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MONDAY | APR 27, 2026

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Red card rant Refereeing decisions anger Arteta but Arsenal hit the front again

Ű BY PHILIP DUNCAN

‘game one’ and how important that was. We did the job. I don’t expect that after 22 years of not winning the title, it’s going to be a path of roses and beautiful music around it. It’s going to be like this and we are ready for it.” For Newcastle, they have now lost five con secutive games, and are 14th in the League. Manager Eddie Howe said: “I thought it was much better from us as a group. We stood up to Arsenal’s physical challenge, and we were better off the ball, and defended well and were more like ourselves. “I can’t be too critical of the players, I have been in previous weeks, there were positive signs and I am more satisfied. But it is another defeat and we can’t lose sight of the fact that we are los ing too many games.” – The Independent

send Pope off, Arteta replied: “I’m here to give my opinion. I have been in the game for a long time, and you talk to any of the players, because the tra jectory of where the ball is, there’s no keeper there. “And the reality is, that in the last two games, in crucial moments when everything is at stake, we need everything to go our way, and it hasn’t. “I’m not making excuses. I didn’t talk about it when we lost the game (against City). I’m doing it when we won. It’s a red card today. It’s a red card in Manchester. And the world is different, and that’s it.” Despite Arteta’s frustrations, he was relieved to see Arsenal return to winning ways following con secutive defeats against Bournemouth and City. He continued: “We talked about this being

been delivered his marching orders for a last ditch tackle on Kai Havertz in their previous weekend’s crunch top-of-the table clash at the Etihad Stadium. Pope was booked on Saturday, while the chal lenge from Khusanov did not even register as a foul. Reflecting on Pope’s caution, Arteta said: “In my opinion, it’s a clear red card. I’ve watched it 10 times. If you have ever played football, it is a red card. “It’s the second time in two games because at Manchester City, when Kai goes through, Khusanov fouls him, 1-1, the title is there, it is a red card. So these are the margins, and hopefully that’s going to change.” Pressed on why referee Sam Barrott did not

M IKEL ARTETA hit out at Arsenal being on the wrong end of two red card decisions in as many matches with “everything at stake” – after see ing his side return to the top of the Premier League. Eberechi Eze’s wonderful ninth-minute strike was enough for the Gunners to see out a much needed 1-0 win over Newcastle at the Emirates Stadium as they moved three points clear of Manchester City, who have a game in hand. But after the win, Arteta claimed it would be a “different world” if Newcastle goalkeeper Nick Pope was sent off after he scythed down Viktor Gyokeres, and City’s Abdukodir Khusanov had

Zii Jia delivers after tactical switch nearly backfires

THE decision to leave out national top men’s singles player Leong Jun Hao was purely tactical, even as the move nearly cost Malaysia in their 3-2 win over England in the Thomas Cup Finals 2026 Group B opener in Horsens, Denmark yesterday. National singles coaching director Kenneth Jonassen said the overall idea was to get as many players involved as possi ble, hence the decision to field Justin Hoh as first singles in a bid to test different combina tions early in the tournament. “There are no bigger things other than that we want to keep our options… so we feel that potentially later in the tournament we have played all our players and not wait until crucial games. “Obviously, the results almost backfired. That’s part of learning, and those are some of the things we need to improve

on for the up-and-com ing games,” he told Bernama . Malaysia endured a shaky start in the opening match at Forum Horsens, as Justin gave England the early advantage after going down 19-21, 19-21 to Harry Huang. National top men’s doubles pair Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik levelled the tie with a con trolled 21-19, 21-13 win over Oliver Butler-Samuel Jones. England regained the lead when world No. 153 Cholan Kayan stunned professional player and world No. 51 Aidil Sholeh Ali Sadikin 21-16, 21 15. National second doubles pair Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun kept Malaysia alive with a 21-14, 21-14 win over Alex Green-Zach Russ, forcing a decider. With everything on the line, professional shut

tler Lee Zii Jia rose to the occa sion to seal Malaysia’s opening victory after com ing out tops against Nadeem Dalvi 21-13, 21-11. In the meantime, Jonassen did not hide his disappoint ment over Justin’s display, par ticularly his inability to hold on to an advantage in the second set when his charge led 17-12. “I was a bit surprised by how easy the lead in the second set just dropped. How easy it was for his oppo nent to keep his com

posure, and Justin forced his game too much,” he said. However, the 51-year-old Dane reserved high praise for the world No. 82 Zii Jia, who delivered the winning point in the deciding match. “I think he was rock solid. I think he used his experience for one thing. He played with calm and composure, which is what is needed at this level. “It’s never easy, no matter how big a favourite you are, to go into a 2-2 where there’s a lot of pressure, but I think he han dled it really well,” he said. Jonassen added that the vic tory could serve as a timely confidence boost for Zii Jia moving forward. Five-time cham pions Malaysia will next play Finland today before wrapping up their Group B campaign against 2014 champions Japan on Wednesday. – Bernama

Vintage Azizulhasni

National men’s singles player

Lee Zii Jia in action against England’s Nadeem Dalvi (not pictured) in the Thomas Cup Group B match at the Horsens Forum in Denmark yesterday. – BERNAMAPIC

Story on page 31

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