27/09/2025

SPORTS SATURDAY | SEPT 27, 2025

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Mbeumo returns to Brentford Isak could start for the Reds as Liverpool visit Palace B RYAN MBEUMO will have mixed emotions if Brentford’s former favourite scores on his first return to the Community Stadium with Manchester United in the Premier League today (7.30pm Malaysian time).

and hitting it in the top corner, I can maybe understand that you’re like, ‘This is all about me, what did I do?’ “But I am old-fashioned, I’m 47 and old maybe.” Saliba to sign new Arsenal contract WILLIAM SALIBA has agreed a new long-term contract at Arsenal. The 24-year-old centreback had entered the final two years of his previous deal at the Gunners and The Independent reported that Real Madrid were interested in signing the France international. But Saliba is set to sign a new five-year con tract in the coming days, in what is a major boost to Mikel Arteta’s side. The Independent reported last month that Arsenal were making considerable progress on new contracts Saliba and star forward Bukayo Saka, who has also entered the final two seasons of his current deal. Saliba was signed by Arsenal in 2019 but he did not make his debut until 2022 on the open ing day of the new Premier League season. He played in all 38 Premier League games as Arsenal finished runners-up to Manchester City in 2024. Ex-Arsenal striker dies aged 21 FORMER Arsenal starlet Billy Vigar has died at the age of just 21 after colliding with a concrete wall during a match. The striker, who played for Chichester City in the Isthmian League Premier Division, endured the sickening collision in last Saturday’s game against Wingate and Finchley. The match was said to have been halted as an ambulance and air ambulance arrived to treat the 21-year-old, before the clash was abandoned after 13 minutes. The incident left Vigar with a “significant brain injury”, which led to him to be placed in an induced coma. Chichester have now confirmed that the player has tragically passed away due to his inju ries, and posted a statement from his family on social media. Blackburn vs Ipswich replay decision confirmed THE abandoned fixture between Blackburn Rovers and Ipswich Town will be replayed in full, the EFL have confirmed. The match at Ewood Park was stopped due to a waterlogged pitch with just 10 minutes left on the clock. Blackburn were leading by a goal at the time of the abandonment, with Todd Cantwell scoring a second half penalty. Ipswich, meanwhile, were a man down after Jacob Greaves was sent off for a foul on Yuki Ohashi. Both clubs submitted their cases to the EFL earlier this week, with Blackburn seeking to be awarded the victory and Ipswich demanding a replay. Now, the league’s board have confirmed that a complete re-staging of the match is necessary. A statement from the EFL read: “The board comprehensively considered all options available in accordance with the regulations alongside representations made by both clubs. It was ulti mately decided by a majority that the fixture should be replayed in full.” Unfortunately over the past few seasons, since they won La Liga in 2021, the team have fallen from their peak. “The team need to evolve to the height the club has,” admitted Simeone in August. Rivals Real Madrid are looking for evolution too, with Alonso arriving in the summer to replace Carlo Ancelotti. The Spaniard can match Vanderlei Luxemburgo’s record of seven straight league wins at the start of a season set in 2005 if Los Blancos emerge on top this weekend. Second-placed Barcelona host Real Sociedad on Monday (12.30am) at the Olympic stadium, hoping Real Madrid drop points so they can close the two-point gap to the top. – AFP

SHORTS

‘Wirtz made a big mistake joining Reds’ BAYERN MUNICH

legend Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has taken a swipe at Liverpool’s new signing Florian Wirtz, insisting the German international would have been better off joining the Bavarian giants. The 22-year-old midfielder snubbed Bayern to join the Reds in a whopping initial £100 million (RM564m) deal from Bayer Leverkusen, much to the frustration of the Bayern hierarchy. In a recent interview with Sky Germany , Wirtz dismissed suggestions that he needs time to adjust to life at Liverpool. However, Rummenigge, a former CEO and current board member at Bayern, has not held back in his criti cism of Wirtz. “I have to say honestly, in the case of Florian Wirtz, it still hurts, I feel sorry for him,” he con fessed to Sport Bild . “Because I believe the player would have been better off at Bayern than at Liverpool.” Liverpool set to fine Ekitike

The striker, who forged a fertile partner ship with also-departed Yoane Wissa, joined United in July and has already opened his league account. He scored 70 goals in 242 appearances over six years for Brentford and produced a farewell thank-you video for the fans when he left. “It’s time to take off. Thank you Brentford for everything, forever. I will always love you and miss you all,” he said then, a feel ing the crowd are likely to reciprocate when he steps back out onto the pitch. There will be no gifts in the early kickoff, however, with Brentford hovering just above the relegation places in 17th and Manchester United languishing in 11th spot after a far from convinc ing start to the campaign. United beat Chelsea 2-1 at

HUGO EKITIKE is expected to receive a hefty fine following his needless red card against Southampton earlier this week. The attacker picked

up a second yellow card dur ing the Carabao Cup tie after netting what proved to be the winning goal at Anfield.

Old Trafford last weekend, their second win of the sea son, but have not won back to-back league games since May last year and are yet to win away this campaign. Brentford have also won two of their last three home encounters with United, although they are now under the new manage ment of Keith Andrews following Thomas Frank’s move to Tottenham Hotspur. At the top of the table, leaders Liverpool will try to maintain their 100%

Reports suggesting he could be about to lose a chunk of his salary. That’s according to the Daily Mail , who claim the most likely pun ishment for Ekitike will be two weeks’ wages. De t a i l s surrounding Ekitike’s exact weekly wage aren’t well known, but it is rumoured he’s earning a wh o p p i n g £ 2 5 0 , 0 0 0 (RM1.4m) per week following his move to the Merseyside outfit. Slot questioned Ekitike’s mentality following the red card, saying: “I told him as well and I said it to numerous media already, if you score in a Champions League final in the 87th minute after out playing three players

record when they travel to Crystal Palace – the only other unbeaten side in the top flight – in a tricky trip for Arne S l ot ’s

s i d e who have Hugo Ekitike

suspended. That could see

record

signing

Alexander who opened his scoring account in the League Cup on Wednesday, start for the Reds for the first time in the league. – Reuters Isak,

Bryan Mbeumo. – REUTERSPIC

Atletico face early Real reckoning

ATLETICO MADRID coach Diego Simeone famously hates to deviate from the here and now but when his team host Real Madrid tomorrow (10.15pm Malaysian time) in a La Liga derby clash it is difficult not to look both forwards and backwards. The last time these teams met was in March in the Champions League last 16, when Atletico were eliminated after Julian Alvarez’s controversially disallowed shoot-out penalty. The Rojiblancos seethed for weeks about the incident, with Alvarez ruled to have double kicked the ball, and their season rapidly flew off the rails. Perhaps they have never fully recovered since. Atletico arrive at the Madrid derby, six games

Wednesday. “We will have a really hard, difficult game against a side that has been winning all their games and who have a tonne of very good players in their squad.” Simeone this week became the coach who has spent the longest time in charge of a La Liga club, having arrived in December 2011. Helping Atletico to reach two Champions League finals – both lost against Real Madrid in 2014 and 2016 – as well as winning two La Liga titles.

into the season, already trailing their league leading opponents by nine points. If they fall to a defeat by Xabi Alonso’s Los Blancos , who boast a 100% record thus far, a title challenge already looks unlikely. Atletico spent big in the summer, signing Alex Baena, David Hancko and Thiago Almada among others, for a total of more than € 175 million (RM866m). “We want to recover in the best way we can,” said Simeone after his team came from behind to beat Rayo Vallecano 3-2 in a thrilling clash on