Sport
Five talking points at the midway point of the Premier League season
Liverpool have one hand on the Premier League title as 2024 draws to a close, while it was a first half of the season to forget for Manchester City and Manchester United.
A season of unexpected twists has featured Nottingham Forest making an astonishing surge to second place, with United and Tottenham wallowing in the bottom half of the table.
AFP Sport looks at five takeaways at the midway point of the 2024/25 campaign:No Klopp, no problem for Liverpool. The emotional departure of Jurgen Klopp, who earned legendary status on Merseyside for winning the Premier League and Champions League during his near nine year-stint in charge, had dampened expectations of a title challenge before the campaign began.
But Klopp had crucially rejuvenated his squad before passing the reins to Arne Slot, who has made a near flawless start.The former Feyenoord boss has won 23 of his 27 matches in all competitions, which also includes a 100 percent record to top the Champions League and progress to the League Cup semi-finals.
Mohamed Salah has been the catalyst with 17 goals and 13 assists in 18 Premier League games. Even speculation over the futures of Egypt forward Salah, captain Virgil van Dijk and England defender Trent Alexander-Arnold, who are all out of contract at the end of the season, has not derailed Liverpool’s rampant run.
Arsenal, nine points back, appear their most serious challenger, but Liverpool are well on course to match Manchester United’s record of 20 English top-flight titles by May.Man City’s fall from graceCity’s run of two wins in their last 14 matches has been the story of the season so far, with Pep Guardiola admitting their record streak of four consecutive titles will not extend to a fifth.
The defending champions are 14 points off the top, down in sixth and look in need of an overhaul if they are to return to their former glories.
“In some positions we need help,” Guardiola said after Sunday’s 2-0 win at Leicester ended a run of eight away games without a victory. The loss of Ballon d’Or winner Rodri to a season-ending knee injury in September has been pivotal to City’s collapse, while Guardiola’s defence has been ravaged by injuries.Now they face a fight just to extend their 14-year run of qualifying for the Champions League.Forest lead surprise packages.
Forest only secured survival on the final day of last season but are enjoying a dream campaign under Nuno Espirito Santo.Famous victories at Anfield and Old Trafford have been the highlights as the two-time European champions have their eyes on a return to the Champions League next season for the first time in 45 years.
Only Arsenal and Liverpool have conceded fewer goals, while journeyman New Zealand striker Chris Wood has joined Salah, Erling Haaland, Cole Palmer and Alexander Isak in the race for the Golden Boot.
The struggles of the traditional giants has also opened the door for other unlikely contenders for Europe. Bournemouth sit sixth, with Fulham in eighth.Man Utd sink to new depths.
Much has changed at Old Trafford over the past 12 months, but results have only got worse. Since buying a minority stake in the club, Jim Ratcliffe has implemented a new sporting structure off the field, sacked manager Erik ten Hag and overseen another expensive spending spree in the transfer market.
United’s eighth-placed finish last season was their worst for 34 years.After 19 games they are 14th and closer to the relegation zone than the top four, with just seven points separating them from the bottom three.
United have lost four successive games in all competitions and five of their last six league matches, including their last three at home. Ruben Amorim has won just twice in the league since arriving from Sporting Lisbon in the worst start of any new United manager in nearly 100 years.
Promoted trio in trouble For just the second time in the history of the Premier League, all three promoted sides were relegated last season.
That feat is on course to be repeated with Southampton, Ipswich and Leicester ending the year in the bottom three. The trend raises concerns over the growing gulf between the Premier League, which boasts the world’s most lucrative TV revenue streams, and the second-tier Championship.
Southampton’s return of six points is on course to break Derby’s unwanted record from 2007/08 as the worst team in Premier League history.
Sport
Tobi Amusan Shines Bright with Silver at the World Athletics Championships
Nigeria’s sensational hurdler, Tobi Amusan, has made headlines once again, clinching the silver medal in the women’s 100m hurdles at the 2025 World Athletics Championships held in Tokyo, Japan. This marks her return to the podium for the first time since 2022, showcasing her incredible talent and resilience.
Amusan demonstrated her elite athleticism by finishing the race in an impressive 12.28 seconds, securing a well-deserved second place. The gold medal was claimed by Switzerland’s Ditaji Kambundji, who set a new national record with a remarkable time of 12.24 seconds. Meanwhile, the bronze medal went to Grace Stark of the United States, who completed the race in 12.34 seconds.
Earlier in the day, Amusan had already impressed fans by winning her semifinal heat in 12.36 seconds, setting the stage for a thrilling final. Her fierce competitiveness and dedication were on full display, reaffirming her status as a powerhouse in the sport.
