Managers are not magicians – Guardiola on Man City revival

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Pep Guardiola, the manager, claims there hasn’t been a magic spell to restore the side after the “fog” has lifted at Manchester City.

A tense 2-1 victory over Nottingham Forest on Saturday, with the late goal from Rayan Cherki, gave them a chance to regain their top spot in the Premier League.

City are currently just two points behind after winning by 2-1 over Brighton.

After winning the previous four titles, they finished third last season, 13 points behind champions Liverpool.

Their season was derailed by one win in 13 games, including five straight defeats between October and November, and they also lost to Real Madrid in the knockout play-offs, which was their first exit in 12 years.

Managers are not magicians, according to Guardiola, who decide what they do and how they click their fingers until the details are clear.

“Sometimes you need a break. How many times did I judge and criticize the club last season?

Talks about the club World Cup helped to recover.

Guardiola, who travels with his team to Sunderland on January 1st, had several discussions with his squad during the summer’s Club World Cup, and believes the solution was made there.

He claimed that the reason we went to Al Hilal was that we were so good there. I said to myself, “OK, go on holidays,” but I was offended because we were good with the guys’ training and the competition.

Everyone was content when we arrived in Boca Raton, which is directly opposite the beach. We had numerous dinners and discussions [about] what we need to do next season. What must we accomplish. We simply wanted to live it out for a long time.

We turned around and said something about the conversation between Pep [Lijnders] and James [French] and Manel [Estiarte], Hugo [Viana], Txiki [Begiristain]. [Something] you can feel.

“Energy, energy, energy” It was lost last season. We began to compete and train better.

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Gordon Ramsay makes ‘dig’ at Adam Peaty’s family in ‘fiery’ wedding speech

Following one of the most popular celebrity weddings in recent years, Holly Ramsey and Adam Peaty tied the knot on Saturday. The two gleeful newlyweds walked out hand-in-hand from Bath Abbey.

Gordon Ramsey, Holly’s father, delivered a powerful speech that included a dig at Adams’ parents who were unable to attend. Before saying, “Look at Tana, and that’s what you have to look forward to,” he began by saying Adam was a “lucky man.”

He reportedly made an apparent dig at Adam’s parents when he said, “Shame you don’t have the same,” Holly, according to The Sun.

It comes after Adams mum Caroline was not invited to the wedding. 
Caroline Adams’ mother was not permitted to attend the wedding, which is now in progress. &nbsp, (mancpicss66)

It comes after Adam’s feud with Caroline’s mother broke out last month when she was denied entry to Holly’s hen do, which caused her to miss out on the wedding.

Before the wedding, Caroline, 60, claimed to the Mail, “I don’t think they understand how badly they have hurt me; it feels like they have cut my heart out.”

My family is broken; this is my first Christmas without them. Yes, I do have a third grandchild. Yes, I have my other kids, but my family is split due to the events surrounding the wedding.

It comes after Adam’s feud with mum Caroline exploded last month after she was not invited to Holly’s hen do
It comes after Adam’s feud with Caroline’s mother broke out last month because she refused to attend Holly’s hen do (WireImage).

A family member reacted after Gordon’s speech and claimed Ramsey had been planning everything. They continued, “This just proves that this was the Ramsays’ plan all along.” You’d expect Gordon and Tana to show more compassion for Caroline, Mark, and the family, “says The Sun.”

Caroline continued, “Alley did everything to assist Adam. To get him where he is, she and Mark made many sacrifices. After everything they did to support him, Adam should be embarrassed for planning the wedding without them. Beth has betrayed her mother to see what she can gain from being the only family member to enjoy Adam and Holly.

She’s changed her appearance and personality to fit the celebrity lifestyle of the Ramsays, according to the actress.

Following Gordon’s speech, a family source hit out and said it was Ramsey's 'plan all along'
A family member reacted after Gordon’s speech and claimed Ramsey had been planning things “all along” (Getty Images).

The source also claimed that Adam turned down Janet and her husband Eddie just days before the wedding, which they described as “completely unacceptable”.

Additionally, it is said that Adam’s aunt Louise texted him moments before entering Bath Abbey, but he never read it.

She reportedly stated in her message that she hoped her mother would never experience the pain you had caused her. Despite all of this, she still loves you. You two deserve a lot of shame. Remember that you caused your mother such pain that her soul screams on this, your happiest day, and each anniversary of your happiest day.

