Qatar played host to many countries and big football players at the 22nd edition of the FIFA World Cup. However, not all the Stars that hope to be at the tournament had a chance to play for their respective countries.

Even though some footballers never had a chance at the tournament due to qualification bouts, some pulled out due to injury.

Here are the top 10 players that were sidelined due to injury blows and also their thoughts
1. Karim Benzema: the 34-year-old suffered a setback on the eve of the tournament. A tear on the quadriceps of his left thigh put the French forward on the sidelines. The development was disheartening for the Real Madrid striker but he has to pull out of the squad.

In reaction, he wrote “in my life I have never given up… but tonight I have to think of the team as I have always done so reason tells me to leave my place to someone who can help my group to make a great World Cup. Thank you for all your messages of support”.

2. Sadio Mane: one of the beckons of light in the Senegalese national team sustained knee damage at the Allianz Arena following Bayern Munich's chastising 6-1 victory over Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga.

Mane, 30-year-old was pivotal to the success of his national team throughout the World Cup qualification route. Thanks to the decisive spot-kick that denied the Pharaohs of Egypt a chance at the event.

Statement from Bayern Munich has it that
“He had a successful operation conducted by Prof. Christian Fink and Dr. Andy Williams from London.
“During the procedure, a tendon was reattached to the right fibula head.
“The FC Bayern attacking player is no longer available for the Senegal national team for the World Cup and will begin his rehabilitation in Munich in the coming days”.

3. Christopher Nkunku: before the World Cup, a subtle tackle from his team-mate during a training session was enough to uphold a lateral and anterior ligament torn on the knee of the 25-year-old.

Reacting to the aftermath on Instagram via a Mail, the RB Leipzig and French forward wrote

https://fanstimeout.com/2022/11/21/top-10-players-that-missed-the-2022-world-cup/

Greetings to you all. I'm a bit worried because I misplaced my national identity card and couldn't locate it.
I would like to know if I can print another one from the bank or NIMC.
Thanks

In a bid to strengthen the squad, new Chelsea owner, Todd Boehly has been in talks with the agent of Cristiano Ronaldo to lure the Portuguese forward to Stamford Bridge.

The Manchester United forward has declared his intentions to leave the Club if any good offer comes to the table because he wants to play in the UEFA Champions League.

The hullabaloo behind the 37-year-old saga at United lead to his absence during the team pre-season training and also their pre-season tour in Thailand indicating it on family issues. Certainly more than the family issues mentioned he wants to leave Old Trafford.

Recall that the Portuguese Captain boycotted a Manchester City bid last summer and join the Red Devils after a dramatic spell at Juventus and that move saw him earn about £500 000 a week which is the highest paid salary of any Premier League player in the campaign.

Also, his return to Old Trafford saw him register a double-figure last season amassing a total of 24 goals in all competitions, and 18 of those goals were in the Premier League. However, the team's effort in the league wasn’t enough to secure the UEFA Champions League spot.

By and large, the forward at the end of last season initially reinstate his commitment to the club but the narrative had swift during the holiday when he voiced out that the Club needs to bring in new players during the transfer window to compete at the top levels. Although Manchester United has been keen on bringing in new signings in recent times, Ronaldo has, however, maintained his stand on leaving the club in an event of a good offer. Moreover, only Chelsea has so far spun an interest in the Portuguese Star and if things go as speculated, his desire to play in the Champions League will still have a head go.

Incredible merits of having Cristiano Ronaldo at Stamford Bridge

https://fanstimeout.com/the-amazing-impacts-ronaldo-would-add-to-chelsea/

Following the shortlisted nominees for the men’s player of the Year award released by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), it is saddening to note that solely Nantes and Nigerian forward Moses Simon appeared to have cut a shot at the most prestigious honor in the continent.

The 30-man list released by CAF has the most outstanding players across the continent in 2021 with various degrees of achievements and accolades in their respective clubs and country. Senegal has the highest nominations with five players on the brink of winning the award while Egypt and Morocco have four players each. Burkina Faso, Mali, and Cameroon brace the occasion with three nominations and Ivory Coast ran the campaign with two stars. Only Tunisia, Nigeria, Comoros, Algeria, Gambia, and Guinea made one head go each.

