Everton forward Iliman Ndiaye has publicly protested the Confederation of African Football’s controversial decision to strip Senegal of their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title and award it to Morocco.
The Toffees attacker celebrated a goal against Chelsea by holding up two fingers alongside compatriot Idrissa Gana Gueye to signify his nation’s two continental triumphs.
Following the final whistle in the 3-0 Premier League victory, the versatile forward was caught on camera declaring his country as the true champions of Africa.
His defiance comes after the governing body ruled that Les Lions forfeited the December final in Rabat by briefly walking off the pitch in protest.
Final overshadowed by late penalty drama
The original fixture ended in chaotic circumstances when head coach Pape Thiaw ordered his squad off the field in the closing moments of normal time.
This drastic action was a direct response to El Hadji Malick Diouf being penalised for an alleged foul on Brahim Diaz inside the penalty area.
Although the aggrieved squad eventually returned to face the spot-kick, Edouard Mendy comfortably saved a panenka attempt from the Moroccan playmaker.
Midfielder Pape Gueye subsequently scored an extra-time winner to seemingly secure the prestigious trophy for the West African powerhouse.
Senegal launch appeal over forfeit ruling
Following a successful appeal by the defeated finalists, CAF officials have now awarded a retrospective 3-0 victory to the Atlas Lions.
The Senegalese Football Federation immediately announced its intention to challenge this verdict at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Abdoulaye Seydou Sow, the federation’s secretary general, strongly condemned the ruling during an interview on national television.
“We will not back down, the law is on our side,” Sow said.
“This decision is a travesty that rests on no legal basis.”
Arsenal have stepped up their search for a new right-back by targeting Roma defender Wesley Franca, while Liverpool lead the race for Real Madrid midfielder Eduardo Camavinga.
The Gunners are actively seeking defensive reinforcements ahead of the summer transfer window, with the 22-year-old Brazilian emerging as a primary option.
Mikel Arteta’s side are reportedly under severe financial pressure to generate funds through player sales, leaving very few squad members deemed untouchable.
Liverpool push for Camavinga signature
Meanwhile, Anfield executives have already held two rounds of talks with representatives of the 23-year-old French international.
The Merseyside club currently sit ahead of domestic rivals Chelsea in the ongoing pursuit of the highly-rated Champions League winner.
Despite their own struggles on the pitch this campaign, none of the current squad members at Stamford Bridge have officially asked to leave.
Rashford faces uncertain Spanish future
In La Liga, Hansi Flick has admitted he remains unsure whether his employers will permanently sign Marcus Rashford from Manchester United.
The Catalan giants hold a £26m option to convert the 28-year-old England international’s surprising season-long loan into a long-term arrangement.
Elsewhere in Spain, Raphinha has definitively ruled out leaving the Nou Camp before the end of the 2026-27 season despite lucrative interest from Saudi Arabia.
Haaland and Guimaraes commit to projects
Manchester City possess absolutely no intention of allowing Norwegian talisman Erling Haaland to depart this summer despite lingering interest from European heavyweights.
In the North East, Newcastle United orchestrator Bruno Guimaraes remains entirely committed to the long-term sporting project at St James’ Park.
The Brazilian midfield maestro is reportedly willing to negotiate a new contract without demanding to become the highest earner on Tyneside.
European transfer market round-up
Fulham have surprisingly paused their move for United States international Ricardo Pepi, even though the PSV Eindhoven striker has already completed a medical in London.
Over in Italy, Juventus are evaluating a swoop for veteran Germany defender Antonio Rudiger ahead of his imminent contract expiry in the Spanish capital.
Finally, Atletico Madrid have submitted an initial £30m bid, plus £4m in potential add-ons, to prise Brazilian midfield anchor Ederson away from Atalanta.
Former defender Stephen Warnock has warned Liverpool they face a humiliating defeat against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League if they repeat Saturday’s poor Premier League performance against Brighton.
Arne Slot’s side suffered a 2-1 defeat on the south coast following a decisive brace from Danny Welbeck.
The result means the Merseyside club have secured just one point from their last three domestic fixtures.
It follows recent struggles against Wolverhampton Wanderers and Tottenham Hotspur, leaving them with their highest number of league defeats since the 2015-16 campaign.
‘It could be 10-0’ in Paris
The disappointing domestic form comes just days after the Reds booked a European quarter-final date with PSG by overcoming Galatasaray.
However, Warnock believes the reigning European champions will ruthlessly punish his former employers unless their performance levels drastically improve.
