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Man City Demon v Bournemouth Must Start Every Game if Pep Wants PL Title

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Manchester City put on an excellent display as they beat Bournemouth 3-1 on Sunday. And one player, based on his dazzling performance against the Cherries, simply has to start every game for Pep Guardiola’s side moving forward.

Erling Haaland, in typical fashion, gave the hosts the lead after being played through on goal by Rayan Cherki, cooly slotting past Dorde Petrovic. But Bournemouth hit back shortly after, as Tyler Adams capitalised on an error from goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.

City restored their lead just minutes later, though. Haaland once again raced through on goal, rounding the on-rushing Petrovic before finishing from a tight angle.

Although Andoni Iraola’s side kept knocking on the door in search of an equaliser, the hosts cemented their dominance when Nico O’Reilly grabbed a third on the hour mark. A win catapults City to second in the league, a point ahead of Sunday’s opponents.

Cherki Shines Against Bournemouth

Manchester City's Rayan Cherki in action with AFC Bournemouth's Tyler Adams
Premier League – Manchester City v AFC Bournemouth – Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain – November 2, 2025 Manchester City’s Rayan Cherki in action with AFC Bournemouth’s Tyler Adams REUTERS/Phil Noble

Although Haaland will claim the headlines for his brace, equal praise should be given to the playmaker tucking in behind him. Cherki helped run the show against Bournemouth on Sunday, providing an impetus that had been lacking for large portions of City’s loss against Aston Villa.

It was the Frenchman’s header which allowed Haaland to open the scoring, but he was equally important in the second goal. Spinning away from Bournemouth defenders, he then laid the ball on a plate for O’Reilly outside the penalty area, with the left-back marching forward and finishing superbly to put the game out of reach.

Aside from the two assists, Cherki was accurate with his crossing and most of his passing, playing two key passes and getting on the ball whenever possible, looking to drive the team forward. Also fulfilling his defensive duties by completing three out of three tackles, he’s wasted little time in striking up an effective partnership with those around him, and looks to be an excellent replacement for City’s former playmaker, Kevin De Bruyne.

Check out Cherki’s statistics against Bournemouth below:

Rayan Cherki’s Statistics – Man City 3-1 Bournemouth

Assists

2

Key Passes

2

Passing accuracy

85%

Shots (On Target)

3 (1)

Touches

69

Tackles (Won)

3 (3)

Recoveries

3

Ground Duels (Won)

10 (3)

Although he’s got a long way to go before he matches the legacy left by the Belgian at the Etihad, Sunday’s performance proved that the 22-year-old can be a creative force against exceptional teams. City face a difficult challenge in closing the gap to Arsenal, who sit six points clear at the top of the table, but you wouldn’t put it past Guardiola’s side if Cherki continues to shine.

Supporters Loved What They Saw From ‘Demon’ Cherki

Erling Haaland celebrates scoring with teammate Rayan Cherki during Manchester City vs Bournemouth.
Premier League – Manchester City v AFC Bournemouth – Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain – November 2, 2025 Manchester City’s Erling Haaland celebrates scoring their first goal with Manchester City’s Rayan Cherki Action Images via Reuters/Jason Cairnduff

The sentiment that Cherki has to start whenever possible was one echoed by supporters who watched him in action against Bournemouth. One fan remained confident that they could catch Arsenal, stating: “If Cherki starts playing regularly at 10 we can still win the league man.”

That was echoed by another supporter, who said: “If Cherki stays fit, City win the Premier League this season. It’s that simple. Completely a different team when he’s on the pitch.”

One more fan wrote: “Them Cherki debates were just disrespectful, he’s a joke.” While another simply said: “Cherki changed my life”

His talent was never in question at former club Lyon, with Thierry Henry hailing him as “extraordinary,” and many believe that he is playing his best football now that he is playing alongside one of the best players in the world in the form of Haaland. One person said: “Two assists for Cherki in 30 minutes, what’s funnier is that anyone who knows him a little bit knew this would happen as soon as the coach started him with best ST in the world. Guy was making old Lacazette look like his former self loool he’s a demon.”