While many football enthusiasts might have reservations about the list, it is however glaring that the battle is between Mohamed Salah (Egypt and Liverpool) and Sadio Mane (Senegal and Liverpool/Bayern Munich) because both players had the best season.

Recall that the CAF men’s player of the year award came into the spotlight in 1992 after the constituted football governing body in the Continent saw the need to honor African players in different categories and it has since replaced the African Footballer of the Year Golden Ball award given by France Football magazine meanwhile Abedi Pele Ayew of Ghana won the first edition that year.

Twenty Eight awardees have been registered since inception with Samuel Eto'o and Yaya Toure winning it on four different occasions each. However, Rashidi Yekini was the first Nigerian player to have won it in 1993 and he pass the mantle to Emmanuel Amunike who clinched it in 1994.

Only Kanu Nwankwo has won the award twice, first in 1996 and his last in 1999 since then no Nigerian player has had a taste of the prize. Nonetheless, Victor Ikpeba also earned it in 1997.

Below is the list of the winners


https://fanstimeout.com/caf-award-2021-and-nigerias-decades-of-absence/

Sadio Mane has been phenomenal since he joined Liverpool from Southampton in 2016 and his impact on the team cannot be swept under the carpet. However, the speculation making rounds concerning his stay at the club has it that the 30-year-old wants to have a fresh start with another club.

Following a hat-trick he banged in the 3-1 AFCON qualifier match against Benin, Mane said “I spoke yesterday while joking with a bit of humor and it was everywhere. I think we’ll stop there.

“Liverpool is a club I respect a lot. The fans adopted me since day one. Regarding the future we’ll see”.

What Sadio Mane said earlier
“I will do what you want. We will see soon but don’t be in a hurry because we will see this together” Mane said following an online poll carried out on social media where 60-70% of Senegalese fans voted for the talisman to leave the Reds.

While Sadio Mane seems to be in consonant with the rendition of the fans, his love for Liverpool is second to none. Here are 5 reasons why the forward will remain at Anfield

https://fanstimeout.com/5-huge-reasons-sadio-mane-will-remain-at-anfield/

A rosy moment for some players culminated in a bad day in the office for Tottenham Hotspur forward, Son Heung-min. Proceeding the release of the nominees for the PFA Premier League player of the year award, the forward was left out as the composition had six players namely Mohamed Salah, Harry Kane, Kevin De Bruyne, Cristiano Ronaldo, Vigil Van Dijk, and Sadio Mane are all making headlines. It is however incongruent to say that the 29-year-old who ended the season as the highest goal scorer alongside Liverpool forward, Mohamed Salah wasn’t nominated.

Manchester City had a spectacular season winning the 2021/2022 Premier League trophy with 93 points while Liverpool trailed behind with 92 points regardless, only Kevin De Bruyne was nominated while the Reds got three nominations with Mane, Salah, and Van Dijk having a chance to covet the prestigious award.

It is therefore paramount to note that the PFA Player of the Year award is given based on the individual performance of players than the collective achievement of a team.

After a fantastic 2021/2022 season with Spurs, Son shared the golden boot award with Mohamed Salah courtesy of the 23 goals he banged with a double-figure on the final day of the Premier League season. On that note, the need to file up a case for the South Korean forward becomes necessary.

https://fanstimeout.com/pfa-player-of-the-year-award-a-strong-case-for-son/

In an attempt to gun down his first win as the Super Eagles of Nigeria Technical Director, Jose Peseiro faced Ecuador in a friendly match in New Jersey. The game which was meant to be a buildup for the Nigerian national team ended in a dramatic 1-0 loss in favor of Ecuador following a close-range header from the Villarreal left-back Pervis Estupinan in the 3 minutes of the match.

Recall that the Nigeria Football Federation about a month ago appointed Jose Peseiro as the coach of the Super Eagles with a mandate to form a formidable team that will restore the glory of the nation’s football. However, the 62-year-old outings have so far been meted with two conservative losses. The Super Eagles ranked 30th in the world were smacked 2-1 by the North American side, Mexico, and subsequently lost 1-0 to South American Ecuador which is ranked 9th and 46th in the world FIFA rankings respectively.