“If they go and play like that in Paris it could be 10-0,” Warnock told BBC Radio 5 Live.
“That’s how bad Liverpool were today. Brighton weren’t clinical and tried to walk it in, but PSG will be clinical, so it’s very, very worrying.”
Former England goalkeeper Rob Green echoed those concerns, describing the weekend display as a significant backwards step.
“You just don’t know what you are getting from this team, the spine of the team is not there,” Green observed.
Slot searching for answers
The current head coach acknowledged the mounting pressure as he attempts to navigate an ongoing injury crisis.
The Dutchman pointed to the absence of key goalscorers as a mitigating factor but accepted ultimate responsibility for the squad’s declining fortunes.
“I could come and tell you all the reasons why we’ve lost this season 10 times, and one of them is late goals,” Slot explained.
“Today sums it all up in terms of our injury problems, to go without three great goalscorers is never helpful for any team.”
“But it’s not my job to make excuses, my job is to find answers and that’s what I tried to do again today.”
Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior is facing intense scrutiny over his future after a 3-0 Premier League defeat against Everton left the club searching for form.
The heavy loss on Merseyside extended a dismal run for the Blues, who have now gone two matches without a victory.
That slump means the Stamford Bridge outfit have secured just a single win across their last five top-flight outings.
They currently sit three points behind Aston Villa, with the Midlands club also holding a crucial game in hand.
Mounting pressure on the touchline
Patience among the fanbase is wearing remarkably thin after only a few months of the current managerial reign.
Sections of the travelling support at Goodison Park made their frustrations clear, sparking inevitable speculation regarding a swift dugout change.
Oddsmakers have already drawn up a comprehensive shortlist of potential successors should the London club decide to pivot.
Familiar faces in the frame
Former club legend Frank Lampard has emerged as a 12/1 contender to make a sensational return to his spiritual home.
The ex-England midfielder is currently excelling in the Championship, guiding Coventry City to the summit of the second tier.
Another prominent name mentioned by bookmakers is Cesc Fabregas, whose storied playing history in west London holds obvious appeal to disgruntled supporters.
Meanwhile, pulling Unai Emery away from Villa Park seems highly improbable given his ongoing pursuit of Champions League qualification.
Premier League pedigree considered
Fulham boss Marco Silva represents an intriguing 9/1 option as his contract at Craven Cottage nears its summer expiration.
The Portuguese tactician has consistently overachieved in the capital, though stepping up to a traditional heavyweight carries inherent risk.
Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola is also in the final months of his deal, having earned widespread praise for his transformative tactical work on the south coast.
Austrian coach Oliver Glasner remains a strong 7/1 candidate, having publicly confirmed he will depart Crystal Palace at the end of the current campaign.
Bayern Munich secured a dominant 4-0 victory over Union Berlin in the Bundesliga, with Harry Kane continuing his extraordinary scoring run to close in on the single-season goals record.
The England captain found the back of the net once again during a comprehensive domestic victory.
Michael Olise was also on the scoresheet as the Bavarian giants dismantled their capital-city opponents.
This resounding victory reinforces the commanding position held by Vincent Kompany’s side at the summit of the German top flight.
Kane targets historic Bundesliga milestone
The latest strike moves the prolific 30-year-old within just 10 goals of breaking the all-time Bundesliga single-season scoring record.
That formidable benchmark of 41 goals was established by legendary former Munich forward Robert Lewandowski during the 2020-21 campaign.
The former Tottenham striker has seamlessly adapted to life in Germany following his high-profile transfer last summer.
With a significant portion of the season remaining, the clinical forward is now firmly on course to rewrite the history books.
Olise shines in dominant attacking display
Summer signing Olise continues to prove his worth after providing yet another vital contribution to the formidable Munich attacking line.
The French international linked up perfectly with his more experienced attacking colleagues to overwhelm a struggling Union defence.
Such ruthless efficiency in front of goal sends a stark warning to domestic and European rivals alike as the campaign progresses.
Everton moved to within two points of the Premier League top six as Beto scored twice in a dominant 3-0 victory over struggling Chelsea at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
The emphatic win represents back-to-back home victories for the first time at the Merseyside club’s new ground.
Defeat leaves the visitors reeling after a fourth consecutive loss under manager Liam Rosenior.
Iliman Ndiaye added a spectacular third goal late on to cap a miserable evening for the West London side.
Pickford shines as Sanchez struggles
The match highlighted a stark contrast between the two goalkeepers on display.
