EPL: Liverpool win, Man City lose again, Iwobi helps Fulham in 2-0 victory

Liverpool secured a 2-0 victory over Aston Villa in a Premier League encounter at Anfield on Saturday.

Darwin Nunez opened the scoring in the first half, before Mohammed Salah made sure of a big three points with six minutes left in the second half.

Liverpool took full advantage of Manchester City’s slip-up to move five points clear at the top of the league table.

It was yet another defeat for champions Manchester City as they squandered a one-goal lead to lose 2-1 to Brighton.

Erling Haaland had opened scoring on 23 minutes before João Pedro and Matt O’Riley both scored late into the second half to compound City’s problem.

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Elsewhere, Super Eagles forward Alex Iwobi provided an assist to help Fulham seal a 2-0 win against their hosts Crystal Palace.

In the other Premier League games played concurrently, Wolverhampton Wanderers defeated Southampton 2-0 for their firsg win this season, while West Ham and Everton played a goalless draw.

Earlier on Saturday, Brentford and Bournemouth played a five-goal thriller, with hosts Brentford carrying the day with a 3-2 victory.

EPL: Liverpool win, Man City lose again, Iwobi helps Fulham in 2-0 victory

Lookman, Zaniolo fire Atalanta to 2-0 win over Stuttgart

Second-half goals from Nigeria’s Ademola Lookman and Nicolo Zaniolo earned Atalanta a 2-0 win at VfB Stuttgart in the Champions League on Wednesday.

The result means the Italian side are still yet to concede a goal in this season’s competition.

The opener came in the 51st minute when Ademola Lookman tapped in a cross from Charles De Ketelaere and, with the home side struggling to find a way through, Zaniolo struck the decisive second two minutes from time.

The defeat ended Stuttgart’s impressive home record of not losing a game in any competition for more than a year, while Atalanta continued their excellent form, unbeaten in their last eight matches.

Atalanta moved up to ninth in the standings on eight points, with Stuttgart dropping out of the playoff zone as they slipped to 27th with four points.

“We came here with ambition but from there to winning is a long way off,” Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini told Sky Sport.

“These are difficult pitches, Stuttgart had won in Turin against Juventus. It is the way this victory came that gives us confidence. We won with personality.”

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The visitors had the bulk of the possession in the opening half but it was Stuttgart who looked the more likely to score, with Anthony Rouault heading over from inside the six-yard box.

Stuttgart’s best chance of the half came right at the end when Chris Fuhrich’s pass set Deniz Undav up for a shot from close range but he hit the side netting.

Atalanta sent De Ketelaere on at the start of the second half and it was his silky skills which led to the breakthrough as he went past two defenders and his ball across the goal gave Lookman the easiest of tap-ins.

Stuttgart, who had beaten Juventus 1-0 in their last Champions League game, could not find a way past the Atalanta defence, and the visitors wrapped up the win near the end.

Substitute Zaniolo pounced on sloppy Stuttgart defending and in a one-on-one with the keeper he coolly slipped the ball past Alexander Nubel.

Atalanta and Inter Milan are the only two sides in the competition who have not conceded a goal after four games, and Gasperini’s side have put themselves in an excellent position at the halfway stage of the league phase.

“In all the games we have played we have shown solidity and we haven’t suffered much,” Gasperini said.

“We were able to have a good defensive phase and we built the points on that.”

Lookman, Zaniolo fire Atalanta to 2-0 win over Stuttgart

(Reuters/NAN)

I decide my future, Osimhen tells Napoli on Galatasaray stay

Nigeria international striker  Victor  Osimhen  has reportedly said  he would be  the one to determine his own future amid  transfer  rumours  away  from Galatasaray.

Napoli president Aurelio di Laurentiis has been quoted as saying that  he will be open for Osimhen to join Serie A rivals AC Milan in exchange for Rafael Leao and should Kvaratskhelia quit.

But  Osimhen has said  that  he would be  the one to decide where he plays after Galatasaray.

“I decide on my future, I don’t want others to decide,” he said firmly .“I feel happy when I remember how the Galatasaray fans welcomed me. I couldn’t be happier in a better place than here. My aim is to finish this year here.”

Yet a football transfer expert  has suggested  only a big money deal can lure  away Osimhen  from  Galatasaray  in the upcoming  January Transfer Window.

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Osimhen, who was linked with Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain right up until the final week of the summer transfer window, ultimately did not make a move to either club.

Instead, the 25-year-old joined Galatasaray on loan, where he’s been showcasing his ability by scoring four goals and providing four assists in seven appearances across all competitions.

According to Turkish outlet Sozcu, Galatasaray is keen to make his stay permanent as the club is reportedly willing to pay £42 million to sign him on a full-time basis from Napoli.

But in his recent appearance on the PSG Talk Extra Time podcast, Football Transfer’s Robin Bairner spoke about whether he sees Osimhen leaving this upcoming January transfer window.

“He’s been in the Turkish news this week saying that he’s going to stay at Galatasaray [and] he’s spoken to fans and said he’s going to stay to the end of the season,” Bairner said. “But I think if a big offer came in from a PSG or a Chelsea or an Arsenal, any of the teams that were interested in him during the summer, I think it’s certainly something you would have to consider. But he does seem to be enjoying life in Turkey and there seems to be no urgency, I suppose, to leave at the moment. So it would have to be the right offer.”

I decide my future, Osimhen tells Napoli on Galatasaray stay