Although the scoreline was not the reflection of what Nigeria played in the game, however, when you have a game plan, you are tactically sound and are resilient enough to absorb pressure then you can get to win matches irrespective of the team you played with or the status quo of its ranking since ranking doesn’t equate to winning games.

https://fanstimeout.com/ecuador-1-0-nigeria-why-peseiro-needs-to-fuse-performance-with-decent-result/

Real Madrid fought tooth and nail and dauntlessly broke the Camel's back and lifted the most prestigious European trophy ahead of Liverpool at Stade de France in Paris. They brought down the house of many football fans across the globe with the 2021/2022 Champions League trophy. However, the victory wasn’t for the Los Blancos alone but also for Spanish football, a little wonder they received numerous encomium from other clubs in the region.

Regardless of the outcome in France, the Reds deserved much more accolades than they have gotten considering the level of class they showed throughout the season. Hence, the conversation among football lovers between the English Premier League, the Spanish Laliga, and other elites league across Europe which is the best league in the world has remained a trajectory that cannot go into the thin air.

Recall that Spanish teams have over time defined a template to which they play European competitions with much emphasis on control. Still, the other facet of football dichotomy sustained in other leagues has remained one of the key factors to their success. Moreover, it is imperative to note that the adopted pattern by Spanish clubs has a strong covalent bond with the God of soccer.
Here are 10 substantial reasons why the Spanish La Liga remains the best league in the world.

https://fanstimeout.com/10-facts-la-liga-is-the-best-league-in-the-world/

Two powerhouses of European football, Real Madrid and Liverpool collided in the UEFA Champions League final at the Stade de France stadium in Paris. Real Madrid has won the competition 13 times with an exclusive back-to-back-to-back victory in recent times taking their tally to 14 Champions League titles while Liverpool failed to broaden their trophy cabinet even though they had a fantastic season with two cups in the bag.

Recall that the Champions League final was earlier moved from Zenith Saint Petersburg in Russia to Stade de France in Paris due to the Russia-Ukraine confrontations. However, the Los Blancos lifted their 14th title in grand style and denied the Reds the opportunity to extend their title cabinets to 7th Champions League glory.

Also, Carlo Ancelotti last won the Champions League title with Real Madrid in 2014 and had a magnificent season since he returned to the Los Blancos by winning the Laliga title while Jurgen Klopp last won the tournament with Liverpool in 2019 while dazzling in a stunning season with the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup titles.
Here are 7 metrics deployed by the Los Blancos that won them the Champions League title;

https://fanstimeout.com/ucl-final-7-amazing-antics-deployed-by-real-madrid/

The big FA Cup crunch clash between Chelsea and Liverpool at Wembley Stadium presented its 141st edition of the competition as the Reds triumphed over their rivals with a 6-5 win on penalties. Liverpool denied Chelsea the Carabao Cup trophy earlier in the season so the victory had reaffirmed the realistic nature of their push for a quadruple while their rivals were left in the pool of defeat for the second time, thanks to their inability to compliment the Carabao Cup loss.

Recall that Both teams have met four times this season with all games drawn within the regulation time even though the Reds swept away the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup titles on penalties. Also, the Reds haven’t won the FA Cup since 2006 while the Blues last won it in 2017 against Jose Mourinho's Manchester United thus, both teams were desperate to clinch the title but only the Reds whacked the day.

Although Thomas Tuchel in a pre-match conference couldn’t hide his dissatisfaction over the injury worries of Mateo Kovacic, the Croatian played until the second half. However, his counterpart Jurgen Klopp also expresses his feelings on Fabinho who sustained an injury during the Premier League clash against Aston Villa, not to worry Naby Keita was in to give Chelsea a run for their money.

Here are 5 reasons why the Blues deserves the FA Cup trophy even though Liverpool took the day;

https://fanstimeout.com/fa-cup-5-amazing-facts-the-blues-deserves-to-win/

It was a clampdown on the top-four race between 5th place Tottenham and 4th place Arsenal at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Spurs have won only one of their last four games therefore, the win had propelled them to fight further for the Champions League spot meanwhile the Gunners have won their last four games, and their hope to maintain the winning streak was brought to a halt following the 3-0 outburst.

