Mikel Arteta hailed Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang for leading from the front as the Arsenal captain adapts to a changing role from previous seasons.
Arsenal endured a tough start to the new Premier League term, losing their opening three games before responding with six wins from eight unbeaten games across all competitions.
Aubameyang has been key to their upturn in form, having been involved in five goals in his last six top-flight appearances (four goals, one assist) with the Gunners climbing into 10th.
The forward has operated in a more central role this campaign, as opposed to cutting in from the left flank, and has led the line effectively so far.
Indeed, Aubameyang (four) ranks second at the club for possession won in the final third, only behind Emi…
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It s time to get down to the nitty-gritty at Euro 2020 as we gear up for the start of the knockout stage this weekend. After starting off with 24 teams there are now just 16 remaining in the race to become European champions with only two or three nations really planting their flag down as legitimate favourites in the group stage. One of those teams, the Netherlands, will be back in action this Sunday when they meet Group D s surprise package the Czech Republic.
Netherlands
It s important to recognise that the expectations for the Netherlands and Frank de Boer weren t exactly high at the start of the Euros. Now, though, they re on a rocket ship to the moon after an emphatic series of wins in the gro…
David Moyes believes Everton s poor run of results has more to do with the club s opposition than the form of his players.
Everton have lost their last three matches in the English Premier League, and a fourth defeat in succession would represent their worst sequence of results since 2005.
But those defeats have come against powerhouses Manchester City and Chelsea, as well as a derby loss to resurgent local rivals Liverpool.
And manager Moyes feels his side were always likely to struggle against such lofty opponents.
It has been a difficult run and we re still in it, Moyes said.
I think there has been some bits of it ok and some bits not.
I think if you played Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea, it wouldn t make any difference wh…
Malaga coach Manuel Pellegrini has hit out at Real Madrid, reminding his former employers he has a better La Liga record than Jose Mourinho.
The 58-year-old took charge of the Spanish giants in June 2009 and under his guidance Real managed to claim 96 points in the league, their best ever performance.
Madrid still fell behind Barcelona in the league standings, however, which led to Pellegrini being replaced by Jose Mourinho at the end of the 2009/10 season.
With Mourinho in charge, Madrid finished second to Barca once again, but on 92 points, and the Malaga coach reminded his former club that it was he who had delivered their best effort in La Liga.
I tried to achieve the best possible campaign with what I had in my hands, Pellegrini told Onda Cero.
…
Arsenal are ready to make a move for Germany’s World Cup winning defender Benedikt Howedes, .
The Schalke centre-back played in all seven games in Joachim Low’s side’s road to glory in the summer while he has made fifteen appearances in all competitions for his club so far this season.
Arsene Wenger is desperate to bring in more defensive players when the transfer window reopens, though he is set to face competition from Manchester United, who have their own problems at the back.
Howedes has spent his entire career so far with Schalke, making almost two hundred and fifty appearances for their first team, scoring nineteen goals, and he was handed the club’s captaincy in 2011.
His current deal is not set to expire until the end of the 2016/17 c…
With expectations tempered ahead of Euro 2016, Italy midfielder Thiago Motta has admitted it will be better for the Azzurri to approach the tournament with the pressure decreased.
Italy failed to get out of the group stages at the 2014 World Cup, and have since seen a gradual decline in expectations placed on the team.
But for Motta, who plays his club football with one of Europe s most expectant sides in Paris Saint-Germain, he believes the atmosphere will benefit their experience.
It s better that way. Whatever we achieve will mean more, it will be fine, the 33-year-old told Gazzetta dello Sport.
PSG is the opposite, we have high expectations. So it s considered a bad season if you win four trophies out of five and then exit in the quarter-finals of t…
Alvaro Morata joined Chelsea against the wishes of Zinedine Zidane as he did not want to spend another season among the Real Madrid substitutes.
The Spain international signed for the Premier League champions in July for a reported club-record fee of £58million, despite having only returned to Madrid the year before.
Morata made 43 appearances in all competitions last season but only 19 of those came as a starter, with Karim Benzema preferred as first choice.
The 24-year-old says his desire to grow up and force his way into the Spain starting line-up for next year s World Cup prompted his decision to turn his back on Madrid for the second time in his career.
‘I’ve only scored and assisted with my head for Chelsea, so I hope to use my feet as well soo…
Pele thinks Cristiano Ronaldo is unlikely to lead Portugal to glory at Euro 2016 due to the strength of the other nations in the competition.
The three-time World Cup winner has been in Paris for a promotional event with Diego Maradona ahead of the tournament.
Pele was asked for his views on why Ronaldo and his club rival Lionel Messi are yet to taste international glory and he insisted it was not the fault of either player.
But he feels Portugal captain Ronaldo, 31, will not end his wait for an international honour at the Euros, with Germany his tip to win the event.
Pele told the Times of India: Just the other day Cristiano took the last penalty to win the Champions League for Real Madrid, but there are so many national teams stronger than Portugal in …
Rafael Benitez had words of encouragement for both Manchester City and Newcastle United fans, insisting he is aiming to stop Liverpool while offering a positive update on his future.
Much has been made of Benitez s potentially decisive role in the Premier League title race, with the Newcastle manager welcoming former club Liverpool to St James Park in the penultimate game of the season.
Newcastle beat City on Tyneside in January, boosting the Reds hopes at the time, but Benitez insists he has a good relationship with both clubs and will not be handing out any favours.
Liverpool are a point behind City, who play Leicester City on Monday.
I think I have been very clear, he told a pre-match news conference. I am a professional and we have to do o…
Veteran Lee Dong-gook became the all-time leading goalscorer in the AFC Champions League as Jeonbuk Motors started their 2019 campaign with a convincing 3-1 over Beijing Guoan on Wednesday.
Lee, 39, netted his 37th career goal in the continental competition three minutes into the second half of the Group G encounter when he stabbed home Han Kyo-won s cross from six yards.
That goal restored Jeonbuk s lead after Han s opener was cancelled out before the break by Zhang Xizhe, and Lee then floated in a cross for Kim Shin-wook to head home Jeonbuk s third at the Jeonju World Cup Stadium.
Urawa Reds – champions in 2017 – also started with three points in the same group, the Japanese side running out 3-0 winners against Buriram United.
FULL-TIME | Jeonbuk H…