Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca has promised to help Phil Foden rediscover his best form after the midfielder scored four goals in two matches, ending a lengthy goal drought.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Foden had gone 10 months without finding the net before scoring in City’s 3-2 victory over Ipswich last weekend. The England international followed up that performance with a hat-trick in Tuesday’s 5-1 Champions League win over AEK Athens.

The 26-year-old enjoyed the most prolific season of his career in 2023/24, scoring 27 goals across all competitions and winning the Premier League Player of the Season award.

However, he has struggled to maintain that level over the past two seasons and has previously spoken publicly about his mental health challenges.

Maresca, who took charge of City in June, revealed that he had held several discussions with Foden to reassure the midfielder of his importance to the team.

“Since we started, I sat down with Phil two or three times, especially at the beginning. Just to show him, I don’t know if love is the right word to use, but just to show him how important he is,” Maresca said.

The Italian manager added that he had known Foden for years and understood that the midfielder had experienced difficulties over the past few seasons.

He stressed that helping players improve was a crucial part of his responsibility, noting that a stronger individual performance would ultimately benefit the entire team.

“So for me, I think it’s my duty to try to help Phil to be again one of the best players in England,” Maresca stated.

Maresca has enjoyed an impressive start at the Etihad Stadium, winning his first seven Premier League matches in charge of a new club. City’s only defeat under the Italian came against reigning European champions Paris Saint-Germain in a 4-2 Champions League loss.

Despite their positive results, City continue to face uncertainty over their financial future as they challenge a guilty verdict relating to more than 100 alleged breaches of Premier League financial rules. Potential sanctions could include a points deduction or relegation if the club fails to overturn the verdict.

Nevertheless, Maresca insisted that the squad remained focused on its performances despite the uncertainty surrounding the club.

“In any club, when you lose important players, many important players, and you lose the manager after 10 years, it always takes time to compete again,” he said on October 22.

“But this organisation last summer changed many important players, changed the manager after 10 years, and we are competing at the moment.”

Manchester City are scheduled to travel to Aston Villa on Saturday, with striker Erling Haaland expected to return after missing the AEK Athens match because of a foot injury sustained against Ipswich.

Haaland has scored 12 goals in nine appearances this season, while Matheus Nunes, Mateo Kovacic and Nico O’Reilly remain injury doubts ahead of the trip.

Former Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege has issued a stern warning to individuals planning to rig the 2027 general election, threatening severe consequences for anyone caught attempting to manipulate the polls.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Reports that Omo-Agege, who is seeking the National Democratic Congress (NDC) ticket for Delta Central Senatorial District, made the remarks during a campaign event.

The former Deputy Senate President described electoral manipulation as an attempt to rob Nigerians of their future, insisting that voters would not tolerate any effort to undermine their choices at the ballot box.

He warned politicians and other individuals against engaging in activities capable of compromising the credibility of the election.

Omo-Agege also issued a direct threat to anyone who attempts to rig the polls, declaring that such an individual could be killed instantly at the scene.

He explained that his warning was aimed at discouraging electoral malpractice and sending a strong message to those considering interfering with the voting process.

Speaking at the event, he said: “It’s rig and die. I want to make this statement clear: Anybody who attempts to rig this 2027 election, we will k!ll the person there instantly. If you don’t value your life, come and rig the election.”

Dele Momodu, Deputy Director-General of Media and Communications for the African Democratic Congress (ADC) Presidential Campaign Council, has reacted to Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde’s comments on the importance of energy and stamina in a presidential candidate ahead of the 2027 general election.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Makinde, who is the presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), recently challenged his rivals to demonstrate their physical stamina after jumping off a stage during a campaign meeting in Akure, Ondo State.

The governor made the demonstration at the APM South-West Presidential Campaign Town Hall Meeting held at the Ondo State International Conference Centre, popularly known as The Dome.

Addressing supporters, Makinde said he would focus on candidates’ energy and ability to withstand the demands of leadership rather than make age a major consideration in the 2027 presidential race.

Reacting during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday, Momodu argued that physical feats such as high jumping should not be used to measure a presidential candidate’s suitability for office.

According to him, effective leadership requires clear vision, experience, exposure, tolerance and the ability to manage people and public resources.

Momodu also described the ADC presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, as one of the strongest contenders in the 2027 election.

He said, “The job of a president is not to be a high jumper or long jumper. It is to think; it is to have clear vision; it is to have experience; it is to have exposure and be tolerant. Leadership is about managing people and resources. This is why the ADC presidential candidate is one of the best you can find in Nigeria.

“I want to make a statement of fact that Atiku has been the most deliberate and focused candidate I have known. He has never stopped anyone from contesting against him, or dictator. Even President Bola Tinubu knows this because he invited him on a joint ticket to run with him in the past.”