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Bryan Oviedo made a first appearance for Sunderland since the 22nd of January as they beat Rochdale 2-1 on Saturday, and the Costa Rican international reacted to his return his official Twitter account the following day.

Oviedo saw a deadline day move to West Brom fall through due to an administrative error, but his return is a timely boost for Jack Ross’ side.

The ex-Everton man has made 22 appearances this season collecting three yellow cards and a red, but he is undoubtedly the best left-back in the league considering he represented his country at the 2018 World Cup before returning to England to play third-tier football.

Sunderland fans have suffered a lot of heartache over the years but one fan manages to pick his ultimate low in the video below…

The 29-year-old Costa Rican international has played for Sunderland since the 2016/17 season and has suffered back-to-back relegations, despite this he has stuck with the Black Cats and has become a fans’ favourite.

Their supporters have taken to Twitter to heap praise on the left-back.

Granit Xhaka has enjoyed arguably his best season at Arsenal so far, since moving to the club in 2016 but his recent comments that North London will not be his permanent home in the future might just start to rattle a few fans and the manager Unai Emery.

Speaking to Tagblatt, via the Daily Mail, the 26-year-old Xhaka hinted at moving on from the Gunners in the near future by saying ‘Arsenal does not have to be the last stop’ of his football career.

Emery and Xhaka have worked brilliantly together since the manager took over from Arsene Wenger last May and has been the key figure in the midfielder’s development as both a linkup player in the centre of the pitch and one of the club’s leaders.

The manager wasted no time in naming Xhaka as one of his five captains for the season and the times the Swiss international donned the captain’s armband, he’s led his team with great pride and with example. We’re sure most Gooners reading this will agree, the former Borussia Monchengladbach man has really come into his own since the departure of Arsene Wenger, looking so much more disciplined in the engine room.

All that money wasn’t wasted then, right?

Indeed, Xhaka’s all-round play has been excellent this campaign and instrumental to the Gunners’ fine form with his defensive aptitude especially showing massive improvement compared to past seasons.

His discipline on the pitch has also been terrific after building somewhat of an ill-tempered reputation since his first season at the club, finally emerging as the holding midfielder the fans must have thought they were getting almost three years ago now.

For Arsenal to make further strides in the near future, both domestically and in Europe, a player like Xhaka will be of high value to the manager and he could be in a position to be a future club captain. Emery will, therefore, need to consult both the player and his directors about a possible new contract for Xhaka in order to keep him at the Emirates for a longer period of time.

Arsenal could be set to lose a few players in the coming summer market as the Emery project enters its second phase, Aaron Ramsey being the main example here, and Xhaka, who is valued at £45 million (by Transfermarkt), should definitely not be one of them.

Finally, Arsenal are starting to see the best of him.

Arsenal fans, do Xhaka’s comments scare you? How big a loss would he be? Join the discussion by commenting below… 

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James McClean has urged any players hoping to follow in the footsteps of Declan Rice to “*** off and play for someone else”, per RTE.

Rice won three caps for the Republic of Ireland, all of which came in friendlies, but declared his international allegiance to England and made his Three Lions debut in the 5-0 win over the Czech Republic last week.

What’s the word?

McClean, a controversial figure who has regularly hit the headlines due to his refusal to wear a poppy around Remembrance Sunday, played with the West Ham star for Ireland.

Indeed, he has won 63 caps for Ireland, and he says that Rice should not have switched allegiance, having previously expressed his pride at playing for the Boys in Green.

McClean, though, made a similar decision when he was younger. He won seven caps for Northern Ireland’s Under-21 side, having been born in Derry.

Speaking in an interview with RTE, he said: “He said he was a proud Irishman. Then he said he was a proud Englishman.

“If he’s both… good luck to him but I don’t buy it. I think you’re either one or the other.

“I was with Derry City when I got the call-up to play for the North, and I turned it down because it’s not my country, it’s never been my country. I’m an Irishman.

