ASTON VILLA UP TO THIRD AFTER BEATING MAN CITY; MCTOMINAY DOWNS CHELSEA

We had a little midweek treat on Wednesday with six Premier League fixtures to sink our teeth into.

Here’s what went down.

Aston Villa -01

Manchester City -0

Scorers: Bailey 74′.

Leon Bailey’s second-half winner earned an energetic Aston Villa side a deserved win over Manchester City as the champions fell to a fourth game without a win.

The hosts started the game at a frenetic speed with Bailey tested from Ederson from outside of the box and Pau Torres going close.

City struggled to break away as Villa penned them back in their own half but will be wondering how Emi Martínez denied Erling Haaland midway through the first half.

The Argentine goalkeeper pulled off a stunning double-save in quick succession to keep out the Norwegian in City’s best attempts of the first half.

Villa kept on top of the visitors at the start of the second half and came close through John McGinn who wriggled into the box before flashing a shot wide at the far post.

The breakthrough finally came 16 minutes from time courtesy of some great work from Bailey who picked up the ball 40 yards out, drove towards the edge of the box before seeing his shot deflect off Ruben Días before landing in the top corner.

Unai Emery’s side jump above City into third place and are now only four points off league leaders Arsenal, who they face on Saturday.

Read more 

Source:https://onefootball.com/en/news/aston-villa-up-to-third-after-beating-man-city-mctominay-downs-chelsea-38681820

DORTMUND KNOCKED OUT OF DFB-POKAL BY INCISIVE STUTTGART

 Dortmund followed Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig in being dumped out of the DFB-Pokal after falling to a deserved 2-0 defeat to Stuttgart.

VfB Stuttgart - 02

Borussia Dortmund - 0

Scorers: Guirassy 55′, Silas 77′

The home side started the stronger, both Serhou Guirassy and Angelo Stiller having early efforts blocked by a resolute Dortmund defence.

In the 20th minute, Marcel Sabitzer saw his left-footed drive crack off the Stuttgart bar as Dortmund began to impose themselves on the game.

The remainder of the half saw Stuttgart dominate both the ball and the efforts on goal, as they took their league form into the cup.

They finally made the breakthrough in the 55th minute and it was that man Guirassy once again, continuing his amazing goalscoring run this season.

Enzo Millot was the creator, threading a ball through to the Guinean striker who finished coolly with his left foot to give his side the lead.

Dortmund thought they had equalised just seven minutes later through Jamie Bynoe-Gittens but the young English forward was ruled offside following a VAR check.

Stuttgart gave themselves serious breathing room with 13 minutes to go. Maximilian Mittelstäd played in Silas, who smartly finished into the right hand corner of the net.

Dortmund attempted to muster a fightback but, in truth, it was relatively comfortable for Stuttgart who move into the final eight of the Pokal and will surely now fancy their chances at lifting the trophy next spring.

Source:https://onefootball.com/en/news/dortmund-knocked-out-of-dfb-pokal-by-incisive-stuttgart-38682375

WHO IS IN THE LATEST EA FC 24 TEAM OF THE WEEK?

The latest EA Sports FC 24 Team of the Week has landed.

So, who are you going to be hoping to pack over the next seven days? Let’s find out …

The full team is as follows:

• Ada Hegerberg (Lyon)
• Toni Kroos (Real Madrid)
• Kieran Trippier (Newcastle United)
• Bukayo Saka (Arsenal)
• Romain Del Castillo (Brest)
• Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund)
• Trinity Rodman (Washington Spirit)
• Bernardo (Bochum)
• Yann Sommer (Inter)
• Gabri Veiga (Al-Ahli)
• Arnau Tenas (PSG)
• Gorka Guruzeta (Athletic Club)
• Cyril Ngonge (Verona)
• Isiah Jones (Middlesbrough)
• Ryan Hollingshead (LAFC)
• Vincent Vermeij (Fortuna Dusseldorf)
• Ferdy Druijf (PEC Zwolle)
• Philip Zinckernagel (Club Brugge)

Source: https://onefootball.com/en/news/who-is-in-the-latest-ea-fc-24-team-of-the-week-38681377

HOW DID EMI MARTÍNEZ PULL THIS OFF?!

 Around this time last year, Emi Martínez was on his way to helping Argentina win the World Cup.

Fast forward a year he is in Birmingham, but his contributions on the football pitch are still as important.

Aston Villa  - 01

Manchester City - 0 

The Aston Villa goalkeeper produced a stunning double-save to keep Erling Haaland out during their crunch Premier League clash with Manchester City.

The reaction speed to get up and pull off that second one – remarkable.

You can see why he is a World Cup winner.

