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Man United are ‘starving for leaders’ ahead of Liverpool clash – Amorim

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Ruben Amorim has said Manchester United are “starving for leaders” during a turbulent period ahead of a daunting trip to runaway Premier League leaders Liverpool on Sunday.

The club have triggered an option to extend former captain Harry Maguire’s contract by a year until 2026.

And United will be able to welcome back skipper Bruno Fernandes at Anfield after he was suspended for Monday’s dismal 2-0 defeat to Newcastle.

Defender Maguire, 31, joined the club from Leicester in 2019 and his deal was set to expire at the end of the season.

“I spoke with him (Maguire) this morning and I told him he has to improve on the pitch, we need him a lot,” Amorim said on Friday.

“Also, he has to improve as a leader. We all know the situation that he had here (losing the captaincy and falling down the pecking order) but we need him a lot in this moment, so we are going to trigger, happily, the option for him.”

Amorim added: “When you look at our team we are starving for leaders on the pitch. He is a leader.”

United have lost four consecutive games to tumble to 14th in the Premier League and are out of the League Cup.

The two most successful clubs in English football history could not be heading into Sunday’s match in more contrasting fashion.

Liverpool are six points clear at the top of the table, with a game in hand over second-placed Arsenal, and are closing in on United’s record of 20 English top-flight titles.

United last won at Anfield nine years ago and have suffered 4-0 and 7-0 thrashings in two of their past three visits.

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Amorim, though, is hoping that some rare time on the training pitch this week will help his team.

“In football, in one game anything can happen,” he said. “If you talk about the season, then almost every time the best team wins.

“In the moment they are better than us but we can win any game. We have to focus not on the context but the performance. We have to improve the simple things.

“Of course, it is a difficult moment because we are losing too many matches and we are going to be facing the best team of this year, but, like I said, with training, we prepare more the team and we want to improve the performance compared to the last game.”

Amad Diallo has been United’s one source of optimism during a tough first two months of Amorim’s reign.

The Ivorian is close to agreeing a new long-term deal at Old Trafford according to the Portuguese coach.

Marcus Rashford, however, is ruled out once more, this time due to illness.

The England international returned to Amorim’s squad for the first time in five games against Newcastle, but was an unused substitute.

AFP

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Virgil van Dijk signs new two-year deal with Liverpool

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Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has committed his future to the Premier League club by signing a new two-year contract on Thursday.

The Dutch centre-back follows Mohamed Salah in ending months of speculation by extending his stay at Anfield.

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NPFL: Kano Pillars beat Lobi Stars 2-0 in Kano

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Kano Pillars Football Club on Sunday defeated visiting Lobi Stars of Makurdi 2-0 in the ongoing 2024/2025 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL).

The match day 33 which was played at the Sani Abacha Stadium, Kofar Mata was watched by a large number of spectators.

Ahmed Musa opened scoring for the hosts in the 55th minute, sending the home fans into wild jubilation.

Naziru Ibrahim sealed the victory with a stoppage-time penalty, after a Lobi defender was penalised for a handball in the box.

The result boosts Pillars chances of finishing at the top of the table, while Lobi Stars continued to struggle with inconsistent away form.

Speaking after the match, Pillars coach, Usman Abdullah, commended his team’s performance and urged them to be focused in their remaining fixtures.

Abdullah said he was pleased with the result, especially the two goals, which he described as vital in the club’s push for a top-of-the-table finish.

“We are happy with the win and the two goals. This victory will go a long way in helping us achieve our target of finishing at the top,” he said.

Looking ahead to their next fixture, the coach said his side would intensify preparations for their clash against Enyimba in Aba.

According to him, the team hope to secure at least a point, citing Enyimba’s recent struggles at home as a possible advantage.

“Enyimba are not playing very well this season, and their loss at home gives us hope. We will prepare well and aim to get something from that game,” Abdullah added.

Also speaking, Lobi Stars Head Coach, Tope Bulus, commended his players for their performance in spite of their loss.

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Bulus, who recently took charge of the team, said he was impressed with the level of improvement and commitment shown by the players.

“I am satisfied with the way the boys played today. This is just my fourth game in charge, and I can see that they are beginning to blend well and understand the system,” he explained.

The coach noted that although the result was not favourable, the performance gave him hope for better outcomes in future fixtures.(NAN)

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‘He Brought Joy To Millions,’ Tinubu, NFF Pay Tribute To Late Christian Chukwu

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President Bola Tinubu and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) have joined the long list of people, especially in the football family, in paying tribute to late Super Eagles hero Christian Chukwu, who died on Saturday.

“Chairman,” as the late Nigerian football icon was called, died at 74, throwing family, friends, and the entire nation into mourning.

In his tribute to the former centre defender, Tinubu, in a statement by his spokesman Bayo Onanuga, hailed the patriotism of Chukwu.

“Christian Chukwu was more than a footballer and coach. He was a symbol of excellence and patriotism. He brought joy to millions, mentored a generation of footballers, and stood as a pillar of Nigerian brand and sportsmanship on and off the pitch,” Tinubu was quoted as saying.

“His legacies will continue to live on in the trophies he won, the lives he touched, and the exciting moments he provided to football fans and spectators on the field and in the technical area. We are forever grateful for his contributions to the sport we all love, and we will always remember him with great respect and admiration.”

President Tinubu eugolised the former Rangers defender as a trailblazer whose career was defined by passion, discipline, and commitment to national pride.

He consoled the family of the bereaved, praying for the repose of his soul and comfort for those Chukwu left behind.

NFF mourns as ‘Chairman’ Christian Chukwu, 1980 AFCON-winning captain, dies at 74

The Nigeria Football Federation has expressed deep sorrow after it was confirmed that Christian Chukwuemeka Chukwu, who captained Nigeria’s 1980 Africa Cup of Nations-winning squad pic.twitter.com/8UMRatCivF

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On its part, the NFF, in a statement on its official X handle, said Chukwu’s death is a big loss to the country’s football fraternity.

“We have lost a good and great man. Chukwu was the definition of a strong, dedicated, and disciplined leader on and off the field. He was not nicknamed ‘Chairman’ for nothing. He embodied strength, vision, and consistency,” the General Secretary of the football body said.

“We pray that the Almighty will grant his soul eternal rest, and also grant the family and friends he has left behind, and Nigeria football’s fraternity the fortitude to bear this big loss.”

Chukwu captained Nigeria to their first Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) trophy in 1980 and was also a former coach of the side between 2002 and 2005. He led the Super Eagles to a third-place finish at the 2004 edition of the continental competition in Tunisia.

He devoted his club career to Enugu Rangers, where he won multiple national titles and led the club to continental glory with their 1977 African Cup Winners’ Cup triumph.

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