League next season.

With a solid defense and the goal-scoring abilities of Calvert-Lewin and Rodriguez, Everton has the tools to compete with the top teams in the league. However, consistency will be key if they are to achieve their goals. Spurs and Everton FC are two of the most historic and successful football clubs in English football. While Spurs have had the edge in recent years, Everton has a rich history of success and has the potential to compete with the top teams in the Premier League.

As the season progresses, it will be interesting to see how each team performs and whether they can achieve their goals for the season. In March 2023, few would be surprised to see the second encounter between Chelsea and Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League. João Félix and Ben Chilwell were making great plays towards getting a goal. Raheem Sterling himself would correct the record a few minutes later.

Yet another great cross from Chilwell did not go unpunished this time around as the English winger, even fumbling possession on his first touch, had the chance to recompose himself in the box and shoot across the keeper to get us ahead in the scoreline and tied in the aggregate.

Chelsea insisted on getting a goal before the first half but were unable to add a second before the referee blew the whistle. They had to do so in the second half to avoid extra time, and they got it thanks to Dortmund invading the box during Kai Havertz’s missed penalty attempt. Dortmund would not blow his second chance, though. Tiredness, tactics, and substitutions invited Dortmund to our defensive third.

Still Chelsea were the ones with the better chance to score via Conor Gallagher after Sterling found himself on a break with only the goalkeeper to beat. While the midfielder buried the chance in the back of the net, the goal was deemed offside since Sterling was offside by less than one-fourth of a foot. Not a perfect performance, but what matters is the aggregate score.

Chelsea overturned their first-leg deficit with a 2-0 win over Borussia Dortmund at Stamford Bridge to reach the Champions League quarterfinals. Sterling smashed home a volley from the top of the six-yard box just before half-time and Havertz scored from the penalty spot early in the second half to send Graham Potter’s struggling Chelsea past Dortmund in the round of 16. Chelsea, who came into the match trailing 1-0 after the first leg and having scored just once in their last four games, had multiple chances go begging in the opening 45 minutes, with Havertz hitting the post before the half-hour and then having a beautiful strike ruled out soon after for offside in the buildup.

United States international Giovanni Reyna came on shortly after kickoff of the first half after Julien Brandt pulled up injured, as a lively Dortmund went into the break trailing Chelsea 1-0 from Sterling’s close-range volley.