Tobi Amusan’s stellar performance at the Tokyo 2025 World Championships not only adds to her accolades but also solidifies her place among the elite in track and field. The future looks incredibly bright for this remarkable athlete!
Sport
Tonali Rescues Italy from World Cup Crisis Against Israel
Sandro Tonali clinched a thrilling 5-4 victory for Italy over Israel on Monday, delivering a crucial late goal in the 2026 World Cup qualifier just as the Azzurri appeared to be spiraling into another crisis. The Newcastle United midfielder celebrated exuberantly in stoppage time after his speculative shot navigated through a crowd of players and found the back of the net, sealing a dramatic match in Debrecen, Hungary, which Italy seemed to be on the brink of throwing away.
The Azzurri, having missed out on the last two World Cups, were dominating 4-2 in the 81st minute when Giacomo Raspadori, who came on for the impressive Moise Kean, scored almost immediately after his introduction. Kean had previously set the tone by netting Italy’s first two goals.
However, an unfortunate own goal by Alessandro Bastoni and a header from Dor Peretz brought Israel back to level terms just when it looked like Italy would secure a comfortable win. Tonali’s fortuitous goal lifted Italy to second place in Group I, now tied on nine points with Israel, who have played one more match, putting them in a playoff position.
Gennaro Gattuso, Italy’s new coach, remarked, “We’ll take the win, which was crucial for us, but we’re completely crazy because we conceded some absurd goals. We have to address that issue because we’re too fragile; we allow goals too easily. The players realize this, but it’s my problem to solve. However, credit must go to the boys for showing the courage to fight back every time they faced adversity.”
Italy trails group leaders Norway by three points, still holding a potential chance to secure the top spot and the sole direct qualifying berth for the World Cup. Yet, Gattuso faces significant challenges ahead of the upcoming matches against Estonia and Israel, especially as the Israeli players donned black armbands in remembrance of the victims of a deadly shooting earlier that day in east Jerusalem.
Despite being the nominal home team, Israel could have justified a draw, having seen Kean repeatedly pull Italy out of trouble following an early own goal from Manuel Locatelli and a stunning strike from Dor Peretz in the 52nd minute in a mostly empty Nagyerdei Stadium.
The match was overshadowed by political tensions stemming from Israel’s military actions in the Gaza Strip. A small contingent of Italian fans turned their backs during the Israeli national anthem, and boos echoed from some parts of the stadium, accompanied by banners reading “stop.” The Italian players also seemed disinterested at the match’s outset, as Israel showed more urgency and commitment compared to the four-time World Cup champions.
The nominal home side had a goal disallowed before Locatelli’s own goal put Israel ahead. He nearly redeemed himself with an acrobatic volley that struck the crossbar. However, ten minutes later, Kean scored a low drive past goalkeeper Daniel Peretz after receiving a knockdown from Mateo Retegui.
Kean found the net again nine minutes into the second half, equalizing right after Peretz had put Israel ahead again with a brilliantly placed shot. Politano eventually gave Italy the lead with a well-placed volley assisted by Retegui, and when Raspadori added a fourth goal, it seemed Italy would emerge victorious. But it was Tonali’s unconventional winner that ultimately secured the three points for Italy, averting a potential disaster that would have left their World Cup qualification hopes hanging by a thread.
Sport
EPL: Postecoglou Set to Take Over as Nottingham Forest Head Coach
Ange Postecoglou has reached an agreement to become the head coach of Nottingham Forest, following the club’s decision to part ways with Nuno Espirito Santo. According to reports from Sky Sports on Tuesday, the 60-year-old Australian is preparing to return to Premier League management, having finalized terms just ahead of Forest’s upcoming match against Arsenal.
After discussions with the club earlier this week, both parties quickly came to an agreement. Postecoglou is set to be the eighth permanent manager at Nottingham Forest since Evangelos Marinakis took ownership in 2017.
The former Tottenham manager was released from his position at the end of the previous season after a disappointing run that saw Spurs finish 17th in the Premier League. Nevertheless, he managed to secure a historic Europa League victory, ending the club’s long wait for a trophy.
Currently, Forest occupies the 10th position in the Premier League table after three matches this season. Nuno Espirito Santo’s tenure came to an end after 21 months, with his last game resulting in a 3-0 loss to West Ham before the international break in September.
Espirito Santo took the reins in December 2023 following Steve Cooper’s dismissal and successfully maintained the club’s top-flight status. Last season, he led Nottingham to a seventh-place finish in the Premier League, marking their best standing since the 1994-95 season and resulting in their qualification for European competition for the first time in thirty years.
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