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Former Bayern Munich and Manchester United midfielder, Owen Hargreaves has pinpointed a major problem with Arsenal in their most recent games.

He also asserted that only Declan Rice and Gabriel Magalhaes ‘performed adequately’ during Arsenal’s 2-1 loss to Bournemouth on Saturday.

Mikel Arteta’s team exhibited yet another lackluster performance as Viktor Gyokeres’ penalty equalized Junior Kroupi’s initial goal, followed by Alex Scott netting the decisive goal for Bournemouth in the 74th minute at the Emirates Stadium.

This defeat leaves Arsenal still nine points ahead at the top of the Premier League; however, Manchester City now have two games in hand and is set to face the Gunners next Sunday.

Arteta, for his part, continues to encounter criticism regarding Arsenal’s style of play and their failure to generate multiple clear-cut opportunities during matches.

“They [Arsenal] did not play with confidence,” Hargreaves remarked to Premier League Productions.

“I attended the match, and the crowd was highly enthusiastic at the start, but by the end, they were dissatisfied with what they witnessed.

“The only players who performed adequately were Declan Rice and Gabriel; the others were thoroughly outplayed.

“Bournemouth, by the way, were exceptional; they relentlessly pressured Arsenal.

“Arsenal struggled to maintain possession, frequently resorting to long balls, and they passed back to the goalkeeper a staggering 39 times during the match, with David Raya recording the second-highest number of passes among Arsenal players.

“They effectively invited Bournemouth to press them, and that press is arguably one of the most effective in the Premier League, but it caught Arsenal off guard, and they rightfully earned the victory.

“I believe the most significant issue is that they have been outplayed in three of their last four matches – against City in the Carabao Cup final, Southampton in the FA Cup, and today.

“They secured a win against Sporting, but David Raya was one of their standout players in that match, making several crucial saves, indicating a concerning trend of being outplayed.

“They have exerted tremendous effort to reach this stage, but they must complete the task. Today, they exhibited a lack of courage, belief, and a bit of determination.”

EPL: ‘They did it 39 times against Bournemouth’ – Hargreaves on Arsenal’s major problem

Super Eagles striker, Akor Adams has made a successful return to scoring, netting a goal in Sevilla’s impressive 2-1 win over Atletico Madrid during a La Liga match on Saturday evening.

Adams was not the only Super Eagles forward present at the Ramon Sánchez Pizjuán Stadium, as Ademola Lookman came on as a substitute in the 71st minute, while Chidera Ejuke remained an unused substitute for Los Rojiblancos.

Adams, who is having a remarkable season, gave the hosts an early lead by calmly converting a penalty in the 10th minute.

This goal marked the end of a three-match goal drought for the Nigerian forward, who had previously been unable to score against Barcelona, Valencia, and Real Oviedo.

Atletico Madrid responded vigorously, equalizing late in the first half through young talent, Javier Bonar.

However, Sevilla regained their advantage just before halftime when Nemanja Gudelj scored, lifting the spirits of the home crowd and alleviating rising relegation fears.

Sevilla maintained their dominance after the interval, securing all three points, with Adams playing a vital role before being substituted for Batista Mendy in the 94th minute.

This goal brings his total to eight league goals and three assists in 26 appearances this season, highlighting his significance in the team’s battle for survival.

The Nigerian international will find encouragement in his return to form as Sevilla strives to maintain their La Liga status.

LaLiga: Akor Adams scores as Sevilla beat Lookman’s Atletico Madrid 2-1

Abia State Government says it would review and re-gazzete autonomous communities across the state to restore order and tranquillity, saying that the previous review was carried out eleven years ago.

Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Uzor Nwachukwu disclosed this on Saturday in Umuahia, during his meeting with Presidents-General of towns and development unions across Abia State,

He said that finding by the Abia State government showed that there are situations where one village was wrongly gazetted into two autonomous communities in the past, thereby causing confusion and crises.

Nwachukwu raised the alarm that his office now receives fifty petitions every week from different villages, explaining that such agitations made the Abia State government to establish conflict management and mediation centres across all local government areas.

“You will find instances where one village is in one community but certain kindreds and families are in another community. Those are confusions.

“There are situations where a traditional ruler, in his domain, who is a custodian of an autonomous community, has his village ceeded to another traditional ruler.

“So he has become a subject of that Traditional Ruler. Are you aware of those things? Those are operations. So this year we are going to do a re-gazeting” the Commissioner said.

