Liverpool Look to End Dismal Start, Arsenal on the Up

Liverpool have been a shadow of the side that were in with a chance of a historic quadruple last season and are looking for their first Premier League win of the season at home over newboys Bournemouth Paul ELLIS AFP
Liverpool have been a shadow of the side that were in with a chance of a historic quadruple last season and are looking for their first Premier League win of the season at home over newboys Bournemouth Paul ELLIS AFP
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Liverpool Look to End Dismal Start, Arsenal on the Up

Liverpool have been a shadow of the side that were in with a chance of a historic quadruple last season and are looking for their first Premier League win of the season at home over newboys Bournemouth Paul ELLIS AFP
Liverpool have been a shadow of the side that were in with a chance of a historic quadruple last season and are looking for their first Premier League win of the season at home over newboys Bournemouth Paul ELLIS AFP

Troubled Liverpool will be desperate to get their first win of the Premier League season when they face Bournemouth on Saturday.

As the Reds splutter, leaders Arsenal, who host Fulham this weekend, have emerged as the Premier League's only team with a 100 percent winning record after three games, AFP said.

Liverpool must stop the rotJust months after coming within two games of an unprecedented quadruple, Liverpool suddenly look vulnerable after making their worst start for 10 years.

Jurgen Klopp's side were denied the Premier League title by Manchester City on the last day, then lost the Champions League final to Real Madrid, leaving them with the FA and League Cups as consolation prizes for their tilt at football immortality.

At present, Liverpool, beset by injuries, are suffering a heavy hangover from their nearly-historic season.

Unusually error-strewn draws against Fulham and Crystal Palace were followed by Monday's shock 2-1 defeat at Manchester United, who ended their own spluttering start with a dynamic display that exposed the fault-lines in Klopp's team.

The sight of James Milner giving Virgil van Dijk a tongue-lashing after Jadon Sancho scored United's opener was a jarring insight into the stresses of Liverpool's current predicament.

Toothless in attack without Sadio Mane, now at Bayern Munich, and the suspended Darwin Nunez, Liverpool were out-fought in midfield and creaky at the back.

Facing promoted Bournemouth at Anfield offers an opportunity for Liverpool to get back on track, one they must take to avoid falling even further behind in the nascent title race.

Arsenal urged to keep calmAs optimism grows in north London, Oleksandr Zinchenko has warned Arsenal not to get carried away by their surprising surge into pole position.

Ukraine left-back Zinchenko knows exactly what it takes to thrive in the Premier League after his successful spell with champions Manchester City.

Having made the switch to Arsenal in the close-season, Zinchenko and fellow former City star Gabriel Jesus have made an immediate impact on Mikel Arteta's side with their wealth of title-winning experience.

Arsenal have won their opening three matches for the first time in 18 years.

But after last weekend's eye-catching 3-0 win at Bournemouth extended Arsenal's perfect opening, Zinchenko was at pains to urge his team-mates to keep their feet on the ground.

"It's just the beginning of the season. There's a lot of games ahead of us, there's a lot of things to improve," Zinchenko said ahead of Fulham's visit to the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.

"We need to analyze what we have done well, what we should improve, what we should change and we know the manager is going to tell us. We need to show our best performance every single week."

Tuchel's Chelsea feeling the strainFrom touchline rows with rival managers to blaming buses for defeats, Thomas Tuchel has cut an agitated figure during Chelsea's chaotic start to the season.

Frustrated by Chelsea's failure to kill off Tottenham in a stormy draw, Tuchel earned a one-game ban after twice clashing with Antonio Conte.

A week later, Tuchel was hot under the collar again as the German made the bizarre claim that a travel snafu which forced his coaching staff to travel to Leeds by bus was partially to blame for a dismal 3-0 defeat.

With only one win from their first three games -- and that a narrow 1-0 success at struggling Everton -- Tuchel is showing signs of cracking under the strain.

He risked dressing room discontent with a critical assessment of his team's defending and keeper Edouard Mendy's costly blunder against Leeds.

In the circumstances, Leicester's visit to Stamford Bridge on Saturday could be perfectly timed as the Foxes have endured an even worse start.

Brendan Rodgers' winless team are second bottom, with Wesley Fofana left out amid Chelsea's attempts to buy the center-back and James Maddison linked with a move to Newcastle.

