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Gabriel Martinelli rescues Arsenal and denies Man City smash-and-grab win – 5 talking points
Gabriel Martinelli climbs off the bench to rescue a point for the Gunners in injury time after Mikel Arteta’s side had been frustrated by City’s defence....TAP TO CONTINUE READING
Gabriel Martinelli of Arsenal celebrate
Gabriel Martinelli came good for Arsenal late on
Gabriel Martinelli scored an injury-time goal for Arsenal to puncture a Manchester City defensive masterclass and keep alive the Gunners’ Premier League title ambitions. Erling Haaland’s early goal had allowed Pep Guardiola to adapt his game plan before the late twist changed everything.
Haaland put City ahead with the first shot of the game, streaking clear on the counter-attack to finish coolly from Tijjani Reijnders’ pass. Having struggled to break down City’s defence, Mikel Arteta summoned Bukayo Saka and Eberechi Eze from the bench at half-time.
Gianluigi Donnarumma made strong saves from Noni Madueke and Eze, but Guardiola continued to throw curveballs as he took off his attacking players for defensive ones. It appeared to have worked before Martinelli threw a spanner in the works.
Eze’s ball over the top caught City cold and Martinelli lobbed Donnarumma with a brilliant finish to earn his side a point. Here are the talking points.
1. Haaland is inevitable
Once the ball came to Reijnders, it felt inevitable. Arsenal committed too many players to try and win the ball and ended up with five within in a tiny pocket of space. City won the ball, fed Reijnders and raced up the pitch to complete a perfect counter-attack. With Gabriel Magalhaes treading water, Haaland streaked clear and expertly finished with his right foot past David Raya.
His efficiency in front of goal is nothing new and, really, we shouldn’t be surprised by Haaland’s current form because he’s had several other purple patches. But the Norwegian really does look unstoppable right now. His seventh goal in a sixth appearance of the season confirmed what we’ve always known: Haaland is by far the best goal scorer in the Premier League.
Erling Haaland shoots to score the opening goal of the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Manchester City
Erling Haaland only needed one sight of goal to score
2. Functional but lacking flare
Much of the pre-match chat on Sky Sports focused on Arsenal’s squad depth, with Jamie Carragher in particular purring over the home side’s options on the bench. But Arteta’s decision to stick with the functional trio of Martin Zubimendi, Declan Rice and Mikel Merino in midfield gave Arsenal an obvious issue once Haaland had given the away side the lead.
City sat in a low block and challenged the Gunners to break them down, but without the injured Martin Odegaard and with Eze and Ethan Nwaneri on the bench, there was very little in the way of ingenuity. Merino has physicality, but lacks flare on the ball, much to the frustration of the home crowd. Arsenal’s reliance on set pieces has helped hide their difficulties with breaking down deep-set defences. The first half was a classic example.
Arsenal’s Spanish midfielder #23 Mikel Merino (C) vies with Manchester City’s Dutch midfielder #04 Tijjani Reijnders (L) and Manchester City’s Belgian midfielder #11 Jeremy Doku
Mikel Merino was emblematic of Arsenal’s struggles in the first half
3. Arteta makes his move
Arteta has become known as a cautious manager, but he laid his cards on the table at half-time by bringing on Saka and Eze for Madueke and Merino in a double change that suggested he was admitting making a mistake with his line-up. The substitutions immediately made a difference, with Arsenal much more dangerous right from the whistle in the second half.
But what Arteta probably didn’t expect was the response from his former colleague, who ripped up his normal playbook to combat Arsenal’s threat.
Eberechi Eze of Arsenal
Eberechi Eze came off the bench at half-time
4. Pep parks the bus
Pep Guardiola is the most influential manager of the modern era and we saw a different side to the City boss at the Emirates Stadium. Coming up against his former protégé, Guardiola went ultra-pragmatic. Having got an early goal, he took a leaf out of the book of another modern great and parked the bus.
