Connect with us

Sports

Scott Parker Makes Huge Claim After Facing Arsenal, Liverpool and Man City

Published

on


Scott Parker has suggested that Arsenal are favourites to win the Premier League title ahead of Liverpool and Man City.

Parker’s Burnley faced the Gunners at Turf Moor on Saturday afternoon and fell to a 2-0 defeat thanks to goals from Viktor Gyokeres and Declan Rice.

While the loss was a blow, it does mean that the Clarets don’t have to worry about facing any of the Premier League’s top sides for a little while. That’s because Parker’s side have already faced Tottenham and Manchester United, not to mention genuine title challengers Liverpool and Manchester City, whom they lost 1-0 and 5-1 to, respectively.

Arsenal Have ‘Every Ingredient’ to Win Title

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta reacts vs Burnley

Despite losing to Liverpool and Man City, Parker suggested that Arsenal could be the best-equipped team in terms of challenging for the Premier League title. Speaking after the 2-0 defeat, Parker said:

“They’re just a very, very good team. They’re a team who I believe have every single ingredient to go and win the league this year.

“In every facet of their game, defensively, attacking-wise, set plays, they’re a top, top team. We just fell a little bit short today.”

On Arsenal’s threat from set pieces, Parker added: “If you don’t have those players, you probably don’t score as many as Arsenal are scoring.

“It’s not just down to those two (Gabriel and Saliba). You’ve got a delivery taker. Every single time you ask it to be put back post it goes back post. You ask it to be put front post and the runs are there it gets put there.

“You’ve also got the timing of the runs, the physicality of the runs, and they’re extremely good at it. Other than the actual natural talent they have and the willingness to attack the ball, sometimes it’s difficult.

Parker continued to wax lyrical about the league leaders, adding: “There’s many a team who have had their struggles against them. You’re always trying to find ways.

“For us, it was about trying to get more control than we’ve had against top sides like against Liverpool and Manchester United when we’ve played them. Can we get a certain control while being a threat?”

Arsenal’s victory over Burnley means that they’re seven points clear at the top of the table with nearest rivals, Bournemouth, set to face Man City on Sunday.

Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Sports

All Completed Tottenham Transfers in 2026/27

Published

on

By


Tottenham Hotspur will be looking to bounce back from their disappointing Premier League campaign last season, and they have certainly been making moves during the summer transfer window. The Lily Whites endured another season at the bottom half of the Premier League, in a relegation fight until the final day, where newly appointed Roberto De Zerbi steered the squad to a 17th-place finish.

With De Zerbi only joining the side during the business-end of last season, it is clear he will want to make his own signings for his squad and build a strong Spurs side that can challenge in the top half of the Premier League table.

De Zerbi plays a very different brand of football compared to his predecessors, Thomas Frank and Igor Tudor, and the Italian boss will have to make some tough decisions on incomings and outgoing transfers, with his squad needing players who are more suited to his fast, possession-based football.

New Tottenham Transfers 2026/27

Roberto De Zerbi clapping the Tottenham fans

Player

Nationality

Previous Club

Fee

Jan Paul Van Hecke

Netherlands

Brighton

£52 million

Marcos Senesi

Argentina

Bournemouth

Free

Andy Robertson

Scotland

Liverpool

Free

Martin Dubravka

Slovakia

Burnley

Free

Spurs have confirmed four signings so far this transfer window, with only one player in Van Hecke, costing them a transfer fee. Van Hecke has close ties to De Zerbi from their time at Brighton, whilst Marcos Senesi has been a standout player for Bournemouth, and picking him up on a free is a big piece of business for Tottenham. Martin Dubravka provides a good backup option, whilst having the Premier League experience and ability of Andy Robertson will be another key addition to Spurs.

The North London side aren’t finished yet either, with reports claiming that Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali is ready to join Spurs should both clubs manage to agree a fee. Mateus Fernandes is also a player of interest for Spurs, with the Portuguese midfielder looking to leave recently relegated West Ham, who are holding out for a fee of £85 million.

Spurs have also recently been linked with a bid for Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford, who enjoyed a loan spell at Barcelona last season.

Tottenham Departures 2026/27

Tottenham Hotspur striker Alejo Veliz

Player

Nationality

New Club

Fee

Alejo Veliz

Argentina

EC Bahia

£8 million

Yves Bissouma

Mali

Released

N/A

Randal Kolo Muani

France

End of Loan

N/A

Joao Palhinha

Portugal

End of Loan

N/A

There haven’t been many big transfer outgoings yet from White Hart Lane, with Alejo Veliz being the only player to leave the side so far for a transfer fee. The Argentine forward only featured eight times in Tottenham colours, scoring once. Yves Bissouma’s time at the club came to an end following the expiration of his contract, whilst Randal Kolo Muani and Joao Palhinha’s loan spells also finished.