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Mozambique win first ever AFCON game, while Algeria reach last 16

Diallo Scores Again As Champions Ivory Coast Draw With Cameroon

Amad Diallo scored for Ivory Coast, the defending champion of the Africa Cup of Nations, in a 1-1 draw with Cameroon on Sunday, regaining them in Group F.

Diallo scored his second AFCON goal after 51 minutes of a Marrakech-trium match against Mozambique four days prior.

READ ALSO: Algeria’s Last 16 Faces Mahrez Penalty in the AFCON

Before Ghislain Konan’s deflected shot from Junior Tchamadeu to level Cameroon, the lead only lasted for five minutes.

Morocco and Ivory Coast each have four points, one more than Gabon, who defeated Gabon 3-2 in Agadir earlier.

The top two finishers in each group advance to round 16 of 16. The top four third-placed teams from the six mini-leagues also advance to the knockout stages.

Amad Diallo
On December 24, 2025, Ivory Coast’s forward #15 Amad Diallo (L) celebrates scoring the team’s first goal with the team’s #26 Yan Diomande at the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) Group F football game against Mozambique at Marrakesh Stadium in Marrakech. (Photo by Khaled DESOUKI/AFP)
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The conflict between the Cameroonian Indomitable Lions and the Ivorian Elephants dates back to 1970 in Sudan, and it is among the best in the AFCON.

In victories prior to the Marrakech showdown, Cameroon held a 5-1 lead. The Ivory Coast won both matches in penalty shootouts, which followed two more matches.

Three La Liga players, Jules Kounde from Barcelona and Kylian Mbappe from Real Madrid, were among the 35, 165-person crowd.

South African Patrice Motsepe, the president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), was present at the stadium after Mozambique beat Gabon.

Diallo had a good first half chance, but he misfired after getting a cutback and fired wide.

Cameroon was in the lead at the other end when Christian Kofane hit a crossbar after Tchamadeu had already crossed midway through the half.

Diallo’s threat to the right was constant. Unmarked Vakoun Bayo crossed from one of his crosses.

Diallo made a superb sliding tackle just before half-time when Cameroon captain Nouhou Tolo burst into the box.

Franck Kessie, the captain of Ivory Coast, scored the winning goal in the second half despite a lively opening. Danny Namaso, a native of Cameroon, deflected a shot before striking the woodwork.

Diallo then broke the deadlock. Devis Epassy was denied by Konan’s left-footed strike from close range when he received a long lofted pass from the winger.

Mahrez Penalty Takes Algeria To AFCON Last 16

After winning 1-0 over Burkinabe on Sunday, Algeria moved into the last 16 of the Africa Cup of Nations.

Algeria held on to win a bruising contest against a determined Burkinabe before Captain Mahrez converted from the spot midway through the opening period at the Moulay El Hassan Stadium in Rabat.

Algeria, the African champions in 1990 and 2019, are the only team with six points after two Group E games and are unconcerned with a goal. Vladimir Petkovic’s side are considered to be one of the pre-tournament favorites.

On Thursday, Burkinabe and Sudan compete for the final spot in the group games, scoring three points each.

Algeria will play a last-16 tie in Rabat on January 6 after defeating both of them, meaning they are unavoidable even if they lose to Equatorial Guinea, who is currently pointless.

“We anticipated a very difficult match,” said the team. The most crucial outcome of our battle was a victory. The man of the match, Algeria’s Bayer Leverkusen forward Ibrahim Maza, said, “We are now qualified, and that was the main goal.”

He continued, “We knew that they would be very tough but we said we would have to fight against it, also be dirty, tackle very hard, and we did that well today,” referring to the encounter’s physical nature.

Read more about Late Penalty Miss’s Deny Uganda’s AFCON victory over Tanzania

During Algeria’s and Burkinabe’s (CAN) Group E football match against Burkinabe on December 28, 2025, Riyad Mahrez (C)’s #7 Riyad Mahrez (C) hands his armband to Algeria’s #2 Aissa Mandi (R). (Photo by Paul ELLIS/AFP)

When the Stallions and Algeria met at the final AFCON in the Ivory Coast, their group-stage elimination was forced to come from two goals down to draw level with them.

