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Arsenal left praying for help while Man City shine as end game nears’

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3 months ago

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We are nearing the end game now.

As Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola rather succinctly put it: “One week left, three games left. Nine points and we will be champions. Seven, six or three points, Arsenal will win the Premier League.”

Guardiola is not placing much faith in Manchester United then, given he expects Arsenal to win every game and the Gunners visit Old Trafford on 12 May.

But, then, he doesn’t have to.

If City win their final three games they will go into the history books as the first team to win the English title in four successive seasons.

Four Erling Haaland goals against Wolves ensured City navigated their latest obstacle with ease. Now it is on to Craven Cottage and Fulham, a team they have beaten 15 times in a row.

They finish with West Ham at home. City have not dropped a point at Etihad Stadium against the Hammers since Guardiola arrived in 2016.

In between comes a trip to Tottenham. City have not scored a Premier League goal or taken a point at Spurs’ new stadium. They did win there in the FA Cup this season, though, and Ange Postecoglou’s team are in terrible form.

And, as Wolves boss Gary O’Neil pointed out, this is the hardest time to play City.

“Manchester City, in May, when they are chasing down a fourth consecutive Premier League title, are fairly tough,” he said.

“They have an incredible focus at this point. History tells you, at this point in the run-in, they are difficult to stop.”

The one negative for City is that Arsenal’s goal difference is better by six, which means they have to win to reach the top. A draw will not do.

“Goal difference is not possible,” Guardiola said. “We cannot draw. We have to take nine points.”

In a separate interview with BBC Match of the Day, he added: “Hopefully, we can come back here in a few days and have the chance against West Ham to come here and win the title.”

For City to get to the West Ham game and not have a chance of the title, it would require Arsenal to beat Manchester United and for City to get no more than a point from the Fulham and Tottenham trips.

That feels unlikely for a team that has put an astonishing run together of 16 wins and four draws since they were beaten at Aston Villa on 6 December.

Not that it should come as a surprise.

Last season, City went on a 16-match unbeaten run, winning 14 times, to take the title before they lost at Brentford on the final day. The year before that, they won 23 times in a run of one defeat in 28. The season before that, they won 17 times in a 19-match unbeaten sequence.

“When you are coming towards the end of the season, you do think differently,” former City defender Micah Richards told Sky Sports. “These games are the most important and that’s where City seem to thrive.”

As Richards’ fellow pundit Jamie Redknapp said, Arsenal’s task is straightforward.

They must win at Old Trafford and then again against Everton on the final day. Anything else is completely out of their hands.

Given the run Mikel Arteta’s side have been on, and the two seasons they have had, few would begrudge the Gunners a first title since 2004.

But, as Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool have found out, running City close and overhauling them are two different matters.

“They are an unbelievable team,” said Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice. “What I have learned in this title race is that you have to be nearly perfect. They have done that for three years in a row.

“I have massive respect for what they have done. But we have two games to go and we’re praying for something to go our way.”

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Lady Gaga Captivates in 2024 Olympics Opening Ceremony with French Performance The singer masterfully performed “Mon Truc en Plumes.”

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12 hours ago

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July 26, 2024

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Lady Gaga delivered a captivating performance as the first musical act during the Paris Olympics 2024 opening ceremony. The Grammy- and Oscar-winning performer began her performance on steps along the Seine River, singing Zizi Jeanmaire’s “Mon Truc en Plumes.” She was accompanied by a troupe of dancers carrying pink feather fans before moving on to the piano.

The singer’s representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment about her performance.

An Associated Press reporter saw Gaga begin to warm up around three hours before the opening ceremony started, performing for about an hour before waving to fans as she walked off.

Gaga’s appearance was a surprise — she was not listed on a program provided to the media in advance — but was heavily rumored after the singer and actor was spotted in Paris.

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Super Falcons Stumble In Olympic Opener, Fall 1-0 To Brazil

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24 hours ago

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July 26, 2024

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The Super Falcons’ impressive eight-game unbeaten streak came to a halt as they suffered a disappointing 1-0 defeat to Brazil in their opening match of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games at the Stade de Bordeaux.

Despite a strong start and missed chances, Gabi Nunes’ 37th-minute goal proved to be the difference-maker, leaving Nigeria with an uphill battle in Group C.

The team’s inability to convert chances into goals ultimately led to their downfall, as Brazil’s defense held strong to secure the win.

The Super Falcons will look to bounce back against world champions Spain on July 28, before facing Japan on July 31.

Meanwhile, Brazil will face Japan on July 28, looking to build on their winning start.

In other Olympic matches, Spain saw off Japan 2-1, while the US defeated Zambia 3-0 in a Group B tie.

France mauled Colombia 3-0 in a Group A encounter, and reigning Olympic champions Canada claimed a 2-1 comeback victory over New Zealand.

Germany made a strong start to the tournament with a 3-0 win over Australia in a Group B match.

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LeBron James to Lead Team USA as Flag Bearer at Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony

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4 days ago

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July 23, 2024

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LeBron James has been chosen by his fellow Team USA athletes across all sports to serve as the flag bearer for the United States delegation at the 2024 Paris Olympics opening ceremony. This distinction makes him the first male basketball player to carry the flag, following in the footsteps of Dawn Staley at the 2004 Athens Games and Sue Bird at the 2021 Tokyo Games.

On Friday, James will lead a flotilla of American athletes down the River Seine, the site of the historic opening ceremony. This honor adds to his impressive resume as a four-time NBA champion and the all-time leading scorer in the league, as he prepares for his fourth appearance in the Summer Games. His Olympic journey began at the age of 19 in 2004, and he has come a long way since then.

James described this moment as an “utmost honor” and emphasized its significance:

“It’s special to get an opportunity to represent your country in another fashion. I understand how prestigious this moment is… it will live on forever.”

The identity of the female U.S. flag bearer will be disclosed in the coming days. The International Olympic Committee introduced the practice of having two flag bearers, one male and one female, at the opening ceremony in 2020 to promote gender equality.

The U.S. is expected to send nearly 600 athletes to the Paris Games, with approximately 53% of them being women.

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