Guglielmo Vicario is rumoured to be on his way out of the club, with Spurs set to back Antonin Kinsky with a new five-year deal at the club, with new signing Dubravka playing back up.

Lucas Bergvall has also been linked with a move away from Spurs, with the young talent rumoured with moves to Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest, who will be looking for a replacement following Elliot Anderson’s £116 million move to Manchester City.

More Transfer News


Sandro Tonali


Better Than Tonali and Fernandes: Tottenham Plot Shock Bid to Sign ‘World-Class’ Star

Tottenham are surprising everyone in the summer transfer window

Continue Reading

Sports

‘I Beat Serena Williams at Wimbledon in 2022

Published

on

By


A past opponent of tennis icon Serena Williams has spoken out on the American’s treatment towards her following a win over her at Wimbledon four years ago.

Williams is currently in the headlines and the topic of much discussion in the tennis landscape after recently announcing her return to the court after a four-year hiatus from the sport.

The 23-time Grand Slam winner returned to action at last month’s Queen’s Club Championships in the doubles event alongside young Canadian star Victoria Mboko.

The 44-year-old’s comeback was accelerated when she was announced to be playing in both the singles and doubles events at Wimbledon this year thanks to wildcards. The latter event will see her reunite with and play alongside her sister, Venus, once again.

Things did not turn out the way Williams would have hoped on her singles return to Wimbledon on Tuesday evening, however, as the unseeded Maya Joint got the better of her, claiming a memorable 6-3, 6-7, 6-3 triumph.

Following the loss, Williams shook the hand of her first-round Australian opponent before swiftly departing a packed out Centre Court. The American then decided to skip media conference duties after the match, instead opting to release a message to the press of her delight at competing at SW19 again.

In the moments after the contest concluded, French player Harmony Tan was quick to point out how she had been treated by Williams following their meeting at Wimbledon four years ago.

Harmony Tan Calls Out Serena Williams After Wimbledon Return

Harmony Tan Matthew Childs via Reuters

Tan was the last person to defeat Williams at the Grand Slam event in 2022 before the tennis great stepped away from the sport, inflicting an opening-round 7-5, 1-6, 7-6 loss on the American.

The French competitor, currently ranked 200 by the WTA in singles, posted a screenshot on her Instagram story of her attempting to find Williams’ official account on the social media platform.

🎾

Wimbledon History Quiz

You scored

out of 20

However, the image depicted Williams’ profile being unavailable to Tan, confirming that she had been blocked by the tennis icon.

Tan captioned her story, writing: “So, 4 years ago, after the handshake, she blocked me also on Instagram btw (by the way).”

The 28-year-old accompanied the message with both a stressed-out face and laughing emojis.

Williams’ actions are somewhat surprising, considering there is not thought to be any bad blood between the two players, only that they simply faced off against one another at Wimbledon in 2022.

Perhaps, the American did not want to be reminded of the last player to defeat her at Wimbledon during her period away from the court.

Tan is not featuring in this year’s main singles draw at Wimbledon after failing to get through the qualifying stages. She won her opening two games of the qualifiers against Mia Pohankova and Esther Adeshina, respectively. However, she then came up short against Tyra Caterina Grant, losing 6-4, 7-6 to the Italian.

Williams will be hoping for better luck in the doubles at Wimbledon, when she and her sister face the South American duo of Solana Sierra and Camila Osorio in Thursday’s opening round contest.

Continue Reading

Sports

Did Ronaldinho Mean His Free Kick Goal vs England at the 2002 World Cup?

Published

on

By


Few moments from the 2002 World Cup are more iconic and memorable than Ronaldinho‘s audacious free kick goal for Brazil against England in the quarter-final. And few are more divisive; did he really mean it or was it just a fluke?

Brazil went on to win the 2002 tournament, beating Germany in the final, and that formidable group, featuring Ronaldinho, Rivaldo and Ronaldo, remain the last batch of Brazilians to lift the famous trophy. And, over two decades on, discussion continues to simmer among lovers of the game over whether ‘that Ronaldinho goal’ was intentional or not.

So, did Ronaldinho mean to score that day or was it simply a moment of outrageous good fortune? GIVEMESPORT takes a look back at one of the most talked-about moments in World Cup history.

Ronaldinho Goal vs England: What Happened?

Game:

England 1-2 Brazil (World Cup 2002, Quarter-Final)

Date:

June 21, 2002

Venue:

Stadium Ecopa, Fukuroi, Japan

England Scorer(s):

Michael Owen (23′)

Brazil Scorer(s):

Rivaldo (45+2′), Ronaldinho (50′)

Having comfortably beaten Denmark 3-0 in the Round of 16, England advanced to the quarter-final stage, where Brazil lay in wait. The South Americans were heavy favourites to win the tournament and had beaten Belgium in the previous round, but England took the lead in the 23rd minute courtesy of Michael Owen.

