Sports
Can Aston Villa Fans Dream Again with Steven Gerrard on the Hot Seat?
Did Dean Smith’s Aston Villa overachieve last season? Well, it is arguable that Dean Smith set a bar of expectation too high for himself with the heroics of his Aston Villa team. Jumping up the table as far as Europa League spots, the odds were enticing from the best global bookmakers on liontips.com for Dean Smith to propel Aston Villa into contention for titles in the 2021/2022 season.
Dean Smith built shoes too big for himself
Of course, this doesn’t look too much of a big ask when the season began. Yes, their homeboy hero, in the person of Jack Grealish, had packed his bags and jumped off to Man City. But it was not necessarily an acrimonious divorce as Aston Villa pocketed a hefty £100 million in return.
Punters jumped on liontips.ng to cash in on beautiful odds from their favourite bookies for Aston Villa to comfortably clinch a mid-table position after Aston Villa went on a shopping spree with £100 million in their wallet. The likes of Danny Ings and Emi Buendia were brought in.
Well, the story took an unpredictable twist. Today, Dean Smith has been kicked out after a miserable run of five consecutive defeats.
With fans incinerated, Aston Villa executives flew to Scotland. No, they didn’t go to enjoy Scotland’s renowned Whisky or admire her historic castles. They came for Steven Gerrard, and yes, they left with him!
Gerrard, as a player, needs no introduction. But as a manager, it would be flattery to call him the most qualified for the Aston Villa hot seat.
Aye, Gerrard had excelled at Rangers, landing a Mike-Tyson uppercut on Celtic, leaving the latter sprawling on the ground and giving up their dominance of the Scottish league.
Gerrard presided over 196 games at Rangers, winning about 125 of them. Mathematically, this sums up into a 64% win rate, landing Rangers their first taste of the Scottish league title in over 10 years.
Not bad for a coach, eh?
On November 11, Steven Gerrard – braving the media inferno from the disgust of Scottish faithful – became Aston Villa’s coach.
How well has Gerrard fared at Villa Park?
Take it from us: saying Gerrard has underperformed (or even performed averagely) at Aston Villa is a prosecutable offence!
Yes, since Gerrard took over, the psychological atmosphere at Villa has been dramatically transformed. Yes, a significant slice of that transformation can be traced to the enormity of Gerrard’s legendary status in the Premier League.
But the fascinating upturn in results has contributed to the resurgence in morale. Gerrard has been barely two months old in Aston Villa. He has presided over just ten premier league games.
Of this, he has won five, lost four, and drawn one. Oh, you would say four losses is woeful. But then we would quickly remind that these losses were against impregnable sides like Man City and Liverpool.
And it was not like Aston Villa fell flat on their face from the beginning of the contests against these sides. Liverpool had it very hot from Gerrard’s men.
Klopp’s men only managed to sneak away with all three points when Mohammed Salah scored late for the Reds.
Ignoring the memorable 2-2 draw Gerrard’s men masterminded against Manchester United would be unjust.
Down 2-0 and apparently coasting away with victory, Man United fans are yet reeling from the shock of the magical turnaround that followed Coutinho’s introduction.
A goal and an assist from the former Barcelona maestro condemned Man United to another draw, exposing Ralf Ragnick’s men to a barrage of missiles from an unforgiving press.
Gerrard’s star power gives Aston Villa the edge in the transfer market
Aston Villa performed a football miracle when they landed Philippe Coutinho from Barcelona. It is not every day that players leave Barcelona for Aston Villa – at least not such a pricey acquisition that cost Barcelona north of £140 million.
Gerrard’s influence was central to this move. Coutinho trusts the Englishman as the best man to resurrect his ailing career. Gerrard has done more than pull in Coutinho.
The Liverpool hero pulled another smart one, wriggling Lucas Digne from Everton to Aston Villa. To seal this move, Gerrard’s Aston Villa had to beat off contenders like Chelsea, who desperately needed the Frenchman to cover for Ben Chilwell.
This was followed by the acquisition of Robin Olsen and then a stunning move for Callum Chambers from Arsenal. With each piece falling into place, we can’t deny that Gerrard is progressively moulding Aston Villa into a team after his image.
The future is once against bright for Aston Villa – at least till Gerrard finishes his “internship” there before graduating to the Liverpool position when Jurgen Klopp leaves.
Inevitably, we all know Liverpool is where Gerrard will end up, don’t we?
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Super Falcons of Nigeria have been drawn in Group C with Egypt, Zambia and Malawi for the defence of their Women’s’ Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title in March, which will be hosted again in Morocco.
Last year, the Nigerian team won the record 10th tournament after defeating the host nation, Morocco, 3-2 in a spectacular final after going down 2-0.
The 2026 edition will be played in Morocco from March 17-April 3, eight months after the last tournament.
The last edition slated for 2024 was postponed by a year for logistical reasons as the Confederation of African Football (CAF) could not get interested hosts.
The next edition which will be the 14th edition and Nigeria will be hoping to win the women’s tournament for the 11th time.
Nigeria’s dominance is only rivalled by Equatorial Guinea which won as hosts of the 2008 and 2012 editions. South Africa won the 2022 edition to become the third African nation to ever win the tournament.
The next edition carries added importance because it serves as qualifying for next year’s Women’s World Cup, with the top four finishers taking up Africa’s slots in the global tournament to be hosted by Brazil.
