Sports
Declan Rice Reveals The Main Reason Why He Snubbed Man City To Join Arsenal
Declan Rice has revealed the main reason why he chose to join Arsenal instead of Manchester City last summer.
The two clubs had been in a tug of war to sign the much revered West Ham and England midfielder in July, with Mail Sport reporting that City ultimately pulled out of the race to land the 25 year-old.
Pep Guardiola’s side were unwilling to stretch to West Ham’s asking price of £105million, with Rice ultimately joining Mikel Arteta’s side, where he has gone on to enjoy a sensational season, leading the Gunners to the top of the Premier League standings.
With a handful of games left to play this season, City and Arsenal will now go head-to-head to win the Premier League title, with just one point separating both sides at the top of the table.
Rice will be hoping to lead his side to glory this season and has insisted that his decision to move to the north London outfit is one that he has no regrets over.
Speaking in an interview with The Athletic, Rice was asked about the hypothetical scenario that if he had joined the Treble winners, he could have been playing alongside Rodri in midfield.
‘I know,’ he said. ‘But this project [Arsenal] seemed more exciting and that’s why I chose to come to Arsenal, because I believe we’re on to big things here.’
He has been integral to Arsenal’s performances this season, with Rice scoring six goals in 35 Premier League appearances, guiding Arteta’s side to the top of the table.
Rodri, meanwhile, has continued to impress following on from his standout 2022-23 season, helping Man City keep the pressure on Arsenal this season.
Rice also added that he relished his battles with the Spaniard’s battles in the centre of the park, noting their different styles of play while claiming that the City midfielder was the best in the world at his craft.
‘Good. I enjoy it,’ he said when quizzed on what it’s like to play against Rodri. ‘We’re different players, I feel.
‘With Rodri, he was born in Spain, he’s always been a natural No 6. You can just tell by the way he plays that he’s worked under Pep (Guardiola) for so long.
‘He’s a lot more structured than I am. I’d say I’m a lot more off-the-cuff. Obviously, this season I’ve been more structured. But in terms of the way I play, I feel like… being free a little bit more.
The England midfielder added: ‘There are different things that we complement each other on — but no doubt, he’s the best in the world.’
In April last year, Arsenal, who had gone top of the Premier League standings, conceded three draws to Liverpool, West Ham and Southampton, before suffering a 4-1 defeat by Man City.
It was during those four matches that Arsenal effectively surrendered what would have been their first league title since 2004 to City.
This season, Rice has helped Arsenal motor their way back to the top of the league but will need Man City to drop points in the run-in if they are to finally end their wait for a league title.
Should both Arsenal and City win the remainder of their matches, the Gunners will finish two points behind Guardiola’s side in second place.
Arteta’s side host Bournemouth in the Saturday lunchtime kick-off at the Emirates this weekend, before taking on Man United at Old Trafford and Everton at home on the final day of the season.
City, meanwhile, are in action against Wolves on Saturday evening, before taking on Fulham, Tottenham and West Ham.
With things heating up at the top of the table, Rodri has insisted his side will do everything in their power to win their fourth consecutive Premier League title.
‘It would be history. No team has won four Premier League titles in a row and we want to be the first,’ he said.
‘We need to keep those blue ribbons on the trophy and we will do everything we can from now until the end of the season to do that.’
Sports
Iraola: My Fight With Isak Has Never Been About Goals
Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola says Alexander Isak is a “massive” player for him – but adds he “fights” with the player about needing to do more for the “collective”.
Isak scored twice in the opening nine minutes in the 2-0 win over Ipswich to take his tally to three for the season – but Iraola hinted the player needs to do more off the ball for the team.
“He’s a massive player for us,” he told Sky Sports. “My demands will not be about the goals: he’s fit, in a good shape and he will produce the numbers.
“But my fights with him are more about other stuff, how to help the team in other situations. But it’s good he has played two full games and today a good amount of minutes, scoring the goals.”
Iraola did not reveal which specific areas Isak needs to improve, but it could be interpreted that Iraola wants his striker to do more in the pressing.