Recall that Mikel Arteta's side was before the game sitting fourth with 4 points gap between them and their closest rivals, therefore, the outcome of the match has positioned them to shuffle for yet another magical moment of victory with the two games left in the 2021/2022 Premier League season.
Also, the Spurs didn’t let into the thin air the 3-1 first-leg loss at the Emirates stadium with goals each from Smith Rowe, Saka, and Aubameyang. However, the resonant scoreline at the Tottenham Hotspur stadia has remained scorn on the neck for the Gunners who momentarily placed value on the Champions League qualification more than the trophy itself.

Here are 5 great things deduced from the game at Tottenham Hotspur stadia

https://fanstimeout.com/tottenham-3-0-arsenal-5-great-points-from-the-derby/

Champions League 2022 royals and finalist Real Madrid swung the pendulum to their favor following the 3-1 win over their rivals Manchester City at the Santiago Bernabeu. The victory in Spain however turned down the first-leg 4-3 deficit at the Etihad Stadium and propelled them to the finals on a 6-5 goal aggregate. Thanks to the two late goals from Rodrygo and the third from Karim Benzema from the penalty spot that outwitted Riyad Mahrez’s initial goal.

Recall that Carlo Ancelotti won a grand slam recently winning the league titles in all five major leagues across Europe therefore the addition of the Champions League 2022 trophy wouldn’t be out of place for the Italian. Nonetheless, Pep Guardiola still has his closet dusty for the trophy and his side would probably be licking their lips in hopes that things were different.

Joao Cancelo and Kyle Walker made it to the squad following their absence in the first tie due to suspension and injury respectively thus City's defense had a boost and the tenacity of Vinicius Junior was to an extent put to check. Meanwhile, the absence of David Alaba as a result of injury created a cavity for the Los Blancos.

Here are 5 strengths of the Los Blancos
1. Momentum: the fighting spirit deployed by Ancelotti’s side was magnificent. Despite having conceded a goal, they were able to keep up with the tempo of the game and pulled off something phenomenal.

https://fanstimeout.com/champions-league-2022-5-amazing-stuff-real-deployed-against-city/

It was a sink or swim situation for Frank Lampard as he make a reunion with the former club in the face-off between Everton and Chelsea in the Premier League.

The Toffees who are sitting in the relegation zone and are currently running out of matches to save their season may have stumbled in recent weeks with one win in their last five games however, the win against the Blues has spiced up their quest for safety.

Chelsea on the other hand had hoped to keep the advantage and their spirit high as they appear not to have many expectations for the remaining part of the season and are playing for pride, nonetheless, the loss at Goodison Park did not only dent their record but also present them as a club that any serious team can earn maximum points from in the league.

Recall that Lampard spent a reasonable part of his professional career at Chelsea, amassing about 13 years as a player and 18 months as a manager therefore it would be consonant to say that it’s a reunion with former legend, captain, and coach. Thus, the question among many fans is that with five games to go, will the huge investment the club has put in sink down to the championships, or will the Toffees find a path and swim across the ocean of the Premier League next season?. Perhaps time will provide the answer.

Lampard had Chelsea on the scorn of the neck in 4 areas

https://fanstimeout.com/everton-1-0-chelsea-4-areas-lampard-used-to-paddle-over-the-blues/

Jurgen Klopp's hope for an easy sailing game against Newcastle United at St. James park was nothing less than a success as Liverpool went top of the Premier League table after a 1-0 win while their rivals, Manchester City are yet to play.

Newcastle United manager, Eddie Howe may have had an incredible impact on the team but a game against the Reds would require both on and off-pitch brilliance to soar through. Even though the Brazilian sensation, Bruno Guimaraes has been up and doing in the last couple of games, the crop of talents Klopp has got the best of the game with a victory.

Recall that Mohamed Salah was voted by the football writers association for the men's best player of the year. Salah was involved in 35 goals this season, with 22 goals and 23 assists, there is no better player to have clinched the award. However, the talisman was left on the bench while the trio of Sadio Mane, Diogo Jota, and Luis Diaz led the attack even though he came in the second half.

