分类： sports

Liverpool’s tumultuous season reached a new nadir as they suffered a humiliating 3-0 defeat at home to Nottingham Forest on Saturday, marking their eighth loss in the last 11 matches across all competitions. The Reds’ defensive frailties were exposed early when Murillo capitalized on a poorly defended corner in the 33rd minute, igniting Forest’s dominance. Liverpool’s frustrations were compounded by a controversial goal, as Dan Ndoye appeared to obstruct goalkeeper Alisson Becker, a decision that echoed a similar incident in their previous loss to Manchester City.

Forest doubled their lead just after halftime through Nicolo Savona, who finished neatly from Neco Williams’ assist. The hosts’ misery was complete in the 78th minute when Morgan Gibbs-White tapped in a rebound after Omari Hutchinson’s initial effort was saved. This defeat marks the first time since 1965 that Liverpool have lost consecutive league games by a three-goal margin.

Manager Arne Slot admitted his team’s struggles, citing a lack of inspiration and energy, and acknowledged the emotional toll of Diogo Jota’s tragic death in July. Despite a summer spending spree exceeding £400 million, Liverpool languish in 11th place, eight points behind league leaders Arsenal. Alexander Isak, their marquee signing, was substituted in his fourth league start, having yet to score for the club. Slot took full responsibility for the team’s poor form, describing it as a ‘very bad spell.’

In a highly anticipated comeback, Paul Pogba returned to competitive football on Saturday, marking his first appearance in over two years. The 32-year-old midfielder came on as a late substitute for Monaco in their 4-1 loss to Rennes. Pogba’s career has been marred by injuries, a doping suspension, and an extortion case in which he was the victim. Despite these challenges, he expressed gratitude for his return, stating, ‘Football isn’t over for me. We’ve worked hard, we’ve waited more than two years to get back, and today it finally happened. Thank God.’

Pogba received a warm ovation from the crowd at Roazhon Park when he entered the pitch in the 85th minute and again after the final whistle. ‘It really touched me to see the crowd stand and applaud. I honestly didn’t expect that, so a huge thank you to all the fans who were there today and supported me,’ he said. Pogba’s return comes after a tumultuous period that included a four-year doping ban, later reduced to 18 months, and the termination of his contract with Juventus in November 2023.

Monaco took a gamble on Pogba following the conclusion of his suspension in March, and coach Sebastien Pocognoli chose to bring him on despite the team’s dire situation, trailing by four goals and down to 10 men. Rennes dominated the match with goals from Abdelhamid Ait Boudlal, Mahdi Camara, Breel Embolo, and Ludovic Blas, while Monaco’s lone goal came from Mika Biereth after Pogba’s introduction.

Meanwhile, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) maintained their lead in Ligue 1 with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Le Havre. Goals from Lee Kang-in, Joao Neves, and Bradley Barcola secured the win, allowing PSG to reclaim their two-point cushion at the top of the table. Earlier on Saturday, Marseille and Lens had temporarily overtaken PSG, with Lens edging Strasbourg 1-0 thanks to Ismaelo Ganiou’s second-half winner. Marseille, however, dominated Nice with a 5-1 victory on Friday, with Mason Greenwood scoring twice to become the league’s top scorer with 10 goals.

Pogba’s return marks a significant moment in his career, as he looks to regain full fitness and contribute to Monaco’s campaign. ‘I’m relieved to be back playing football, the thing I love most in the world. But there’s still work to do to get back to full fitness, play 90 minutes, and help the team as much as possible,’ he added.

In a decisive move to bolster their chances of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) has appointed Rudolph Speid as the interim head coach of the Reggae Boyz. The decision was finalized during a high-level meeting at the JFF headquarters in Kingston on Friday, attended by President Michael Ricketts, Vice-Presidents Elaine Walker-Brown and Gregory Daley, and Acting General Manager Omar McFarlane. Speid, who currently chairs the JFF’s technical committee, will assume his new role on December 15, while negotiations with Miguel Coley, a former assistant coach, are ongoing for a supporting position. Coley, currently with Zakho Sports Club in Iraq, has expressed enthusiasm about returning to the national team. The coaching shakeup follows Steve McClaren’s resignation after Jamaica’s 0-0 draw with Curacao, which dashed their hopes of automatic World Cup qualification. The Reggae Boyz will now face New Caledonia in the inter-confederation play-offs in March, with the winner advancing to play the Democratic Republic of Congo for a World Cup spot. Ricketts emphasized the urgency of the appointment, stating that Speid and Coley were the ideal candidates to ‘hit the track running.’ Speid, a three-time Jamaica Premier League champion with Cavalier FC, brings a wealth of regional success and a Concacaf ‘A’ license to the role. Despite scrutiny over his multiple positions within the JFF, Ricketts confirmed that Speid will take a leave of absence from his other duties to focus on coaching. Coley, who previously assisted Winfried Schafer, has a proven track record, including guiding Jamaica College to numerous schoolboy titles and holding assistant managerial roles in the Middle East. Both coaches are determined to lead Jamaica to their second World Cup appearance.

Arsenal’s defensive stalwart Gabriel Magalhaes is set to miss several weeks of action after sustaining a thigh injury during international duty, manager Mikel Arteta confirmed on Friday. The Brazilian centre-back, who has been a cornerstone of Arsenal’s defense this season, suffered the setback during Brazil’s 2-0 friendly victory over Senegal at the Emirates Stadium last weekend. Arteta expressed his disappointment, stating, ‘Gabi unfortunately picked up an injury with the Brazilian national team, and he’s going to be out for weeks. We’ll have a clearer timeline after another scan next Wednesday.’

Gabriel’s absence is a significant blow to Arsenal, as he has been instrumental in their Premier League campaign, forming a formidable partnership with William Saliba and contributing to a defense that has conceded just five goals in 11 games. Arteta acknowledged the challenge, saying, ‘It’s clearly a blow because he’s our leader in our backline. The good thing is that we have very good options, and people have to step up now.’

Piero Hincapie and Cristhian Mosquera are among the contenders to fill Gabriel’s shoes in the upcoming North London derby against Tottenham on Sunday. However, Arteta emphasized that Gabriel’s leadership and defensive prowess are irreplaceable. ‘Every player brings specific qualities, and Gabi’s is his leadership, his presence, and that love he has to defend,’ he added.

Arsenal’s injury woes extend beyond Gabriel, with left-back Riccardo Calafiori also sidelined due to lingering issues. Arteta revealed, ‘He’s been carrying a few things and hasn’t trained yet. We’ll assess his condition in tomorrow’s training session.’ Additionally, long-term absentees Martin Odegaard, Noni Madueke, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli, and Viktor Gyokeres remain unavailable.

Despite these setbacks, Arsenal remains at the top of the Premier League, four points clear of Manchester City. Their upcoming clash with Tottenham promises to be a thrilling encounter, with Spurs boasting the best away record in the league this season. Arsenal, however, have a strong historical advantage, having lost just once at home to their rivals since 1993.