The penalty that decided the game was awarded when Manchester City’s Rayan Ait-Nouri was bundled over inside the box gave them all three points this time.

With his 23rd-minute kick, Mahrez was unaffected as he followed up his brace with a 3-3 victory over Sudan to increase his Cup of Nations tally to three goals.

The Algerian winger, who played for Manchester City and Leicester City at the time of his sixth AFCON, has now scored nine goals overall, which is an Algerian record.

In a stadium full of Algerian fans and 18, 522 spectators, the game was played amid a boisterous atmosphere.

Zinedine Zidane, a legend from France, was present to watch his son Luca score for the Desert Foxes while also watching their win over Sudan.

With a header from a corner, Pierre Landry Kabore’s Hearts striker headed in the direction of Burkinabe before Mahrez scored Mohamed Amoura for a shot that goalkeeper Herve Koffi saved in stoppage time.

As Burkinabe attempted to find an equalizer but were unsuccessful, Maza twice failed to convert good chances in the second half, while Georgi Minoungou fired just over the halfway mark.

Uncertainty and lack of form – Palace’s ‘flat’ end to historic year

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Crystal Palace will begin 2026 in style and surrounded by uncertainty after arguably the club’s best year ever.

Since his appointment in February 2024, Oliver Glasner has won numerous historic FA Cup and Community Shield victories, the club’s first major European campaign, and a record Premier League point total.

However, his team lost to Tottenham at Selhurst Park for the third time in a row to end 2025, which was their longest losing streak under Glasner.

Despite playing eight games in December as they try to balance their domestic and international ambitions, Glasner and his players have been reluctant to attribute their decline in form to an exhausting schedule.

However, after publicly criticizing the club’s summer lack of activity, Glasner made no secret of his desire to see the club add more personnel in January.

The board will have an incentive to do so as Glasner considers whether to stay at the club after his contract expires at the end of the season.

With their side having won five games in every competition, Glasner said, “We need the support.”

Daniel Munoz, Ismaila Sarr, and Daichi Kamada, three players who are always involved in our goals, are missing, he told BBC Sport.

He continued, “I think it was by far the best season in Crystal Palace’s history,” referring to 2025.

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A crucial month for Palace?

Palace has lost three league games in a row, a total of 15 more than they did in the campaign’s opening 15 games.

The club’s supporters will hope for action in the upcoming transfer window to stop a successful season from coming to an end, just like their manager.

They are also concerned about potential consequences if Glasner is not adequately supported by the board.

After a frustrating summer, Glasner, who has a contract until June 2026, wants to see the club’s ambitions match his own.

Alan Pardew, the former Crystal Palace manager, said, “There is that situation with the manager.” Although he’s obviously suggesting that he wants more players, his contract expires this summer and is probably more crucial than anything else to keeping him at the club.

He has done a fantastic job, he said. I would be looking to feed him a player or two if I were the board.

Pardew continued, “They look like the Christmas champagne, they were flat.

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A modest squad has been put under even more strain by the injuries to key defenders Chris Richards and Munoz, as well as Sarr’s departure from the Africa Cup of Nations.

While Glasner still depends on newcomers, it’s not yet clear whether Marc Guehi will stay with the team for the rest of the season once he has informed the club that he won’t be signing a new deal and will leave next year.

Premier League champions Liverpool expressed interest in the 25-year-old England international last summer, but Glasner persuaded the board to decline a £35 million offer.

On Sunday, Glasner discussed Guehi’s future and said, “Of course we want to keep everyone.”

Sami Mokbel, a senior football correspondent for BBC Sport, said: “I’m guessing Guehi will likely stay at Palace until the end of the season until his contract expires.”

Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid, Inter Milan, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Inter Milan, all of which have shown varying levels of interest in recent weeks. “He has got so many options in the summer,” he said.

What’s wrong with Palace, exactly?

After their 0-0 draw against Spurs, Glasner naturally concentrated on Palace’s weaknesses in the attack.

When we produce a lot of goals, nobody ever succeeds, as they say. “This needs to be fixed,” said Glasner.

We simply miss the chances right now, not that we don’t create them. The more anxious we become and the more incorrect choices we make as we approach the goal.

However, a recent failure to defend set-pieces has made those issues even more acute.

In all competitions, Crystal Palace have conceded eight goals in set pieces, including each of the final seven.

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