Also, Klopp who earlier extended his contract to stay at the club until 2026 described his team as the best in the world having the qualities that any manager will love to associate with. However, the dream to win the quadruple this season is another source of inspiration for the team.
Here are 4 areas Liverpool deployed against Newcastle United

https://fanstimeout.com/newcastle-united-0-1-liverpool-4-reasons-why-the-reds-dominated-the-magpies/

It was a showdown between Manchester United and Chelsea at Old Trafford, the two teams who are respectively on the wait for a new manager and new owner had the platform to curve their muscles and cement their place in the Premier League.

The Blues have had a better record away from home than at Stamford Bridge this season amassing 11 goals in their last three away games however, their hope to pull through another away victory against the Red Devils failed to materialize even though they had most of the ball and created the best of chances.

Meanwhile, Ralf Rangnick's side is without a win in their last two games and suffered some injury blows with Paul Pogba, Luke Shaw, Harry Maguire, Jadon Sancho, and Fred missing out. Although they are presently not in any of the top European competitions neither are they in for the league title. Thus, a chance to qualify for the UEFA Champions League next season would be tantamount to winning a trophy for the current United.

Think back to the last time both teams met in the league at Stamford Bridge, Thomas Tuchel apportion the blame for the outcome of the match on the floodlight in the stadium. Nonetheless, the German also blame the Chelsea pitch in recent reactions to the team's performance.
Here are three open reasons why Chelsea failed to beat United

https://fanstimeout.com/manchester-united-1-1-chelsea-3-reasons-why-the-blues-didnt-flex-to-victory/

It was yet a classic feature between an English team and a Spanish giant in the first tie of the UEFA Champions League semi-finals at Anfield. Liverpool didn’t just play host to Villarreal but also gave them a run for their money with a thrilling 2-0 victory.

Recall that the last time both teams met in a European competition was six years ago in the UEFA Europa League when Liverpool outshined Villarreal with a 3-1 win on aggregate. Having lost the first tie 1-0 to the El Submarino at the Estadio de la Ceramica, the Reds trailed with a thrilling 3-0 win at Anfield. However, it is no longer news that both teams have over the years shown a substantial level of improvement, progress, and consistency.

Also, Jurgen Klopp speaking ahead of the match described Unai Emery as a world-class manager who has mastered the art of the game courtesy of his records in the UEFA competitions. Regardless, the current crop of players in the Liverpool team has all that it takes to decimate any team across boards.

It wasn’t an easy all-out game where the favorite outshines the underdogs, here are 5 basics tools Liverpool used against Villarreal at Anfield

https://fanstimeout.com/liverpool-2-0-villarreal-5-incredible-tools-deployed-by-the-reds/

The two potential champions of the Premier League and LaLiga had the opportunity to rewrite their story in a super clash of the first leg of the Champions League semi-finals at the Etihad Stadium.

The Los Blancos shared a great degree of history winning the tournament 13 times and standing in for their 30th semi-finals while the Citizens who lost last season’s finals to Chelsea had appeared 11 times in a row and have gone 3 conservative semi-finals.

Recall that Carlos Ancelotti who is on the verge of winning the titles in five different major leagues in Europe has won the tournament 3 times both as a player and as a coach as such the 7th title wouldn’t be bad for a manager who is regarded as mister Champions League. Moreover, Kareem Benzema is in the best form of his career taking two or three moments to punish his opponent, and also a touch of a masterpiece at the midfield with Luka Modric, and his likes are second to none.

However, Pep Guardiola’s pedigree can not be swept under the carpet, the Spaniard has over the years mastered the tournament therefore, his class has been nothing but a top-notch, a little wonder he is regarded as a technician. He had ask his team to keep it simple and play their normal style of football and that was what they brought to the table. Though Kyle Walker and Joao Cancelo were out due to injury and suspension respectively, Ruben Diaz who just returned from injury was able to do the job at the center back.

Here are 3 lessons learned from the match

https://fanstimeout.com/manchester-city-4-3-real-madrid-3-lessons-deduced-from-the-super-clash/

The fixture looked one-sided for a team that was tagged as one of the favorites for the Premier League title, Liverpool scooped all three-point in the Merseyside derby at Anfield. With Everton standing on the brink of relegation, the 2-0 loss to Jurgen Klopp's side only aggravated the situation for the Toffees. Although Frank Lampard may have witnessed his first local derby with another disappointing result in the league, the huge demand placed on him hasn’t changed as one could confidently say that it's not only the club that would suffer the fate of relegation but also the manager might be on the edge of sack.