With both players forming an excellent partnership, City are certainly not out of the title race just yet. But Guardiola simply has to play Cherki if he wants to claim a seventh Premier League title.

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Ayyoub Bouaddi Update With Lille Ready to Sell Arsenal and Liverpool Target

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Ayyoub Bouaddi is set to be sold this summer with Manchester City, Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool among the teams interested, but Lille are hoping for a one-year loan-back or pre-agreement to try and keep the player with them for an extra year.

GMS understands Lille want a minimum of €80m for the Moroccan midfielder, but that price could rise to €100m+ for clubs seeking an immediate sale. Bouaddi has also been tracked by PSG, but the French champions are currently prioritising adding an attacker, with Yan Diomande their top priority.

Manchester City, Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid are all interested in the 18-year-old, who has impressed so far at the World Cup, including in Morocco’s opening draw with Brazil.

GMS understands Manchester City are one of Bouaddi’s most active suitors, but Lille anticipate several approaches after the World Cup. City want to add another midfielder, even after the £116m arrival of Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest.

Arsenal are also intent on signing a new midfielder. Along with Bouaddi, Bruno Guimaraes, Sandro Tonali and Alex Scott are all on their radar.

Manchester United will sign at least one more midfielder following the arrival of Ederson from Atalanta. The club are in talks with West Ham over Mateus Fernandes, and face competition from Spurs. Scott and Brighton’s Carlos Baleba are two other options.

And Liverpool could reinforce in central midfield, especially if Curtis Jones or Alexis Mac Allister are sold. The former has drawn interest from Inter and Nottingham Forest, but clubs must meet a £40m asking price.

Chelsea are another Premier League club assessing the midfield market and have seen a £8m bid rejected for Sunderland’s Granit Xhaka. And Spurs want to sign two midfielders, with West Ham’s Fernandes and Tonali two active deals they are working on.

Bouaddi has already made 96 appearances for Lille across three seasons having come through the club’s Academy. In January 2026, he became the youngest player to make 50 Ligue 1 appearances for Lille, breaking a record previously held by Eden Hazard.

Lille are aware he will be difficult to keep hold of, but are hoping to strike a deal seeing the teenager stay for one more year.

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Beer, Pimms, and Strawberries and Cream Prices Emerge

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A breakdown of prices has been revealed for classic food and drink items at Wimbledon this year, including the iconic punnet of strawberries and cream, and a glass of Pimms.

Strawberries and cream are the delicacy most synonymous with Wimbledon, and are believed to have been served at the tournament as early as the Victorian era, when they were only available in the country for a few weeks in summer.

The price of this seasonal snack has always remained affordable, but has risen this year by 15p to £2.85.

The classic treat was held at £2.50 for 14 years between 2010 and 2024, rising to £2.70 last year before another slight increase for 2026.

Wimbledon strawberries Toby Melville via Reuters

Another British classic strongly associated with Wimbledon is Pimms, a gin-based liquor usually topped with lemonade and filled with fruit and herbs such as strawberries, cucumber, oranges, lemon, and fresh mint.

The summer garden party staple was first served at Wimbledon in 1971 when the tournament opened its first Pimms dedicated bar, and every year well over 80,000 pints are drunk by spectators.

This year, one glass will reportedly set you back £13.45, up £1.20 from last year, meaning a combo of the two Wimbledon classics will cost £16.30.

Price jumps are happening across the beverage menu too, with a pint of Wimbledon’s lager sponsor, Stella, reported at £8.95, up 10p from last year.

Wimbledon Pimms Susan Mullane via Reuters

Champagne drinkers are not safe from inflation either, with a mini bottle of Lanson Le Rose rising by £1.50 to £31.35, while a full-sized bottle is priced at a whopping £102, up £1.10 from the previous year. However, the price of a refillable bottle of Evian water will remain unchanged at £5.

