Arsenal’s control of the title race leaves them in a battle with themselves The nervous energy that rippled around Emirates Stadium on Thursday night during periods of Liverpool possession threw into relief a theme we always knew would define Arsenal’s season. Handling the pressure of a title challenge is extremely difficult for any club looking to end a long drought - and it will be no different for Arsenal. There is a reason why almost every first-time Premier League winner

Fletcher shows Man Utd have a strong foundation for 25/26 despite the result On the surface this looked like another difficult night for Manchester United in keeping with their 2025/26 season but to understand the pattern of the game at Turf Moor you only have to look at the Expected Goals (xG) figures: 2.55 to Man Utd and a paltry 0.28 to Burnley. In other words Darren Fletcher was very unlucky that two difficult Burnley chances were scored to deny his side the victory. In f

Here we highlight the pivotal talking points for every Matchweek 21 fixture Who will buckle in the first true six-pointer of the 25/26 relegation battle? There have been plenty of fixtures between sides in the bottom five this season but arguably Tuesday night's game is the first true six-pointer; the first time a game has felt loaded with the pressure of a battle against relegation. Looking at the Premier League table, it seems increasingly likely that at least one of these

Takeaways from the weekend include Wolves' first win of the season and Aston Villa keeping the pressure on Arsenal. Arsenal regroup in second half to take unprecedented six-point lead Matchweek 20 proved to be one of the most significant in the title race so far, ending with Arsenal six points clear at the top, their biggest-ever lead in a Premier League campaign at this stage. It could have been so different, and that’s before we even get on to Manchester City’s surprising l

South Africa and Cameroon will meet at the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations for only the second time when they face off in the Round of 16 at the Al Medina Stadium in Rabat on Sunday at 8pm local time (9pm SAST), with a place in the quarter-finals at stake. Despite their long-standing presence on the continental stage, the two sides have crossed paths sparingly at Africa’s premier tournament. Their only previous TotalEnergies CAF AFCON meeting dates back to the opening

Here we look at the main talking points for each fixture in Matchweek 20. Does Maresca's departure hand Man City an even greater advantage? Enzo Maresca's shock departure now hangs over a clash at the Etihad Stadium that had promised to be one of the fixtures of the season. Of course it could still be and just a few days after their 0-0 draw at Sunderland widened the gap to Arsenal to four points, Manchester City could still fear Chelsea. But Pep Guardiola will probably feel

Onana's injury helps Arsenal pull away as Gunners send powerful message History won’t remember that an even first half at the Emirates Stadium ended with Aston Villa as the happier of the two teams at the break, or that Amadou Onana's withdrawal was the reason for their midfield collapsing in the second half, as our analysis detailed. What matters is the way Arsenal accelerated away in that second period, thumping Villa to potentially end their long shot at a title challenge

The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations group stage in Morocco has been an electrifying showcase of talent, with key players like Mohamed El Shenawy, Riyad Mahrez, Sadio Mané and Amad Diallo standing out as match-winners for their respective teams. From El Shenawy’s commanding presence in goal to Mahrez’s leadership in attack, these players have proven their worth on the continental stage. The following Best XI celebrates the most consistent, impactful, and influential performers of t

The fixtures for the Round of 16 at the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 have been set following a thrilling group stage campaign that highlighted the world-class quality of football on the continent. The first knockout stage will be staged from Saturday to Tuesday, with two matches every day at 5pm local time/6pm SAST and 8pm local time/9pm SAST as the remaining sides battle it out for a quarter-final place. Hosts Morocco face Tanzania at the Stade Princ

Is Arsenal v Villa the biggest match of the season so far? The essential question for the 2025/26 Premier League season has always been whether or not Arsenal can go one step further and win the title, a question always inextricably linked to their performances against bogey team Aston Villa, who have now won three of their last four meetings with the Gunners. Arsenal supporters and indeed neutrals might have circled this fixture a long time ago, coming, as it does, in the mi