Recall that the Toffees had been unbeaten in the local derby last year under Carlo Ancelotti as a manager with a thrilling 2-2 draw at Goodison Park and a 2-0 win at Anfield. However, the atmosphere full of passion and determination with a team that shares so much vision and purposes has long been awful under two different established managers. First, it was Rafael Benitez who despite vast experience couldn’t find a window of success with the team and now it’s Lampard who has fallen hopelessly with the team crushing down to 18th position on the Premier League log table and presently sitting with only two-point below it closest rival even though they have a game at hand.

The first 45 minutes looked more like the Merseyside derby match that many fans had earlier anticipated after a goalless draw. Even though the Reds had held onto the possession of the ball for most of the game, either side couldn’t open up the opponent’s defense and gets a goal as it ended 0-0.

However, the second half had so much intensity with much more pressure coming from Liverpool while Everton seems to be bent on opting possibly for a draw, and in just about 17 minutes into the game, Mohamed Salah sends an aerial pass down the hall which Andrew Robertson heads home past Jordan Pickford and gave his side the lead. Moreover, the Reds built on the advantage they had following Divock Origi's 85-minute goal that put them in a two-goal lead. The superb header from Origi came after Luiz Diaz’s brassy bicycle-kick wide towards the forward.

What did Liverpool do right?

https://fanstimeout.com/in-focus-robertson-origi-on-target-as-merseyside-derby-turns-into-a-one-sided-match/

It was a super weekend as the two clubs who had been in the quest for top-four met in an epic encounter at the Emirates Stadium. Manchester United has lost all of their last four away games and their hope to put that behind them was again dashed by the Gunners. Meanwhile, Arsenal defeated Chelsea at Stamford Bridge and continued with the winning streak against their rivals with a 3-1 scoreline. Edward Nketiah holds up the challenge upfront again after he last recorded a brace against the Blues. However, Raphael Varane stood up to the task at the center back after his return from injury and Ronaldo also returned to his striking role following the unfortunate loss of his baby.

Only 3 minutes was enough for Arteta's side to take the lead courtesy of a loosed-over ball from David De Gea which Nuno Tavares reacted by placing it with his right foot. Subsequently, Bukayo Saka extended their lead from the penalty spot in the 32nd minute after he was stripped down by Alex Telles. However, In what looked like a possible comeback for Ralf Rangnick’s side, Ronaldo reduced the goal deficit following Nemanja Matic’s cross in the 34th minute. Moreover, successive effort from both sides wasn’t enough to add up the scoreline as the first half ended 2-1.

Bruno Fernandez stepped up only to deny his team the opportunity to level up the tallies by hitting the goal post from the penalty spot in the 57th minute. Nonetheless, Granit Xhaka wrapped it up for Arsenal in the 70th minute after he fired an electrifying shot from outside the box as they sailed 3-1 till the final whistle.

Here are five things deduced from the United squad

https://fanstimeout.com/5-sidelines-from-the-united-team-that-faced-arsenal/

It was a North London derby between close rivals Chelsea and Arsenal at Stamford Bridge.
The Blues had earlier returned to winning ways following their Champions League quarter-final exit. Thus, with the 6-0 thrashing of Southampton at the St. Mary’s Stadium in the Premier League and the subsequent demolition of Crystal Palace in the FA Cup semi-final at the Wembley stadia, one can confidently say that even the sky is bent on altering to any other pigment. However, the story chain isn’t the same for the Gunners as they have failed to win any of the League matches in April with a consecutive loss to the Eagles, the Albion, and the Saints.

Though, the derby which was initially anticipated as a walk in the park for the Blues became a reality check as the Gunners took all three points home. The lead cane in the 13th minute, thanks to the defensive blunder from Andreas Christensen which Edward Nketiah took advantage of. Nonetheless, Timo Werner levels things up for the Blues four minute later. Subsequently, Smith-Rowe put his side upfront again after he smashed the ball past Edouard Mendy in the 27th minute but the celebration didn’t last long enough for the fans when Azpilicueta got an equalizer courtesy of Mason Mount’s cross, and the first half ended on a 2-2 draw.