Nwachukwu further said the State government would institutionalize town and development unions in the state to ensure that community leadership structures are properly organised, recognised and accountable.

Also speaking, the Special Adviser to Governor Alex Otti on Security Matters, Navy Commander MacDonald Uba Rtd, charged community leaders to be serious about security issues and reports.

Responding to Abia State government’s plans, President General of Oro-Ibere autonomous community Ikwuano LGA, Greene Nwoha said the policy would promote peace.

Abia govt to re-gazzete autonomous communities to tackle communal crises

The Ekiti State Chapter of the National Forum of Former Legislators (NFFL) has been formally inaugurated, with members pledging to deploy their legislative experience to ensure the re-election of Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji. The forum, which comprises former lawmakers from the National Assembly, State House of Assembly, and local government councils […]

UEFA has decided to suspend referee Istvan Kovacs for the rest of the Champions League season.

This came after some controversial calls during Atletico Madrid’s 2-0 victory over Barcelona in the first leg of their quarter-final match.

The game had a few controversial moments, with a red card and a missed penalty that was suspected to have been a handball.

Kovacs will not be assigned to any more Champions League games this season.

According to the radio show “El Partidazo,” UEFA made this decision mainly because of how Kovacs handled a key disciplinary moment involving Barcelona’s defender Pau Cubarsi.

Cubarsi was first shown a yellow card for a foul on Giuliano Simeone but after VAR reviewed the situation, the referee changed it to a straight red card.

UCL: UEFA drops referee for rest of season after Atletico’s win over Barcelona

In an article published by the Nigerian Tribune on Wednesday, April 8, an admirer of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu attempted to place him in the rank of immortals by specifically rating his political philosophy, tagged “Financialism,” as one of the philosophies that stand out in the trajectory of Nigeria’s nationhood. In the article, written by […]

US Vice President and leader of the American delegation to the US-Iran peace negotiations, JD Vance, has shared updates regarding the discussions that have taken place so far.

He indicated that Iran has dismissed the conditions proposed by the United States.

Numerous media outlets report that neither side has made progress despite engaging in talks for over 21 hours in the capital of Pakistan.

While Iran’s foreign ministry has accused the US of imposing unreasonable demands and illegal requests, the US has stated that it has been ‘quite flexible, quite accommodating,’ yet Iran has refused to accept the terms.

“I won’t delve into all the specifics because I prefer not to negotiate in public after we have spent 21 hours negotiating privately,” the US Vice President informed reporters.

“However, the fundamental requirement is that we need to see a clear commitment from them that they will not pursue a nuclear weapon, nor will they seek the means to rapidly develop one.

“This is the primary objective of the President of the United States, and it is what we have aimed to accomplish through these negotiations.

“Once more, their nuclear program, as it stands – the enrichment facilities they previously possessed – have been dismantled.

“The essential question remains, do we observe a genuine commitment from the Iranians to refrain from developing a nuclear weapon, not just at this moment, not merely two years from now, but in the long term? We have yet to witness that. We remain hopeful that we will.”

When asked if the discussions yielded any form of framework, and whether the matter of Iranian frozen assets was addressed, Vance responded, “Certainly those topics were discussed.”

“However, we simply could not reach a point where the Iranians were prepared to accept our conditions.

“I believe we were quite flexible. We were very accommodating.

“The President instructed us to approach this with good faith and to make our utmost effort to secure a deal. We adhered to that, and regrettably, we were unable to make any progress.”

Discussions between both countries will resume on Sunday as Pakistan endeavors to facilitate a successful resolution among them.

Peace talks: Iran has rejected our terms – US VP, JD Vance

Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola, has said his players know what to do if they must win the Premier League title ahead of Arsenal.

The Gunners lost 2-1 to Bournemouth on Saturday, missing the opportunity to open a 12-point lead at the top.

Guardiola has admitted that they would need to be perfect in their remaining eight games to emerge champions.

City travel to Chelsea on Sunday, looking to cut into Arsenal’s lead.

“You have to win every single game and we have done it in the past,” Guardiola said.

“So we can do it and maybe we know exactly what you have to do to win it.

“Now we are not seventh or eighth in the Premier League [like last season]. We are second and fighting.”

EPL: Guardiola reveals how Man City will win title ahead of Arsenal

‎The Commissioner of Police, Imo State Command, Audu Garba Bosso, has deployed tactical units with available operational assets to go all out, in synergy with other security agencies and hunt down hoodlums suspected to be responsible for the death of the traditional ruler of Ochia Autonomous Community, Eze Paulinus Ekwueme, who was burnt to death by unknown assailants.