Fixtures

Saturday (1400 unless stated)

Southampton v Manchester United (1130), Brentford v Everton, Brighton v Leeds, Chelsea v Leicester, Liverpool v Bournemouth, Manchester City v Crystal Palace, Arsenal v Fulham (1630)

Sunday (1300 unless stated)

Aston Villa v West Ham, Wolves v Newcastle, Nottingham Forest v Tottenham (1530)



PSG’s Mental Strength Hailed as they Come from Behind to Win at Monaco

Soccer Football - UEFA Champions League - Play Off - First Leg - AS Monaco v Paris St Germain - Stade Louis II, Monaco - February 17, 2026 Paris St Germain coach Luis Enrique reacts REUTERS/Manon Cruz
Soccer Football - UEFA Champions League - Play Off - First Leg - AS Monaco v Paris St Germain - Stade Louis II, Monaco - February 17, 2026 Paris St Germain coach Luis Enrique reacts REUTERS/Manon Cruz
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PSG’s Mental Strength Hailed as they Come from Behind to Win at Monaco

Soccer Football - UEFA Champions League - Play Off - First Leg - AS Monaco v Paris St Germain - Stade Louis II, Monaco - February 17, 2026 Paris St Germain coach Luis Enrique reacts REUTERS/Manon Cruz
Soccer Football - UEFA Champions League - Play Off - First Leg - AS Monaco v Paris St Germain - Stade Louis II, Monaco - February 17, 2026 Paris St Germain coach Luis Enrique reacts REUTERS/Manon Cruz

Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis ‌Enrique hailed the mental strength of his side in coming from two goals down to win 3-2 away at Monaco in the Champions League on Tuesday, but warned the knockout round tie was far from finished.

The first leg clash between the two Ligue 1 clubs saw Folarin Balogun score twice for the hosts in the opening 18 minutes before Vitinha had his penalty saved to compound matters.

But after Desire Doue came on for injured Ousmane Dembele, the ‌match turned ‌and defending champions PSG went on to ‌secure ⁠a one-goal advantage ⁠for the return leg.

"Normally, when a team starts a match like that, the most likely outcome is a loss,” Reuters quoted Luis Enrique as saying.

“It was catastrophic. It's impossible to start a match like that. The first two times they overcame our pressure and entered our half, they scored. They ⁠made some very good plays.

“After that, it's difficult ‌to have confidence, but we ‌showed our mental strength. Plus, we missed a penalty, so ‌it was a chance to regain confidence. In the ‌last six times we've played here, this is only the second time we've won, which shows how difficult it is.”

The 20-year-old Doue scored twice and provided a third for Achraf Hakimi, just ‌days after he had turned in a poor performance against Stade Rennais last Friday ⁠and was ⁠dropped for the Monaco clash.

“I'm happy for him because this past week, everyone criticized and tore Doue apart, but he was sensational, he showed his character. He helped the team at the best possible time.”

Dembele’s injury would be assessed, the coach added. “He took a knock in the first 15 minutes, then he couldn't run.”

The return leg at the Parc des Princes will be next Wednesday. “Considering how the match started, I'm happy with the result. But the match in Paris will be difficult, it will be a different story,” Luis Enrique warned.


Mbappe Calls for Prestianni Ban over Alleged Racist Slur at Vinicius

TOPSHOT - Real Madrid's French forward #10 Kylian Mbappe talks with SL Benfica's Portuguese head coach Jose Mourinho during the UEFA Champions League knockout round play-off first leg football match between SL Benfica and Real Madrid CF at Estadio da Luz in Lisbon on February 17, 2026. (Photo by PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA / AFP)
TOPSHOT - Real Madrid's French forward #10 Kylian Mbappe talks with SL Benfica's Portuguese head coach Jose Mourinho during the UEFA Champions League knockout round play-off first leg football match between SL Benfica and Real Madrid CF at Estadio da Luz in Lisbon on February 17, 2026. (Photo by PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA / AFP)
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Mbappe Calls for Prestianni Ban over Alleged Racist Slur at Vinicius

TOPSHOT - Real Madrid's French forward #10 Kylian Mbappe talks with SL Benfica's Portuguese head coach Jose Mourinho during the UEFA Champions League knockout round play-off first leg football match between SL Benfica and Real Madrid CF at Estadio da Luz in Lisbon on February 17, 2026. (Photo by PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA / AFP)
TOPSHOT - Real Madrid's French forward #10 Kylian Mbappe talks with SL Benfica's Portuguese head coach Jose Mourinho during the UEFA Champions League knockout round play-off first leg football match between SL Benfica and Real Madrid CF at Estadio da Luz in Lisbon on February 17, 2026. (Photo by PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA / AFP)

Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe said Benfica's Gianluca Prestianni should be banned from the Champions League after the Argentine was accused of directing a racist slur at Vinicius Jr during the Spanish side's 1-0 playoff first-leg win on Tuesday.