Nketiah further extended their lead after he registered a brace only a few minutes into the second half while Bukayo Saka capped it up from the penalty spot-kick and made it 4-2.

Where did Chelsea get it wrong?

https://fanstimeout.com/the-obvious-reasons-why-arsenal-overthrew-chelsea-at-stamford-bridge/

It was a sultry derby between close rivals Liverpool and Manchester United at Anfield. The Reds gulped the Red Devils in the Premier League in a plight to continue their quest for a quadruple this season.

Recall that Liverpool had a resounding victory in the Carabao Cup by lifting the trophy earlier in the year and also succeeded in reaching the Champions League semi-finals by eliminating Benfica. Also, they defeated Manchester City in the FA Cup semi-finals a few days ago and are presently on top of the Premier League log table, although the Citizens have a game at hand.

However, the derby which was formerly regarded as the battle of two bigwigs was now seen as a match between the heavyweight and the weightless as Jurgen Klopp's side scooped up a 4-0 win and went top of the League with further hitches over the chances of Rangnick side securing a Champions League spot next season.

What Liverpool got right that United flunked

https://fanstimeout.com/3-key-areas-liverpool-used-against-united-in-the-derby/

Crystal Palace’s hope to reach their first cup finals in six years was dashed by the sensational Blues who aspire for the third finals in four years. With a perfect balance of experience and talents, Thomas Tuchel used the front three that gave him results in the Champions League quarter-finals consisting of Havertz, Werner, and Mount.

Even though Crystal Palace box in box creative midfielder, Conor Gallagher was left out of the encounter due to the loan agreement between the club and Chelsea, the presence of Eberechi Eze and his likes played out in the midfield as the Eagles had a fantastic outing.

However, the pre-match plans of Patrice Vieira eventually paid off it dividends in the first 45 minutes with few chances created by Tuchel’s side. Nonetheless, it was a perfect balance of experience and aptitude that kept the Blues on the radar as the game ended 0-0 in the first half at Wembley Stadium.

https://fanstimeout.com/why-chelseas-victory-over-palace-would-inspire-tuchel-to-lift-the-fa-cup/

Manchester United’s top-four ambition was put to the test once again at Old Trafford as they swept a deserving 3-2 victory over the Canaries.

Four changes were made from the squad that faced Everton at Goodison Park with Jesse Lingard given a starting opportunity while Dean Smith maintained the lineup that swerved off a victory over Burnley in their last game with Teemu Pukki leading the attack.

Three minutes into the game and David De Gea has once again shown why he is one of the best in the world. The sultry moment came after he denied Pukki the goal-scoring chance with a great save.

https://fanstimeout.com/what-ronaldos-hat-trick-meant-for-united/

Manchester United have only won one out of their last seven games and the loss to Everton at Goodison Park means that their chances of playing in the Champions League next season have dwindled. Thanks to the 27th minute electrifying goal from Anthony Gordons that secured the three-point for the Toffees.

However, the status quo also means that the club will be without silverware. Here are five clear reasons why Ralf Rangnick's side has lost its glory days

1. Lack of creativity: besides the passion to fiddle, the creative version of football is something that has gone into the thin air for the United side. Although it is one thing to be a professional and another thing to be able to handle the worst moments. Hence, the team needs a total overhaul regarding the technique it wielded over time.

https://fanstimeout.com/5-exact-reasons-why-manchester-united-has-remained-tactless/

Ahead of the friendly match between the Super Falcons of Nigeria and the Canadian female soccer team, there seems to be a crackdown in the camp in Vancouver.

Recall that Asisat Oshoala was named the captain of the Nigeria national team after it was stripped off from Desire Oparanozie . However, things didn’t go down well with the forward due to performance as Onome Ebi was recently made the captain of the Super Falcons and Oshoala seems to be uncomfortable with the situation. Here are some of her words

“May I not be forty and still desperately crave for validation”

https://fanstimeout.com/asisat-oshoala-how-barcelona-forward-shades-colleague-because-of-captaincy/

It was a reality check for the Blues while the Los Blancos had a rosy night as they took the first-leg Champions League quarter-finals game on the scorn of the neck and went back to Spain with a clear victory over their rivals.