“It’s not just Declan, it’s anyone else. If you’re not proud to be here and we’re a stepping-stone, then *** off and play for someone else.

“I’m an Irishman. I grew up on the island of Ireland, simple as that. We only want players here who want to play for Ireland, who feel Irish and are proud to be Irish.”

Raging hypocrite

This is rank hypocrisy from McClean.

He is uniquely positioned to be aware of how difficult a decision Rice faced.

He chose England, of course, and explained why in an eloquent statement thereafter, claiming, per Football London: “Like so many people around the world, I consider myself to be of mixed nationality. I am a proud Englishman, having been born and raised in London. However, I am just as proud of my family’s Irish heritage and my affinity and connection with the country.”

McClean is clearly deaf to that. He does not even claim to understand what Rice has been through despite his own personal experience in playing for a different nation at youth level.

Perhaps he is merely trying to buy himself some goodwill among Ireland’s fans. If so, this is a shameful way of going about it.

كشف أمير مرتضى منصور، المشرف العام على الكرة بنادي الزمالك، عن موقف ناديه تجاه الأنباء المتداولة بشأن تأجيل مباراة الأبيض والرجاء المغربي، في إياب دور نصف نهائي دوري أبطال إفريقيا.

وكانت أنباء قد ترددت في الساعات الأخيرة حول استقرار مسئولي الاتحاد الافريقي لكرة القدم “كاف” على تأجيل مباراة الزمالك والرجاء في نصف نهائي بطولة دوري أبطال إفريقيا بسبب تفشي إصابات الكورونا في الفريق المغربي.

أقرأ أيضًا.. اتحاد الكرة يكشف لـ بطولات موقف الدوري حال تأجيل مباراة الزمالك والرجاء

نشر أمير مرتضى عبر حسابه الرسمي على موقع التواصل الاجتماعي “تويتر”: “حتى الآن لم يتواصل معنا أي مسئول من الاتحاد الإفريقي بشكل رسمي أو ودي بشأن تأجيل مباراة الرجاء”.

تابع: “الأخبار المتداولة حول موافقة الزمالك على التأجيل ليست صحيحة، لسنا طرفًا في تأكيد أو تغيير ميعاد، ومستعدين لخوض المباراة في أي وقت، ولكن طبقاً للوائح نتمنى الشفاء العاجل للأشقاء المغاربة”.

حتى الآن لم يتواصل معنا أي مسئول من الاتحاد الافريقي بشكل رسمي أو ودي بشأن تأجيل مباراة الرجاء والأخبار المتداولة حول موافقة الزمالك على التأجيل ليست صحيحة لسنا طرف في تأكيد أو تغيير ميعاد ومستعدين لخوض المباراة في أي وقت ولكن طبقاً للوائح نتمنى الشفاء العاجل للأشقاء المغاربة🇲🇦🇪🇬 — Amir Mortada Mansour (@AmirMortada) October 22, 2020

الزمالك فاز على الرجاء المغربي، بهدف دون رد، في ذهاب نصف النهائي الإفريقي، الذي أقيم على استاد محمد الخامس، بالدار البيضاء، وكان من المفترض أن تُقام مباراة الإياب مساء السبت المقبل، بالقاهرة، إلا أن وزارة الصحة المغربية منعت سفر الفريق المغربي إلى القاهرة واعتبرته بؤرة لانتشار المرض.

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Leeds came from behind twice to put themselves back in the automatic promotion places on Saturday, and it was all down to a gutsy tactical tweak from Marcelo Bielsa.

While Sheffield United blew a 2-1 lead at home to lose 3-2 to Bristol City, Leeds did the opposite, producing a dramatic late comeback against Millwall.

Goals from Ben Thompson, Ben Marshall, Pablo Hernandez and Luke Ayling set up a nervy finish at 2-2, and Hernandez slammed home his second of the game to steal all three points.