South Africa reached the knockout stages of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations 2025 after edging a spirited Zimbabwe side 3-2 in a gripping Group B encounter on Monday. In a match that swung repeatedly and remained in doubt until the final whistle, South Africa showed composure under pressure to secure a victory that could prove decisive in their qualification bid. Bafana Bafana made the perfect start, striking inside seven minutes. Tshepang Moremi capitalised on a d

Here we look back on an action-packed weekend, including significant wins for the top three. There was no let-up in the title race over the weekend, with Arsenal, Manchester City and Aston Villa all continuing their winning streaks to reinforce their silverware aspirations. League leaders Arsenal host Villa on Tuesday in a match that could have major implications at the top of the table. Elsewhere, Liverpool maintained their good form to move fourth and capitalise on Chelsea’

There are matches where context carries as much weight as the football itself. Zimbabwe v South Africa falls firmly into that category. At the Grand Stade de Marrakech, the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 serves up a high-stakes regional showdown, where result pressure, historic rivalry and qualification urgency converge in a decisive Group-stage encounter. For both teams, the equation is simple: avoid defeat to secure a place in the next round. In a tigh

Egypt became the first side to book a place in the knockout stage of the 2025 TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco as they edged past South Africa 1-0 in a tense Group B encounter in Agadir on Friday, showing composure and resilience despite being reduced to 10 men. In a contest expected to be finely balanced, Egypt national football team found the breakthrough just before half-time through captain Mohamed Salah. The forward stepped up after VAR confirmed a pena

Following the opening of the Africa Cup of Nations 2025, TECNO extends its tournament presence into public spaces across Morocco through a series of TECNO AI pop-up stores and fan zones in Rabat and Casablanca. Designed to bring AI-powered innovation closer to consumers, these spaces allow visitors to experience how TECNO AI enhances everyday smartphone usage, from photography and gaming to productivity and entertainment. In total, the brand activated four experiential venues

Here we look at the main talking points for the 10 games being played on Friday, Saturday and Sunday Can Amorim navigate what is, subtly, a huge moment in Man Utd’s season? Manchester United’s performance at Villa Park, supplied by the new tactical flexibility of the manager, suggests that Ruben Amorim’s side can look forward to a brighter future and perhaps even Uefa Champions League qualification this season. And yet things could turn very quickly. There is something in the

The last time these two heavyweights crossed paths at the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), South Africa delivered one of the tournament’s most memorable upsets. At the Cairo International Stadium in 2019, Thembinkosi Lorch’s decisive strike stunned hosts Egypt, silencing a partisan crowd of more than 60 000 as Bafana Bafana eliminated the Pharaohs in the Round of 16. Six years on, Egypt and South Africa renew acquaintances on the AFCON stage once more. While the s

Cherki's creativity could be the difference in the title race His start to the season was so slow, and his team's was so underwhelming, that it’s easy to forget just how big a deal it was when Manchester City signed one of the most exciting playmakers in the world in the summer. Rayan Cherki is starting to look like the elite player we saw at Lyon. Cherki did not directly assist a goal against West Ham United but he was a constant threat in the centre-right space, as his thro

South Africa opened their TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 campaign with a deserved 2-1 victory over Angola in an entertaining Group B match at the Grand Stade de Marrakech on Monday evening. Bafana Bafana made a fast start and were rewarded in the 17th minute when Oswin Appollis struck to give Hugo Broos’ side an early advantage. The winger reacted quickest to a loose clearance inside the penalty area, feinted twice to wrong-foot the defence and then guid

The TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 is officially underway this Sunday and the first group-stage clash between South Africa and Angola on Monday promises fireworks. For both sides, this opener is more than just a match - it’s a statement of intent. A strong start could set the tone for the rest of the tournament, while a stumble might force early recalibrations in a highly competitive group that also features Egypt and Zimbabwe. Having arrived in Marrakec