Middle-east Arab News Opinion | Asharq Al-awsat

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Dele Alli heads Tottenham into the lead on the stroke of half-time. Photograph: Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images

Tottenham Deliver Statement of Intent against Chelsea but Revenge Tastes Sweet

by David Hynter | Jan 7, 2017 | Sports

Mauricio Pochettino has been at Tottenham Hotspur for only two and a half seasons but, already, he has plenty of history with Chelsea – and it goes deeper than the now notorious 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge at the end of last season, when his team lost a lead, their...

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Senegal’s Sadio Mané, Egypt’s Mohamed Elneny, Ivory Coast’s Lamine Koné, Algeria’s Riyad Mahrez and Ivory Coast’s Max Gradel will all be starring for their national sides at the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations rather than playing in the Premier League. Composite: AFP; Getty Images; Rex/Shutterstock; Action Images via Reuters,

The Premier League’s likely winners and losers from 2017 Africa Cup of Nations

by Paul Doyle | Jan 7, 2017 | Sports

Now is the time for top clubs to prove that to be forewarned really is to be forearmed. Everyone knew that the Africa Cup of Nations was on the agenda for early 2017 and now, with 23 Premier League players among those heading off to Gabon to compete for their...

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Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola says in the second half of the season ‘it is likely the title will be decided by results when top-six teams play each other’. Photograph: Oli Scarff/AFP/Getty Images

Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola Prefers Concern to Calm in Fight for Top Four

by Paul Wilson | Jan 6, 2017 | Sports

Pep Guardiola has admitted he is concerned Manchester City have a fight on their hands to remain in the top four but claims he prefers to have that worry rather than be relaxed at the top of the table. “I would rather be worried than calm and relaxed, especially with...

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During his time as manager of QPR Harry Redknapp claimed not to enjoy the mayhem of the transfer window. Photograph: Adam Davy/PA

Love it or Hate it, the January Transfer Window Provides Unique Excitement

by Barry Glendenning | Jan 5, 2017 | Sports

And so it begins … again. A rolling, meandering soap opera that never really stops started in earnest on Sunday as the new year heralded the opening of the January transfer window. An often tedious month-long orgy of will-they won’t-they drama, whisper and...

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Ryan Giggs with José Mourinho, then Chelsea’s manager, in 2013. Three years later the Portuguese got the Manchester United job instead of the Welshman. Photograph: Matt West/Matt West/BPI/Rex/

Ryan Giggs Cannot Afford to Wait for a Big Managing Job to Come Along

by Daniel Taylor | Jan 4, 2017 | Sports

It might feel slightly implausible now, at a time when Ryan Giggs seems to be drifting to the edges of the game, but if it had gone to a poll last season among Manchester United players about who they wanted to replace Louis van Gaal, a manager they found both...

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Adama Traoré, left, breezes past Christian Fuchs during Middlesbrough’s recent draw at Leicester City. Photograph: Nigel French/PA

Adama Traoré: ‘At Barcelona There Was not as Much Focus on Defending’

by Louise Taylor | Jan 4, 2017 | Sports

Adama Traoré arrived in England trailing a reputation as an astonishing hybrid of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Perhaps predictably, it did not take him long to disappoint his new public. “It was good to hear that from Tim,” says Middlesbrough’s elemental...