City sat deep, minimised the space, made niggly fouls, took their time over goal kicks and made a real effort not to over-commit numbers to attacks. In the 68th minute came the most obvious sign of Guardiola’s thinking, with Nathan Ake coming on for Phil Foden. City changed to a back five and essentially shut up shop, with Haaland replaced by midfielder Nico Gonzalez in the 76th minute.
Pep Guardiola gestures on the touchline
Pep Guardiola went ultra defensive in the second half
5. Martinelli rescues Arsenal
It was Martinelli, who along with Trossard, won them the game at Athletic Club in the Champions League. And it was the speedy Brazilian who did it once again a few days later.
City’s defensive line went to sleep and Eze’s long ball over the top caught them cold, allowing Martinelli space to run into. He exploited it perfectly, grabbing a huge point for Arsenal, who were minutes away from losing 1-0 once again to a title rival, having lost to Dominik Szoboszlai’s free-kick at Anfield.
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Super Eagles midfielder Fisayo Dele-Bashiru has emerged as a top target for Championship side West Bromwich Albion, Soccernet.ng reports.....TAP TO CONTINUE READING
The Baggies are looking to bolster their midfield during the January window to sustain their push for promotion to the Premier League.
Currently, West Brom find themselves in 19 position on the Championship table, but they are looking to plug the holes in the team.
Asides from their defensive concerns, the Baggies have struggled for creativity and clinical finishing in the final third.
With 32 goals in 29 games, their output is among the lowest in the top 20 teams. However, with 17 games remaining, the club remains firmly in the hunt for a playoff spot.
According to West Brom Xtra, the club has identified Dele-Bashiru as a key target to solve these issues.
The Super Eagles star is a dynamic attacking midfielder known for his high work rate and ability to contribute goals from deep. His arrival would provide a significant boost to Carlos Corberán’s squad.
Why It Will Be Tough To Get Dele-Bashiru’s Signature
While Dele-Bashiru would be a massive coup for West Brom, getting a deal will be complicated. He is currently on the books at Serie A side Lazio, and the 24-year-old has experienced a turbulent tenure since arriving in Italy two years ago.
Dele-Bashiru has endured inconsistent playing time due to a combination of tactical shifts and minor injuries.
Under manager Maurizio Sarri, he has struggled to cement himself as an indispensable member of the starting XI.
The main challenge for West Brom will likely be in the prestige gap; moving from a top-tier Italian side to the English second tier is often viewed as a step down.
However, the lure of regular football and a path back to the Premier League could be persuasive.
Financially, the deal is feasible. Dele-Bashiru is valued between €7–10 million, which is an okay price point for the Baggies.
If the move materializes, he will join the list of Super Eagles stars to have represented the club, including Semi Ajayi and the legendary Peter Odemwingie.
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Adams Akor broke new ground in Nigerian football history on Saturday night as his penalty helped Sevilla to a 2-1 comeback win over Athletic Club and secured the club’s first La Liga victory of 2026, Soccernet.ng reports.....TAP TO CONTINUE READING
The Super Eagles striker struck in the second half at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán to take his personal tally in Spain’s top flight to six goals, a figure that now places him 11th on the list of Nigeria’s all-time La Liga scorers.
It was Adams’ third goal in two matches since returning from the Africa Cup of Nations, where he helped Nigeria claim the bronze medal, and another reminder of his growing importance to Matías Almeyda’s side.
More significantly, the goal carried historical weight. With six La Liga strikes, Adams has now moved ahead of legendary Super Eagles forward Rashidi Yekini, who scored three times in the competition, and has also overtaken the marks set by Bartholomew Ogbeche (three) and Christantus Uche (five).
While Adams still has a long way to go to threaten the towering figures of Christopher Ohenhen (48 goals), Finidi George (43) and Ikechukwu Uche (43), his steady progress is a pointer to how quickly he is carving out his own place in Nigerian football’s European story.
Comeback win lifts Akor Adams’ Sevilla up the table
The match itself was a tight, nervy affair between two sides separated by little in the table.
Athletic Club struck first in the 40th minute through Robert Navarro, but Sevilla hit back almost immediately when Gerard Fernández levelled the score just two minutes later to send both teams into the break on equal terms.