None of it would have been possible without Bielsa though, who made one of the bravest substitutions you’ll ever see when the Lions were leading 2-1.

On the chalkboard

After Marshall’s 55th minute penalty, Leeds fans could be forgiven for thinking ‘here we go again’.

The Whites were staring down the barrel at the possibility of Sheffield United moving four points clear with just seven games left to play.

But while Chris Wilder’s team threw away their lead, Bielsa showed why he is considered one of the world’s best tacticians, withdrawing centre back Pontus Jansson for winger Jack Clarke with his team needing two goals.

The switch meant defensive midfield ace Kalvin Phillips moved back into the heart of defence, Mateusz Klich took Phillips’ spot deeper in midfield, and Clarke took Hernandez’s place on the wing.

Hernandez was thus left to roam free in the number ten position, and to say he wreaked havoc would be an understatement.

The Elland Road favourite was absolutely everywhere in the last 20 minutes, and by full time he had amassed seven shots, two key passes and seven successful dribbles, per Whoscored.

Withdrawing your best defender against a team who is notorious for being dangerous in the air was incredibly brave of the boss, even a little too brave perhaps, but it paid off and then some.

If the Whites do earn promotion ahead of the Blades, fans can look back at this decision as the one that quite literally saved their season.

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Granit Xhaka has claimed he is willing to forget winning the Europa League if it means Arsenal finish in the top four of the Premier League, per the London Evening Standard.

The Gunners are in the quarter-finals of the competition and face Napoli on Thursday, protecting a 2-0 lead, while they currently sit fourth in the league.

What’s the word?

Arsenal are currently fourth by virtue of goal difference, as they sit level on points with fifth-placed Chelsea, but they do have a game in hand.

Unai Emery’s side are subsequently well-placed to qualify for the Champions League via a top-four finish but they can also achieve qualification by winning the Europa League.

Arsenal won the first leg 2-0 and must simply avoid defeat in Italy to qualify for the semi-finals. The Gunners will play either Villarreal or Valencia in the last four if they get there.

But Xhaka insists that the club’s focus should actually be on the top four instead of Europe.

He said: “I think we want to stay in the top four — we want to be back in the Champions League.

“For me, the Premier League is first and after if you can go to the final and take the Europa League, of course, it is nice as well, but for us it is the Premier League first.

“We are now in fourth place — two points over [Manchester] United, one game less than Chelsea and one point behind Tottenham — and they play against Manchester City this weekend. This can be a big weekend for us.”

Idiocy

Xhaka might not be an idiot but he’s doing a pretty good impression of one with this.

Arsenal do not have the luxury of picking and choosing how they qualify for the Champions League.

They have a difficult Premier League run-in, which includes away games against Wolves, Leicester City and Burnley. Arsenal’s record away from home this season, as has been well publicised, is woeful.

But in the Europa League, Arsenal have done remarkably well to reach the quarter-finals and are just four games away from qualification to the Champions League.

Picking one over the other – particularly when the choice Xhaka has made is as difficult as it can be – is nonsensical.

Arsenal fans had better hope, ahead of Thursday, that no other players have the same attitude as the Swiss.

An incredible season in the Championship for Sheffield United got even better on Easter Monday as the club edged even closer to automatic promotion.

The Blades began the day level on points with Leeds United and five points behind leaders Norwich City and would have been under pressure to deliver a positive result against Hull City. With the Tigers unbeaten in their previous 12 games at the KCOM Stadium, it would have been understandable if the club’s supporters were concerned heading into the clash.

However, it turned out that they had nothing to be worried about whatsoever as United delivered a stunning first-half performance which saw David McGoldrick grab a brace before Enda Stevens scored a third for Chris Wilder’s side. Although the Yorkshire-based outfit were unable to add any more goals in the second period, they nevertheless managed to secure a crucial three points on their travels.

