Former Arsenal striker Ian Wright believes that chasing Manchester City down in the Premier League over the past few seasons has “taken its toll” on Liverpool and is partly to blame for their current struggles.
Liverpool and City have battled for domestic glory on numerous occasions over the past few years: including last season, where City pipped Liverpool to the Premier League title on the final day of the 2021/22 campaign.
The Reds challenged on all fronts last year but have struggled significantly this term and slump to a new low on Saturday when they were thrashed 3-0 by Brighton, who leapfrogged Liverpool in the table.
Liverpool’s defeat against Brighton comes just a fortnight after they were picked apart by Brentford and has only fuelled concerns that their season is set to fizzle out.
And while some are busy speculating over what has gone wrong at Anfield over the past few months, Wright believes the Reds’ struggles are linked to their intense rivalry with City.
Speaking on Match of the Day, Wright said: “We’re talking about a Liverpool side that was unbelievable in terms of pressing up front and the midfield backing up, then they’re winning the ball high.
“When we look at how far they are off people, you feel like they’re not getting close enough. I feel like it’s very tough for them.
“Those seasons chasing City down, I think that has taken its toll. Especially still trying to play the high line when you ain’t getting midfielders close enough to other midfielders to stop them from playing that ball over the top or playing that ball through the lines. It just seems like it’s very easy to get through at the minute.”
Sportsville Rolls Out 2023 Awards Programme
The annual Sportsville Award which enters its third edition this year will be held on February 4th.
The prestigious event takes place at Lagos Country Club, Ikeja, Lagos.
This much was disclosed by the CEO of Sportsville, Frank Ilaboya in a statement he released yesterday in Lagos.
Ilaboya stated that the shortlist of awardees will be made public in a few days even as he added that the Sportsville award would be an elaborate ceremony with a global media audience.
Ilaboya explained that the award would continue to maintain its high standard of rewarding those truly deserving of it.
“Just like the previous editions, this year’s winners are selected after a very painstaking scrutiny done by a panel that included leading Sports Editors.
“Our objective remains the same, to reward and appreciate Nigerians and corporate organisations who have contributed to the development of sports over the years.
“The Sportsville award is unique because we do a thorough job in ensuring that only deserving sports personalities and corporate organisations are appreciated, “Ilaboya added.
Last year’s edition took place at the prestigious Radison Hotels, Ikeja with Sports Minister Sunday Dare, leading the pack of sports personalities that were recognised and awarded at the event.
Over 16 personalities and corporate organisations have been penciled down for recognition on February 4th.
PSG To Leave Parc des Princes Amid Mayor Row
Paris Saint-Germain will leave the Parc des Princes, their home ground since the club’s formation in 1970, after the mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, announced the city will not sale the stadium to the club.
PSG, who have already invested €85 million ($92.17m) in the last few years to improve the facilities and increase the capacity, are ready to commit another €500m into refurbishment and a bigger extension to allow the club to keep growing and competing with other top European clubs.
The two parties had been negotiating a deal for the sale of the Parc des Princes without finding an agreement. Now, she has closed a potential deal.
“We have a very clear position. The Parc des Princes is not for sale, and it will not be sold. This is a firm and definitive position. It is an exceptional heritage for Parisians,” she told Le Parisien newspaper on Saturday.
A PSG spokesperson told ESPN: “It is surprising and disappointing to hear that the mayor of Paris is taking a position which, effectively, will force PSG, our fans and communities away from the Parc des Princes; while also — quite remarkably — adding tens of millions of Euros to the taxpayer burden to maintain the structure of the building, which is now 50 years old and in need of renovation.”
However, Hidalgo, who has been unpopular in the opinion polls since her re-election in 2020, still wants to work with PSG to modernise the stadium. But the club are reluctant to invest large amounts of money on the Parc des Princes if they don’t own the stadium.
“It is regrettable that the Mayor is now suddenly foreclosing — definitively — the sale discussions we’ve been having for a long time, with the club now sadly forced to advance alternative options for our home, which is not the outcome the club or our fans were hoping for,” the club added.