Source:https://onefootball.com/en/news/how-did-emi-martinez-pull-this-off-38682151

THIRD-TIER GERMAN SIDE TAKE ANOTHER HUGE BUNDESLIGA SCALP IN THE CUP

 The remarkable story of 1. FC Saarbrücken continues after they took another huge Bundesliga scalp in the DFB-Pokal on Wednesday.

The German third-tier side, who caused a huge shock after knocking Bayern Munich out in the last round have gone and done it again tonight – with 2022 Europa League winners Eintracht Frankfurt the victims this time.

Kai Brünker took advantage of some hesitant defending to smash home from inside the box to give the hosts the lead in the 64th minute before the hosts found themselves in dreamland when Luca Kerber tapped in 14 minutes later.

Frankfurt then had Noel Futkeu sent off for a straight red card when chasing the game in the dying minutes.

The Pokal giant-killers now progress to the quarter-finals, becoming only the sixth third-tier side to make it through to this stage, with Paderborn achieving the feat last back in 2018.

Although Saarbrücken do have history in this competition having gone one step further to the semi-finals in 2020, when they were a fourth-division side.

Source:https://onefootball.com/en/news/third-tier-german-side-take-another-huge-bundesliga-scalp-in-the-cup-38681621

THE DEBRIEF AS ARSENAL GO TOP AND CHELSEA FALL ONCE AGAIN

 As always, Saturday’s Premier League fixtures did not disappoint.

Here is the scoop on what you may have missed from across the grounds.

In the early window, first met second as Manchester City and Liverpool shared the points at the Etihad Stadium to allow Arsenal a chance to reclaim the top spot.

Mikel Arteta’s side pulled off a dramatic victory away to Brentford, with Kai Havertz scoring in the dying minutes to send them to the top of the league.

Meanwhile, Chelsea’s apparent turnaround seems to have been a flash in the pan as Newcastle put four past the Blues in an almighty thumping at St. James’s Park.

You can read through all of the results here.

Brighton just seem to pluck these young stars from nowhere don’t they?

João Pedro is just the latest member of Roberto De Zerbi’s side to begin his launch towards stardom in the Premier League, and a brace against Nottingham Forest will help his cause.

The Brazilian now has five goal contributions in 13 Premier League games, but has really made his mark in the Europa League, where he has a staggering four goals in four games in Brighton’s first ever European campaign.

Is he the next Seagull to be hunted by one of the big boys?

Read more

Source : https://onefootball.com/en/news/the-debrief-as-arsenal-go-top-and-chelsea-fall-once-again-38620443

16 CONCLUSIONS ON MANCHESTER CITY 1-1 LIVERPOOL: ALEXANDER-ARNOLD, DOKU, ALISSON, NUNEZ, SILVA

 Will Virgil van Dijk or Pep Guardiola be happier with the result?

Jeremy Doku and Trent Alexander-Arnold were both somehow excellent, Liverpool finally returned the favour to Alisson and Bernardo Silva is something special.

handy post-international break trail to a gargantuan Saturday lunchtime clash between first and second in the Premier League, it was fitting to see Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp call it even again after 100 more minutes of battle. Both can lay a claim to being among the very best the sport has ever produced but after a 1-1 draw between the country’s two best teams of the past few years, Lightning McQueen remains the clear GOAT.

Klopp: We played 'ok' today | 'Trent...

2) It was a curious game perhaps best summed up by the man of the match being announced as Jeremy Doku over the Etihad stadium tannoy, shortly before Gary Neville anointed Trent Alexander-Arnold – there is not enough time to get into the ‘opposite number’ debate – as his pick.

And both were fair choices. Doku was the match’s persistent threat, electric on the left with more chances created than anyone, more dribbles completed (11) than the other 26 players combined (10) and more tackles made than any player bar Bernardo Silva; Alexander-Arnold scored a sublime equaliser, led the game for interceptions and held his own in that one-on-one after some shaky early moments.

That contrast between opinions suited a match in which perspective will be the king when examining the result. Both Manchester City and Liverpool have as much cause to see this as one point gained as they do two points dropped, depending on their chosen agenda.

Trent Alexander-Arnold celebrates scoring for Liverpool against Man City.

3) Doku, though. Honestly. He is such a ridiculously effective footballer that it is easy to forget he has replaced a five-season veteran in Riyad Mahrez so seamlessly. The recent desperation to paint Manchester City and Guardiola as foolish in letting Cole Palmer go are best-advised to watch Doku in action again, because the Chelsea forward would have had a restricted diet of minutes up against the Belgian this season, and no argument to change that situation. 

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Source: https://onefootball.com/en/news/16-conclusions-on-manchester-city-1-1-liverpool-alexander-arnold-doku-alisson-nunez-silva-38619755