Ten minutes after the restart came the decisive moment. Yuri Berchiche was penalised for a handball in the box, and after a VAR check confirmed the offence, Adams stepped up and calmly rolled the penalty into the bottom-left corner to complete the turnaround.
Athletic Club pushed hard for an equaliser, but Sevilla held their shape and saw out the contest, condemning the visitors to their seventh away defeat in 11 league matches this season.
The victory lifts Sevilla above Athletic into 11th place. Both sides are now on 24 points after 21 games, but Sevilla’s superior goal difference gives them the edge and, crucially, leaves them five points clear of the relegation zone.
For Adams, it also marks his most productive La Liga campaign so far, matching the momentum he showed during the 2023-24 season at Montpellier, when he scored eight league goals.
Sevilla now travel to face Mallorca on Monday, February 2, while Athletic Club turn their attention to Europe, hosting Sporting CP in the Champions League.
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Art & Commercial students don’t fail JAMB because they’re dull. They fail because they’re taught like Science students. Science students calculate — JAMB rewards that. Art students explain — JAMB doesn’t. So you read hard, attend lessons, yet your score disappoints you. This online class fixes that. No theory overload. No confusion. Just real JAMB questions, clear breakdowns, and winning strategies. 📌 JAMB is not hard — you were just taught the wrong way.Click The Link To Reach Us Now 👉 https://wa.me/2349063958940
Victor Osimhen became the fastest player to reach 50 goals in Galatasaray’s history as the Turkish champions claimed a 3-1 away win at Fatih Karagumruk on Saturday night, Soccernet.ng reports.....TAP TO CONTINUE READING
The Nigeria striker reached the landmark in just 59 appearances when he scored the third goal of the game, capping another strong display from the league leaders.
Victor Osimhen’s latest strike also confirmed his growing status as one of the most important players in the club’s recent history.
Galatasaray went into the match looking to protect their lead at the top of the Super Lig and made the perfect start. Inside the opening minute, Gabriel Sara punished a mistake from the home side while they tried to play out from defence, calmly finishing to give the visitors an early advantage.
Karagumruk struggled to create chances but made the most of their best moment in the first half. In the 27th minute, Serginho led a quick counter-attack before squaring the ball for Kalayci, who curled a fine shot into the top corner to level the score with what turned out to be the hosts’ only effort on target before the break.
Victor Osimhen seals victory and makes history
Galatasaray came out with more control after half-time and soon regained the lead. A patient move ended with Rolland Sallai sending in a cross, and Gabriel Sara arrived at the right time to head home his second goal of the night and make it 2-1.
Four minutes later, the moment everyone was waiting for arrived. Osimhen controlled a cross from Gündoğan with his chest inside the box and fired a powerful shot into the roof of the net. It was his 50th goal for the club and one that put the result beyond doubt.
The win keeps Galatasaray top of the Super Lig table with 46 points, four clear of second-placed Fenerbahçe, who still have a game in hand. Karagumruk, meanwhile, remain bottom of the standings with just nine points from 19 matches.
Osimhen’s goal was his seventh in the league this season and his 13th in all competitions in 18 appearances. Last season, he scored 37 goals in 41 games and played a key role as Galatasaray won both the Super Lig title and the Turkish Cup. Once again, he proved he is a player who delivers on the biggest nights.
GOL! Fatih Karagümrük 1-3 Galatasaray (55' Osimhen)
#KGvGS pic.twitter.com/oz4b9reD63— Goller Cepte (@ceptegoltv) January 24, 2026
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Art & Commercial students don’t fail JAMB because they’re dull. They fail because they’re taught like Science students. Science students calculate — JAMB rewards that. Art students explain — JAMB doesn’t. So you read hard, attend lessons, yet your score disappoints you. This online class fixes that. No theory overload. No confusion. Just real JAMB questions, clear breakdowns, and winning strategies. 📌 JAMB is not hard — you were just taught the wrong way.Click The Link To Reach Us Now 👉 https://wa.me/2349063958940
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