“I will demand other things so we can play well,” he said in his post-match press conference about those demands to Isak. “And if we play well, we are in good positions, the goals will come.
“He has to contribute to the collective and when everyone helps, after the goals and results will come.”
Iraola also said to Sky: “Today we were much, much better in our press. We were recovering very high and then we can contact him in good positions.
“If we recover the ball lower, it will be more difficult to find him to have less spaces. So we need more quality effort to put our No 9 in situations like he had today.”
Sports
‘It’s So Strong’ – Sabalenka Halts Play Over Cannabis Smell
Aryna Sabalenka briefly halted her US Open match against Kamilla Rakhimova because of a strong smell of cannabis before cruising into the fourth round in New York.
Top seed Sabalenka raised the issue after going 3-0 up in the first set against Uzbekistan’s Rakhimova, telling umpire Eva Asderaki-Moore that “someone is smoking weed”.
The Belarusian asked the umpire to intervene “because it’s so strong”.
Asderaki-Moore spoke to an official on her radio and made a smoking gesture to someone behind her, before play continued.
Two-time defending champion Sabalenka went on to secure a confident 6-3 6-4 victory on Louis Armstrong Stadium as she chases a fifth Grand Slam singles title.
Sabalenka said afterwards she was not sure where the smell of cannabis was coming from but asked fans to be more mindful.
Smoking is not permitted on site at Flushing Meadows but the smell of cannabis sometimes wafts on to court from the nearby Corona Park.
It is legal to smoke it in New York for adults aged 21 and over.
“It’s a bit tricky to handle that smell while you’re trying to compete at your best,” Sabalenka said.
“I don’t know if it was coming from the crowd or was from the outside because the wind blows it into the stadium.
“I just hope they’re going to be a bit more aware of that stuff.”
Sabalenka is not the first player at this year’s US Open to complain about the smell of cannabis at Flushing Meadows.
Britain’s Katie Boulter previously said it was distracting, while Harriet Dart and Francesca Jones also noticed the smell.
In past years players including Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev have also complained.
Sports
Onana Gets Twins As Salah Welcomes First Son Weeks After Joining Turkish Team
Egyptian football star Mohamed Salah has welcomed his third child and first son, named Lail, Trabzonspor President Ertuğrul Doğan said after the Turkish club’s third-round league match against Amedspor.
Doğan said Salah and his Cameroonian teammate André Onana travelled outside Turkey following the match as their wives were due to give birth.
“After the Amed match, we travelled abroad with Onana and Salah. Onana welcomed twins, while Salah welcomed a baby boy. I congratulate their families and wives,” Doğan was quoted as telling Turkish media.
Salah’s sister, Rabab Salah, later revealed the baby’s name on Instagram, posting a photograph of a baby hat and congratulating her brother on the birth of Lail.
The child is Salah’s first son. The Egyptian star and his wife, Magi, already have two daughters, Makka and Kayan.
Doğan’s comments came after a photograph of Salah and Onana aboard a private jet circulated online, prompting questions among Trabzonspor supporters and local media about the reason for their trip.
The club president said both players had travelled for family reasons following the match.
-
Health & Wellness1 year agoPresident Tinubu Directs Cut in Dialysis Cost from ₦50,000 to ₦12,000
-
News1 year agoPICTURE: In Lagos Couple Sentenced to 22½ Years for Cannabis Trafficking
-
Business5 months agoDangote Refinery Reduces Petrol Gantry Price To ₦1,200 Per Litre
-
Trending News1 year agoNELFUND Disburses ₦86bn To 449,000 Beneficiaries
-
Business2 years agoHeritage Bank Customers’ Path to Securing ₦5m Insured Funds: A Step-By-Step Guide by NDIC”
-
Business2 years ago
Dangote; We Did Not Fix ₦600/Litre Petrol Price
-
International News5 months agoIndian Police Arrest Nigerian Over ₦290m Drug Haul
-
Business5 months agoAfter Plea Bargain, Court Discharges Stella Oduah of ₦2.5bn Fraud