Wimbledon Spokesperson Explains Pricing


Emma Raducanu


How Much Emma Raducanu Will Earn From Wimbledon This Year Despite Withdrawing Through Injury

The Brit had to withdraw from the Grand Slam the night before it was set to get underway.

A spokesperson for the All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) told The Sun: “Food and drink inflation continues to be a challenge nationwide, and we are not immune.

“However, we pride ourselves on creating a menu that utilises British, seasonal produce to keep costs to a minimum wherever possible, and offering a variety of food and drink to help ensure there is an option for every budget.”

Wimbledon tennis ball Andrew Couldridge via Reuters

To limit your spending, Wimbledon also allows spectators to bring their own drinks, with each person restricted to the equivalent of either one bottle of wine or Champagne (750ml), two cans of beer/lager (500ml each), or two cans of premixed aperitifs.

The tournament runs from the 29th of June, through to the 12th of July, at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in SW19.

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Iran Release Emotional Statement After Their 2026 World Cup Exit

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Iran’s World Cup campaign has come to an end with a stinging statement aimed at the treatment they endured throughout their time at the tournament.

A 1-1 draw with Egypt on Saturday, in which a late Iran goal was controversially disallowed following a lengthy VAR review, wasn’t enough to send Iran through to the knockout stages, finishing in ninth place in the third-place table and missing out on goal difference.

It ends a World Cup campaign overshadowed by logistical issues and ongoing tensions stemming from Iran’s conflict with the United States, with the team forced to base themselves in Mexico rather than their original Arizona location.

After the switch of training bases, strict restrictions on how long they could stay in the US for led to the Iran Football Federation making a complaint to FIFA.

Iran’s Federation Hits Out in Farewell Statement

Iran's national team at the World Cup REUTERS/Matthew Childs

As the squad prepared to head home, the Iranian federation released a statement thanking the media for their coverage of the situation, while making clear their frustrations with how they’d been treated throughout the tournament. They said, per RTE:


Iran sing national anthem


What FIFA ‘Forced’ Iran to Do After World Cup Opener as Infantino Visits Dressing Room

Iran played their first game at the 2026 World Cup in the United States of America, but were given clear instructions after the whistle.

“Thank you for your professionalism, your support, and for covering not only our team’s sporting journey, but also the unfair and unsportsmanlike treatment our delegation experienced during our stay. Your commitment to reporting the facts accurately and with integrity meant a great deal to us.”

The federation also praised the people of Mexico, adding: “We would also like to extend our deepest gratitude to the wonderful people of Mexico, especially the beautiful city of Tijuana and its kind and warm-hearted residents. You welcomed us with generosity and genuine hospitality that made us feel at home. For all of us, leaving Tijuana is truly difficult.

“The memories we created here, the friendships we built, and the affection we received will remain forever in the hearts of every member of the Iran National Football Team.

“We will always be grateful to the great and generous people of Mexico, as well as to the Government of Mexico, for their hospitality and respect.”

It’s not the first gesture of gratitude Iran has shown during their stay. After their group games in Los Angeles and Seattle, handwritten notes were left in their dressing rooms thanking each host city for its hospitality.

Mehdi Taremi Calls World Cup a “Disaster”

Iran's Mehdi Taremi

Iranian captain Mehdi Taremi had some scathing words for FIFA and the Trump Administration after the Egypt game, branding the experience a “disaster” and revealing logistical staff had been unable to secure visas throughout the tournament. “We don’t have our logistic people here – they don’t have a visa. How is it possible we always have to travel from Tijuana?


Iran


Iran’s Taremi Makes Stunning Claims About FIFA and USA After World Cup Draw v Egypt

While Iran has remained respectful throughout the tournament, their captain couldn’t bottle up his real feelings for much longer.

“It’s not fair. Our opinion is, it’s not fair. Is it fair for FIFA? OK, good to them. But it’s not fair. Who wants to help us?

Much like the notes that were left, Taremi was keen to praise the hospitality shown by their hosts in Mexico, insisting the issues lay solely with the tournament’s organisation rather than the people who welcomed them throughout their stay.

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