Premier League

Odegaard Says Fiery Arsenal-Manchester City Rivalry Natural

Arsenal and Manchester City’s fiery rivalry is a natural byproduct of both teams’ desire to be the best, the north London club’s captain Martin Odegaard said ahead of their Premier League 2024-25 clash at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.

Arsenal finished runner-up to City in 2022-23 and took the Premier League title race to the final day last season before once again finishing second behind Pep Guardiola’s side.

Tempers flared during their last meeting in September as Odegaard’s Norwegian compatriot Erling Haaland threw the ball at Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhaes and directed heated words at Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, asking him to “stay humble”.

“I think in football, games like this, the emotions are so high and the adrenaline is there and everything. That’s something that can happen on the pitch and then when you walk off the pitch, then you are done with it,” Odegaard told British media.

“It is not something I think too much about. I think it is normal when you play these big games that there is a big rivalry. You are competing and you want to be the best. So, that’s how it should be and there should be a little bit of heat sometimes. But then, I think a lot of the players know each other from the national team – England, Brazil, me with Erling – so on the pitch and off the pitch it is a bit different. When we are on the pitch, then it’s a good battle,” he added.

City is fourth in the league standings with 41 points while second-placed Arsenal, with 47 points, is six points behind leader Liverpool, which has a game in hand.

Premier League

Everton’s Doucoure Scores Fastest Goal In Premier League

Everton midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure scored the fastest goal in the Premier League this season — after barely 10 seconds, against Leicester.

Doucoure ran directly onto a long clearance from goalkeeper Jordan Pickford and took the ball into his stride before shooting low into the far corner to give Everton the lead at Goodison Park.

The goal was timed at 10.18 seconds by Opta, the league’s statistics supplier

Opta said it was the earliest Everton scored in the Premier League and the fourth-fastest goal in the competition’s history.

Premier League

Gary Lineker, Micah Richards advise caution over potential João Félix move to Aston Villa

Football pundits Gary Lineker and Micah Richards have cautioned Aston Villa against pursuing João Félix from Chelsea, despite the club’s interest in the Portuguese playmaker.

Aston Villa are keen to bring in Félix during the January transfer window following the departure of forward Jhon Durán, who is set to join Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia. Félix, who has struggled for regular starts under manager Enzo Maresca at Chelsea, has started just three Premier League matches since returning to Stamford Bridge last summer.

However, Lineker and Richards are skeptical about the fit between the former Barcelona star and Villa’s playing style under Unai Emery.

On The Rest Is Football podcast, Lineker remarked, “That is a funny one because he is a player who moved for a massive price tag when he was really young to Atlético Madrid.

“There is no question he has a lot of ability, but he has never managed to secure a regular starting place anywhere, so I don’t know what Aston Villa would see in him.”

Richards added, “That is the thing. Everyone wants a marquee signing, and getting a player of that stature by name to Villa Park would be amazing.

“They just have to be careful. What makes Villa so good is how they press, and when Watkins is out of the team, you’ve got Durán, and behind him, you’ve got Morgan Rogers. The one thing all those players have is a high work rate, intensity, and a strong press.

“If you bring in a flair player, you do need options, but you risk moving away from what got them to where they are now—competing in the Champions League and the Premier League.”

Premier League

David Luiz highlights Moisés Caicedo, Enzo Fernández as standout Chelsea players

Former Chelsea defender David Luiz has praised Moisés Caicedo and Enzo Fernández as standout players at Chelsea. Luiz singled out Caicedo for his powerful presence on the pitch, noting the midfielder’s resilience after a rocky start.

“I love a lot of players at Chelsea, but in particular, Caicedo. He has some amazing qualities, he is powerful,” Luiz said, adding that the Ecuadorian has shown great character by continuing to fight and showcase his skill.

Luiz also commended Enzo Fernández, calling him a world-class talent and a player who thrives in a team with a solid collective performance.

“Enzo is fantastic, and at Chelsea, he has many examples to follow to continue to improve,” Luiz added.

The 37-year-old spent most of his Premier League career at Chelsea, later having a stint at London rivals Arsenal.