What seems like Benzema versus Chelsea clash ended with a 3-1 scoreline as the forward registered a hat trick at Stamford Bridge. Having headed past Mendy twice in the first 45 minutes, the French Star netted the third in the second half. Even though Kai Havertz reduced the goal deficit, the Los Blancos left with a resounding coup.

Here are five reasons why Real Madrid was the better side

1. Psychology: It is said that when the head is sick, the whole body is feeble also. Thus the current crop of issues looping the club and players in recent times had affected the output of the team. Recall that the manager, Thomas Tuchel had patched through the rough path lately with a family dilemma. Also, the fact that Thiago Silva has failed to work audaciously to maintain the tempo he had before, means that Carlo Ancelotti's men were psychologically the better side.

https://fanstimeout.com/ucl-5-reasons-why-real-madrid-outsmarted-chelsea/

Exactly one week after the clash between two heavyweights, former Super Eagles coach Austin Eguavoen finally came out of his closet and gave his verdict concerning the game.

Here are some of his words;
“ I don’t want to say that but maybe the game was too big for the boys (Super Eagles), I don’t know”

https://fanstimeout.com/the-black-stars-of-ghana-were-the-better-side-eguavoen-finally-admits/

After Eguavoen had a woeful outing during the world cup qualifier play-offs against Ghana, the Nigerian Football Federation have been on the frantic search for a replacement for the former Super Eagles player.

However, the Nigerian Football Governing body has enlisted Sunday Oliseh as a possible candidate to fill in the role.

Recall that the former Super Eagles player coached the national team in 2016 after he was given the responsibility and was branded as the Pep Guardiola of Africa but failed to spearhead the team to glory.


https://fanstimeout.com/breaking-nff-considers-sunday-oliseh-as-a-possible-candidate-for-the-super-eagles-job/

After a scintillating 5-1 trashing of Lorient, Paris Saint Germain cemented their title race in the French League 1.

However, the victory was not the only thing to celebrate by the fans but also the groundbreaking height of the front trio, Mbappe, Neymar and Messi.

For the first time since they were playing together, the Parisians trio of Mbappe, Neymar, and Messi all registered a goal in a football match.

https://fanstimeout.com/the-trio-of-messi-neymar-and-mbappe-broke-the-ice-against-lorient/

Following Chelsea's 4-1 loss to Brentford at Stamford Bridge, Skipper Thiago Silva received backlash from so many Chelsea fans. Although the 37-year-old played his best, it wasn’t good enough for the fans and they blamed him for displaying a poor performance against the Bees.

However, Thiago Silva's wife defended her husband by saying that the Brazilian defender is human not a machine, so he can’t be 100 percent efficient all the time and he is also liable to make mistakes. Aside from that here is another reason why he shouldn’t be blamed

https://fanstimeout.com/the-reason-why-thiago-silva-shouldnt-be-blamed-for-chelseas-woes-against-brentford/

Austine Eguavoen has resigned as the technical director of the Super Eagles following his inability to qualify the team for the World Cup tournament in Qatar. This development came days after so much backlash from fans across the board.

The 56-year-old accepted responsibility for his actions. However, he further asserted that the reason why the Super Eagles of Nigeria failed to qualify for the World Cup to the inappropriate selection process and wrong substitution.

Also, the technical crew that worked with Eguavoen had been sacked.


https://fanstimeout.com/breaking-eguavoen-gives-reason-for-defeat-after-he-resigned-as-coach-of-the-super-eagles/

Nigeria will not be at the World Cup tournament for the first time in sixteen years. However, a lot of fans across the country have decried that the coach Austin Eguavoen isn’t competent enough to continue as the head.

Recall that the 56-year-old took over from Christian Chukwu in 2006 and the Super Eagles failed to qualify for the World Cup and in 2022, the same fate took the front row as he took charge from Gernot Rohr but declined to qualify.

Furthermore, with so many reactions trailing the outcome of the match, this is what the former Super Eagles coach had to say

https://fanstimeout.com/how-gernot-rohrs-react-to-the-super-eagles-world-cup-play-offs-loss/