GROUPS
Group A (Rabat Moulay Hassan Stadium): Morocco, Algeria, Senegal, Kenya,
Group B (Rabat Al Madina Stadium): South Africa, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Tanzania
Group C (Casablanca): Nigeria, Zambia, Egypt, Malawi
Group D (Fes): Ghana, Cameroon, Mali, Cape Verde.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Chairman of BUA Group, Mr Abdul Samad Rabiu, has reaffirmed his commitment to reward the Super Eagles with the promised $500,000 despite losing the semi-final match against Morocco in the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) on Wednesday night.
The Nigerian senior national football team lost the tie against Morocco 4-2 on penalties after both sides failed to break the deadlock after 120 minutes.
In a post on his official Instagram on Thursday, the billionaire industrialist commended the football team for their determination and unity throughout the competition.
Mr Rabiu said the players displayed admirable grit and commitment on the field, adding that although the trophy eluded them, their performance inspired pride and admiration among Nigerians at home and abroad.
“To our brave Super Eagles, You fought with your hearts, gave your all, and showed true courage and determination on the pitch. Though it wasn’t meant to be this time, you have made every Nigerian proud.
“Sometimes, even our best efforts don’t bring the outcome we hope for, but the spirit, passion, and unity you displayed are what truly matter. You left everything on the field, and that is worthy of celebration.
“As a token of appreciation for your remarkable journey and effort, I am still going ahead to fulfill the pledge of $500,000. This is in recognition of your hard work, dedication, and the joy you have brought to our nation.
“Keep your heads high, Super Eagles – the experience, lessons, and spirit will fuel even greater success next time. Nigeria will always be proud of you, and we believe in your future victories!” the statement read.
Nigeria failed to advance to the final of the 2025 AFCON yesterday after losing to Morocco’s Atlas Lions in a tense penalty shootout, a result that sent the North African side through to the final.
Moroccan goalkeeper, Yacine Bounou saved kicks from both Samuel Chukwueze and Bruno Onyemaechi, allowing Youssef En-Nesyri to convert the winning kick and spark wild celebrations inside the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat.
Nigeria will play Egypt in the bronze medal match on Sunday, January 18 while Morocco will face 2021 winners, Senegal for the chance to win the trophy for the first time in 50 years.
Midweek football delivers decisive moments across three competitions as the Carabao Cup reaches the semi-final in England, Serie A’s title contenders play their games in hand, and the Africa Cup of Nations narrows down to its final two. Fans can follow every fixture live on SuperSport across DStv and GOtv.
Carabao Cup: Semi-Final Second Legs Decide Wembley Places
The Carabao Cup semi-finals conclude with two heavyweight fixtures as clubs push for a place in the final at Wembley.
On Tuesday at 9:00 p.m., Newcastle host Man City at St James’ Park. Newcastle enter the second leg as defending Carabao Cup champions and come into the tie in strong domestic form, having recorded three straight league wins and progressed in the FA Cup after a penalty shootout victory over Bournemouth.
City arrive after a heavy FA Cup win against Exeter City but are still searching for consistency in the league following a run of draws. Both sides have navigated the competition efficiently so far, setting up a finely balanced contest.
Wednesday’s second semi-final sees Chelsea host Arsenal at 9:00 p.m. Chelsea begin the second leg under new manager Liam Rosenior after a convincing FA Cup victory over Charlton, though league form has been less consistent following a recent defeat to Fulham.
Arsenal, meanwhile, arrive as Premier League leaders and remain active in all major competitions this season. Their FA Cup win over Portsmouth maintained momentum as they look to secure a return to Wembley.
Both Carabao Cup semi-final matches air live on SS Premier League (GOtv Ch. 65, DStv Ch. 203).
Serie A: Games in Hand Shape the Title Race
Serie A’s midweek programme features three fixtures involving clubs playing their game in hand, with implications at both ends of the table.
On Wednesday at 6:30 p.m., Napoli host Parma. Napoli were held to a draw by Inter Milan in their previous outing and sit fourth, level on points with Juventus. With other contenders also in action, a win could lift them further up the standings. Parma arrive after a narrow victory over Lecce and continue to look upward from mid-table.
Later on Wednesday at 8:45 p.m., leaders Inter Milan face Lecce at the San Siro. Inter saw their winning run halted by Napoli but remain three points clear at the top. Lecce arrive having suffered consecutive defeats and will be aiming to secure a positive result in a difficult away fixture.
Thursday’s action concludes at 8:45 p.m. as AC Milan travel to face Como. Milan sit second but have been held to back-to-back draws and will be seeking a return to winning form. Como, coached by Cesc Fàbregas, have impressed this season and sit sixth, boasting one of the league’s strongest defensive records.
All Serie A fixtures are broadcast live on SS Africa 2 (GOtv Ch. 64, DStv Ch. 208).
AFCON 2025: Semi-Finals Decide Finalists
The Africa Cup of Nations reaches its penultimate stage with two semi-final clashes scheduled for Wednesday.
Senegal face Egypt at 6:00 p.m. in Tangier in a renewal of a recent AFCON rivalry. Senegal, winners of the 2021 edition, have progressed with control and balance, while Egypt have relied on resilience and decisive moments in the knockout rounds. The matchup once again brings together key figures from both sides as a place in the final is at stake.
Later at 9:00 p.m., Nigeria meet hosts Morocco in Rabat. Nigeria advanced after a disciplined quarter-final performance, while Morocco continue to combine defensive organisation with efficiency in attack. With home support behind them, Morocco face a Nigerian side that has shown attacking consistency throughout the tournament.
Both AFCON semi-finals air live on SS AFCON (GOtv Ch. 59, DStv Ch. 202).
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