Denying the accusation, Prestianni said the Brazilian misheard him.

The incident occurred shortly after Vinicius had curled Real into the lead five minutes into the second half in Lisbon.

Television footage showed the Argentine winger covering his mouth with his shirt before making a comment that Vinicius and nearby teammates interpreted as a racial ‌slur against ‌the 25-year-old, with referee Francois Letexier halting the match for ‌11 ⁠minutes after activating ⁠FIFA's anti-racism protocols.

The footage appeared to show an outraged Mbappe calling Prestianni "a bloody racist" to his face, Reuters reported.

The atmosphere grew hostile after play resumed, with Vinicius and Mbappe loudly booed by the home crowd whenever they touched the ball. Despite the rising tensions, the players were able to close out the game without further interruptions.

"I want to clarify that at no time did I direct racist insults to Vini Jr, ⁠who regrettably misunderstood what he thought he heard," Prestianni wrote ‌on his Instagram account.

"I was never racist with ‌anyone and I regret the threats I received from Real Madrid players."

Mbappe told reporters he ‌heard Prestianni direct the same racist remark at Vinicius several times, an allegation ‌also levelled by Real's French midfielder Aurelien Tchouamen.

Mbappe said he had been prepared to leave the pitch but was persuaded by Vinicius to continue playing.

"We cannot accept that there is a player in Europe's top football competition who behaves like this. This guy (Prestianni) doesn't ‌deserve to play in the Champions League anymore," Mbappe told reporters.

"We have to set an example for all the children ⁠watching us at ⁠home. What happened today is the kind of thing we cannot accept because the world is watching us.

When asked whether Prestianni had apologized, Mbappe laughed.

"Of course not," he said.

Vinicius later posted a statement on social media voicing his frustration.

"Racists are, above all, cowards. They need to cover their mouth with their shirt to show how weak they are. But they have the protection of others who, theoretically, have an obligation to punish them. Nothing that happened today is new in my life or my family's life," Vinicius wrote.

The Brazilian has faced repeated racist abuse in Spain, with 18 legal complaints filed against racist behavior targeting Vinicius since 2022.

Real Madrid and Benfica will meet again for the second leg next Wednesday at the Bernabeu.


Second Season of ‘Kings League–Middle East' to Kick off in March in Riyadh 

The second season of the Kings League-Middle East will kick off in Riyadh on March 27. (Kings League-Middle East on X)
The second season of the Kings League-Middle East will kick off in Riyadh on March 27. (Kings League-Middle East on X)
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Second Season of ‘Kings League–Middle East' to Kick off in March in Riyadh 

The second season of the Kings League-Middle East will kick off in Riyadh on March 27. (Kings League-Middle East on X)
The second season of the Kings League-Middle East will kick off in Riyadh on March 27. (Kings League-Middle East on X)

The Kings League-Middle East announced that its second season will kick off in Riyadh on March 27.

The season will feature 10 teams, compared to eight in the inaugural edition, under a format that combines sporting competition with digital engagement and includes the participation of several content creators from across the region.

The Kings League-Middle East is organized in partnership with SURJ Sports Investments, a subsidiary of the Public Investment Fund (PIF), as part of efforts to support the development of innovative sports models that integrate football with digital entertainment.

Seven teams will return for the second season: DR7, ABO FC, FWZ, Red Zone, Turbo, Ultra Chmicha, and 3BS. Three additional teams are set to be announced before the start of the competition.

Matches of the second season will be held at Cool Arena in Riyadh under a single round-robin format, with the top-ranked teams advancing to the knockout stages, culminating in the final match.

The inaugural edition recorded strong attendance and wide digital engagement, with approximately a million viewers following the live broadcasts on television and digital platforms.