England’s first-choice stopper Jordan Pickford produced a string of superb saves to deny Enzo Fernandez.
At the other end, Robert Sanchez endured a torrid time and was heavily at fault for the second goal.
The Spanish goalkeeper allowed a firmly struck shot from the Portuguese forward to slip through his grasp after being played in by Idrissa Gueye.
European ambitions shift
David Moyes has quietly steered the Toffees to seventh place in the table.
They now sit just three points behind city rivals Liverpool and firmly on the fringes of the Champions League qualification race.
Conversely, the Blues missed a crucial opportunity to climb into fourth.
Rosenior’s sluggish squad remain stranded in sixth position as their hopes of returning to Europe’s elite competition fade rapidly.
The impressive result was sparked by James Garner, who celebrated his maiden call-up to the national team by threading a sublime assist for the opening goal.
Coventry City took a massive step towards Premier League promotion as they extended their lead at the top of the Championship to nine points with a ruthless 3-0 victory away to Swansea City.
Frank Lampard’s side scored three times in an 11-minute blitz before half-time to silence the crowd at the Swansea.com Stadium.
The result, combined with draws for closest challengers Middlesbrough, Ipswich Town, and Millwall, puts the Sky Blues in complete control with just seven games remaining.
Early scare before penalty breakthrough
The hosts started brightly and rattled the crossbar early on through a sweeping effort from Josh Tymon.
However, the visitors broke the deadlock after 32 minutes when Ben Cabango brought down Ephron Mason-Clark inside the penalty area.
Brandon Thomas-Asante stepped up to drive the resulting spot-kick under sprawling goalkeeper Lawrence Vigouroux.
Grimes haunts former club
The travelling supporters were soon celebrating again as former Swans captain Matt Grimes delivered a punishing blow against the club where he made 333 appearances.
The midfielder met a deflected clearance on the volley from 20 yards out, watching his sweet left-footed strike cannon in off the post.
Tatsuhiro Sakamoto added a third just five minutes later to effectively end the contest before the interval.
Absence of top scorer unfelt
The dominant performance was achieved even without star striker Haji Wright, who missed the trip to Wales due to a groin problem.
His absence prevented a highly anticipated shootout with Swansea’s Zan Vipotnik, who currently leads the American by a single goal in the race for the division’s Golden Boot.
Defeat leaves the Welsh outfit languishing in 14th place in the table with seemingly little left to play for this campaign.
Fulham fought back to secure a 3-1 Premier League victory over Burnley at Craven Cottage, pushing Scott Parker’s struggling side closer to relegation.
The visitors had initially taken the lead through Zian Flemming’s ninth goal of the campaign.
However, a costly error by goalkeeper Martin Dubravka gifted 19-year-old Josh King his first top-flight goal to level the match.
Harry Wilson then fired the hosts ahead with a low strike before a late penalty from Raul Jimenez sealed the three points.
The stoppage-time spot-kick was awarded following a foul by Josh Laurent, who was subsequently shown a red card.
Parker laments defining mistake
Burnley manager Parker admitted that the uncharacteristic error from his veteran Slovakian goalkeeper completely changed the momentum of the game.
“Probably the defining moment is obviously a slight mistake on our behalf and obviously they score,” said Parker.
“A rare mistake that is unlike Martin – he’s pulled off some saves today as well and he’s pulled off saves throughout this year.”
“So, not to be critical of that, but it was a bit of a blow.”
“We didn’t manage to weather that and they scored again quickly.”
Clarets face mounting survival task
The damaging defeat leaves the Lancashire outfit languishing nine points adrift of safety with only seven matches remaining to preserve their top-tier status.
This represents a bitter blow for their 43-year-old manager, who previously guided the Cottagers to promotion in 2020 before suffering relegation the following year.
“Clearly it’s a tough challenge for us, a tough, tough challenge, but there are still games to play,” Parker added.
“At times this year we’ve fallen a little bit short, clearly.”
“But there’s one thing that we’ve not fallen short on – full commitment in what has been a tough, tough year for us.”
Silva praises young talent King
On the opposite bench, Fulham boss Marco Silva was left delighted after his team maintained their push for European qualification.
The Portuguese tactician reserved special praise for teenage striker King, who finally opened his account after having an earlier effort controversially disallowed by VAR in August.
“It’s something really special for him,” Silva remarked.
“He’s been working very hard, he’s a big talent and a top young player.”
“It was a very important win for us, a massive three points for many reasons.”