However, the game would ultimately revolve around Ronaldinho and it was the gifted playmaker’s slaloming run and pass that allowed Rivaldo to score an equaliser on the stroke of half-time. Then, the defining moment of the match arrived just a matter of minutes after the restart, when Ronaldinho was carelessly fouled 40-odd yards out, wide on the right of England’s goal.

World Cup History Quiz

You scored

out of 20

Ronaldinho shrugged off the assault from the England midfielder and stood ominously over the ball as his compatriots flooded into the England box in anticipation of an inviting cross. He struck the ball hard with the inside of his right foot and it spun high into the area, momentarily wrong-footing Seaman before looping miraculously into the top left corner of the net.

Interestingly, it would not be Ronaldinho’s last contribution to the game, with the toothy Brazilian being sent off just seven minutes later following a testy tussle with Danny Mills.

WATCH: Ronaldinho’s Free Kick Goal vs England | All the Angles

Did Ronaldinho Mean To Lob David Seaman and Score?

Brazil's Ronaldinho reacts as referee Felipe Ramos Rizo shows him a red card, World Cup 2002 REUTERS/Jim Bourg JB/GB/JP

England players who played that day were unanimous in their assessment that the goal was completely unintentional and fortuitous, with David Beckham calling it “a fluke” and Teddy Sheringham derisively describing it as “a mis-hit” in the immediate aftermath.

Danny Mills, meanwhile, argued that Ronaldinho’s apparent “sheepishness” when asked directly about it after the game by Rio Ferdinand was evidence that he had simply gotten lucky. “Rio [Ferdinand] asked Ronaldinho after the game if he meant to shoot and he just gave a shrug and grinned,” explained the disbelieving Mills.


David Beckham is sent off against Argentina in the 1998 World Cup.


England vs Argentina at the 1998 World Cup: Beckham, Simeone & Old Rivalries Renewed

The night David Beckham’s red card against Argentina at the 1998 World Cup turned England’s golden boy into public enemy number one.

However, Ronaldinho himself has always been adamant that he meant to score his free kick against Seaman, defiantly insisting that “there was nothing lucky about it” and noting that he had even discussed the move with Brazil captain Cafu beforehand, after the defender had noticed the England goalkeeper’s positioning.

“It was definitely a shot,” Ronaldinho said in an interview with FIFA.com. “It was Cafu who advised me beforehand that there was a space and that Seaman was standing in a very advanced position in the penalty area. It seemed only natural to have a go, and there was nothing lucky about it.”

He added:

“When I hit the ball I wanted to shoot for goal – but maybe not exactly where the ball ended up. If I’m being totally honest, I was aiming for the other side of the net. I was aware of the keeper’s position and went for the shot at goal. The fact that it did not go in exactly as I planned is secondary to the fact that I was having a go.”

While he disputes any suggestion that the goal was a mistake on his part, Ronaldinho does concede that there was a stroke of good fortune involved because the ball bent in his favour.

“What basically happened is that I hit my shot too hard and, as it travelled through the air, it swerved more and ended up looping over Seaman. There was nothing he could do about it and I suppose there was an element of luck involved,” acknowledged the Brazilian. “But, a goal is a goal!”

In the years after the fact, Ronaldinho repeatedly reiterated his stance, with Sven-Goran Eriksson – England’s manager for the game – outlining that he had asked the Brazilian on a number of different occasions whether he really meant it. “I met him many times after the World Cup,” said Eriksson. “And every time I ask him, ‘tell me the truth – did you want to score?’ and he says, ‘yes, of course!'”

Over two decades later, Seaman remains incredulous at Ronaldinho’s explanation and he is broadly backed up on the matter by his team-mates, though it remains a sore point for the ex goalkeeper.

“Not a chance [did Ronaldinho mean to score]. I was told straight after the game that he didn’t mean it,” Seaman said in 2026, speaking on the GBF podcast. “Gilberto Silva was playing for Brazil at the time and he was [later] my team-mate at Arsenal – he told me. It just didn’t matter because I was in a world of pain.”

On the same podcast, Nicky Butt and Paul Scholes – who was the player who fouled Ronaldinho to concede the free kick in question – echoed Seaman’s view that it was nothing more than a blunder that worked out in their opponent’s favour.

One former England star who is convinced that it was a moment of intended Ronaldinho genius is Gary Lineker, who said in a 2022 BBC podcast: “I’ve seen Ronaldinho play a lot and I don’t think he’s capable of missing a free kick by that far, so I’m going to give him the benefit of the doubt.”

💬 Did Ronaldinho mean that goal? Let us know in the comments! 👇


Algeria beat West Germany 1982 World Cup


The Match of Shame: The World Cup Game that Forced Football to Change

The controversial incident changed the format of the World Cup group stage forever…

Continue Reading

Trending