In a press statement, the Command’s spokesperson, Henry Okoye, said the incident took place along Asa Awara Road, Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area of the state.
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He explained that the deployment of security personnel to the area followed a distress report received from Ohaji Police Division on April 10, 2026, indicating that armed assailants attacked the monarch and killed him alongside five other yet-to-be-identified victims.
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‎Okoye said upon receiving the report, the CP immediately mobilized and dispatched tactical teams to the scene at Asa, where operatives recovered the burnt corpses of the deceased persons, which have been evacuated and deposited at the Federal University Teaching Hospital, FUTH, Owerri, for preservation and autopsy.
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“‎Consequently, the Command has commenced a comprehensive investigation into the incident, while intensive operations are ongoing to apprehend the fleeing suspects and recover any weapons in their possession. Adequate security measures have also been emplaced to forestall any future occurrence of such a tragic incident in the area and its environs,” the press release stated.
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‎Following the development, the Commissioner of Police and his management team have embarked on an on-the-spot assessment and confidence-building visit to the Ochia Community to reassure residents of the Command’s resolve to restore calm and enhance sustained security presence in the affected area.
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‎Extending condolences to the family of the late monarch and other deceased victims, the CP assured Imo residents that the Command remains fully committed to sustaining peace and security in the state, assuring that in no distant time, the perpetrators will be arrested and made to face the full wrath of the law.
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‎He further urged members of the public with credible information that will aid the ongoing investigation to report to the nearest Police Station or contact the Command through the following emergency lines: 0803 477 3600, 08148024755.
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The Command’s spokesperson, promised that ‎further developments will be communicated in due course.

Gunmen set Imo monarch ablaze as police begins manhunt to arrest assailants

Football fans, this week, got a glimpse of the Super Falcons’ shoddy preparations for this year’s Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, WAFCON.

The captain of the team, Rasheedat Ajibade, was forced to lash out at the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF.

Ajibade wrote on social media: “We are not just preparing for the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, we are also fighting for World Cup qualification.

“Our performance at WAFCON will determine whether we qualify for the World Cup, so why are we not preparing with the seriousness and intensity this demands? This is not something to take lightly, for God’s sake!

“I can’t cry. What is all this and for how long?”

Although this is not a surprise, it is both shocking and frustrating that these kinds of issues persist in Nigerian football.

The team has barely utilized any of the FIFA windows to play friendlies, as it appears that the football house is uninterested in ensuring the Falcons have another successful outing.

“Ajibade’s outburst is another page in the shameful book the NFF is writing,” Victor Oluwafemi, the Senior Social Media Manager at Sporty TV tells DAILY POST.

“She is untouchable, so I don’t expect repercussions.

“If it were athletics/track field, I am sure a large percentage of them would have switched allegiances.

“Hopefully her cries would generate some empathy from the federation.

“I vividly remember when the team teamed up with FIFPRO through a videotape in calling out the federation for unpaid salaries.”

The rescheduled WAFCON will serve as the official qualifying tournament for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.

The Super Eagles have already missed out on this summer’s World Cup in North America. If the NFF does not sort out itself, the Falcons could lose out on a chance to make a record 10th tournament appearance.

“It is regrettably sad that the most successful national team in Nigeria are always on the receiving side of NFF’s incompetence and nonchalant attitude,” Oluwafemi said.

“For a team who don’t have proper training kits, I am not surprised that the NFF has neglected them.

“It’s a shame and a national disgrace. People should be losing their jobs for such.

“The women have thick skins and this might just motivate them to win the title (maybe get another $100k for the efforts).”

Last year in Morocco, Nigeria beat the hosts in the final to claim a record 10th women’s title.

But on the sheer evidence from that tournament, most teams in Africa are catching up quickly on the Falcons.

One wonders if they will be able to defend their trophy this time around.

“For all of the growth and impressive display from the women teams in Africa, Nigeria remains the best and favourite to successfully defend their title,” Oluwafemi said.

“Also, winning ten titles certainly puts the team on a pedestal that others can only dream to achieve.

“And we have done this under poor administrative and welfare conditions.

“I think we have the quality to go all the way again and maybe South Africa is the only strong contender who might wrestle us for the title.”

WAFCON 2026: Super Falcons’ war with NFF threatens Nigeria’s dominance