With Leeds United suffering a shock 2-0 defeat at the hands of Brentford in the late kick-off, United moved three points clear of their opponents, meaning that a victory next week over Ipswich Town should all-but guarantee a top-two finish at the end of the season.

However, Wilder may now be eyeing up an even bigger prize in May as his club are now just three points behind Norwich following their latest slip-up at the hands of Stoke City.

The Blades’ 3-0 victory allowed them to move above the Canaries in terms of goal difference which means that a defeat for Daniel Farke’s side could hand their rivals a chance of securing the Championship title. Whereas United have a fairly easy run-in, Norwich still have to face an Aston Villa team who have won their last 10 games in the second tier.

If Wilder can usurp his rivals, it will be his third individual triumph in the last four seasons having won League Two with Northampton Town in 2016 and League One with the Blades a year later.

What do think United fans? Can you catch Norwich between now and the end of the season? Where does Wilder rank in terms of your greatest ever managers? Get in touch below.

It was a result Arsenal needed, and it was a result that can have a positive domino effect for the Gunners.

Last night’s 1-0 win away to Watford was a turning point for Arsenal’s season. It was the club’s first clean sheet on the road all season and was a victory not many fans expected to go into the match before kick-off, but the Gunners pulled it off, and in doing might have set up a chain of events for the team.

The weight and importance of winning away from home and getting a clean sheet has already been massive for Arsenal, injecting new confidence for the team as they head into their final few league games of the season with the belief that now they can genuinely achieve a top-four finish as well as find success in Europe.

Thursday’s game against Napoli will be another major test for Arsenal, but if Unai Emery can guide his side to a result over Carlo Ancelotti’s team in Italy, it will yet again add to the claim that the win over Watford has set in motion a chain of events leading to success for the Gunners.

Arsenal now have their destiny for this season in their hands, and with the win against Watford likely to motivate the team to go further this season, fans and players can look back at that win against their London rivals as the result that changed their fortunes for the better.

Arsenal fans, how important was the win against Watford? Let us know!

أكد إبراهيم النقاش قائد فريق الوداد المغربي، أن جائحة كورونا أثرت عليهم قبل مواجهة الأهلي في دوري أبطال إفريقيا.

الأهلي تأهل إلى نهائي دوري أبطال إفريقيا، بعد الفوز على الوداد بخمسة أهداف مقابل هدف، بمجموع مباراتي الذهاب والإياب.

وقال النقاش خلال تصريحات لقناة “بي إن سبورت”: “ظروف كورونا التي عاشها فريق الوداد وإصابة بعض اللاعبين وتوقف الدوري، هذه أمور أثرت على مستوانا في مباراتي الذهاب والإياب”.

وأتم: “فريق الأهلي كبير واستغل الفرص التي أتيحت له، وأشكر اللاعبين على ما قدموه رغم الظروف التي تعرضوا لها”.

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Luton Town fans have expressed their genuine delight at the inclusion of Jack Stacey in League One’s Team of the Season.

The 22-year-old has made 38 appearances in the top-flight this season and has only been absent once, on the first day of the season, as the Hatters lost 1-0 to Portsmouth.

He has been ever-present since, laying on a total of six assists from right-back and scoring four goals.

With Stacey in the team, Luton have lost just three games and sit top of League One, five points clear of second-placed Barnsley.

And he has been in exceptional form in recent outings, scoring the winner in a 1-0 victory over Bradford and also netting in the 2-2 draw with Gillingham. Against Doncaster, Luton’s last fixture, Stacey laid on an assist in a 4-0 thumping.

Stacey moved to Luton from Reading in 2017 and appears to have finally found his niche, with the club seemingly set to win promotion to the Championship this season.

Luton left-back James Justin and striker James Collins, who has scored 20 goals in League One, have also been included in the Team of the Season.

Stacey expressed his delight at his inclusion on Tuesday, with a number of supporters quickly praising the full-back. Take a look at the best of the reaction below!