Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk will clash in a “historic” fight for the undisputed heavyweight title in Saudi Arabia on February 17, it has been announced.

British star Fury will put his WBC belt, Lineal heavyweight belts on the line, while the WBA, IBF and WBO titles held by Ukraine’s Usyk will be up for grabs in Riyadh.

The winner will be crowned the heavyweight division’s first undisputed champion since Lennox Lewis who reigned from 1999 to 2000.

Fury, 35, and Usyk, 36, were originally expected to clash on December 23 but Fury’s poor displayed in a split-decision victory over MMA star Francis Ngannou last month forced a delay.

The pair will finally step into the ring in 2024 as Fury looks to add to his record of 34 wins with one draw since turning professional in 2008.

“This is a historic event. The whole world of boxing has been waiting for many, many years, and they now have this fight,” Fury’s promoter Frank Warren told reporters at a press conference in London on Thursday.

“For the first time this century, we will have an undisputed heavyweight champion.

“As a promoter I’ve been banging my head against the wall. But now we have the creme de la creme. These two undefeated heavyweight fighters.”

In typically combative mood at the press conference, Fury referenced his 2015 victory over Usyk’s fellow Ukrainian Wladimir Klitschko, which earned him the WBA, IBF and WBO titles.

“I already relieved one Ukrainian of all the belts, and now I’m going to take them all back,” Fury said.

“Usyk’s a champion, I’m a champion. It’s going to be a fight for the ages.”

Fury believes a victory over Usyk would cement his status as one of the all-time greats.

“He’s a good boxer, slick. But I’ve seen people like him before, and when they fight the big man, they lose,” he said.

“I believe we’re both destined to be here. I’m destined to become the undisputed champion, and more than that, cement my legacy.”

Usyk kept his cool amid Fury’s insults, which included taking swipes at his opponent’s height and his ear-ring.

“Yes I’m a little man. I’ll speak in the ring,” Usyk said.

Fury has held the WBC belt since he defeated Deontay Wilder in 2020 and has defended the title three times.

He stopped Dillian Whyte at Wembley in April 2022 and beat Derek Chisora at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium eight months later.

Usyk, who has won all 21 of his fights, has been the WBA, IBF and WBO title holder since defeating Anthony Joshua in 2021.

The Nigerian midfielder Wilfred Ndidi is reportedly close to leaving Championship team Leicester City to sign with FC Barcelona the following summer.

Aside from FC Barcelona, the English Premier League team Tottenham Hotspur are also preparing to challenge the Spanish champions for the services of Wilfred Ndidi.

His deal at Leicester City is set to expire at the end of the current campaign, and renewal is primarily dependent on Leicester City’s chances of returning to the Premier League next summer.

After Leicester was relegated to the Premier League the previous season, Ndidi was rumored to be leaving the King Power stadium, especially after players like Harvey Barnes, Timothy Castagne, and James Maddison left for elite clubs.

However, he remained at the club and he has made 15 appearances in all competitions, recording three goals and four assists so far this season. He has helped Leicester gain the upper hand in the standings with 13 wins in their opening 16 games.

Barcelona are trying to sign the Super Eagles midfielder for free, as they have done for the past two seasons, due to their well-known financial difficulties.

Because of the Bosman ruling, Barcelona will be able to sign Ndidi to a contract in January with the expectation that he will be available for a free transfer the following summer.

The Catalans are not the only team interested in the Nigerian, as Ange Postecoglou, the manager of Tottenham, has reportedly shown a strong interest in Ndidi.

Teamtalk, a UK publication, reports that Postecoglou is willing to bring Ndidi to the team when his contract expires in the summer of 2024 because he does not think Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg is the best fit for his system.

No fewer than seven Super Falcons players have been nominated for the women’s categories of the CAF Player of The Year Award, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

The CAF list, which was largely dominated by Nigerians, has Asisat Oshoala, Chiamaka Nnadozie, Rasheedat Ajibade, Toni Payne, Christy Ucheibe, Osinachi Ohale, and Uchenna Kanu.

The Falcons had a remarkable year having gotten to the round of 16 of the Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand and were very close to qualifying for the quarter-finals before being knocked out of the competition on penalties by England.

At the club level, some members of the team had an outstanding season.

Ajibade has been very consistent for the Falcons and has also been a key figure for Atletico Madrid. The forward scored nine goals in 28 games for the Spanish club last season.

Toni Payne has also been a consistent player for Sevilla Women. She had three goals and four assists in 28 appearances for the club last season.

Oshoala, who was also nominated for the Ballon d’Or where she finished in 20th position, helped Barcelona to the UEFA Champions League title. She also outstandingly won the Laliga, recording 21 goals and three assists in 28 appearances.

The former Robo FC player along with 29 other players will battle vie for the prestigious Player of the Year, which Oshoala claimed for a record fifth time during the last Awards Gala in July 2022 in Rabat, Morocco.

Just as in the men’s category, the best women’s goalkeeper will be rewarded for the first time to celebrate the heroic efforts of the shot-stoppers.

Ten players have been nominated for the first-ever CAF Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year award with Nnadozie one of the favourites to win the award.

Nnadozie was immense for her Paris FC side, as she helped them qualify for the Champions League group stage.

According to the African football governing body, ten nominees each have been pencilled for the Interclub Player of the Year, Coach of the Year, National Team of the Year and Young Player of the Year, limited to players not more than 21 years old.

The finallists of the ongoing CAF Women’s Champions League in Ivory Coast have each been rewarded with a place in the Club of the Year category.

The Awards Gala is to be graced by the crème de la crème of African football on December 11 in Marrakech, Morocco.

Off-cycle elections in Nigeria are elections that are held outside the usual timetable for general elections. When Nigeria returned to democratic, civilian rule in 1999, the expectation was that elections would be held regularly across the federation in a four-year-cycle, but after the 1999 elections, many candidates went to court to protest the outcome of the elections in many states. The result was that the election petition tribunals removed some Governors and ordered re-elections. After the 1999 elections, off-cycle elections were held in eight states of the Federation. Thus, the decision of the courts which usually comes months after a Governor or a legislator may have been sworn in is the reason for the off-cycle elections. In 2003, in Anambra State, Dr. Chris Ngige had been sworn in as the Governor, on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), but Peter Obi of the All-Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) objected to the results all the way to the Court of Appeal which ruled in his favour in March 2006. Ngige v. Obi went from the Tribunal to the Court of Appeal for over 34 months! It was possible given the position of the law at the time that the process could have gone on four years, and justice would not have been done.

Obi had to begin a fresh four-year term of four years, automatically pushing Anambra State out of the regular 4-year cycle. For this reason, Anambra’s next Gubernatorial election, going by the four-year cycle, would be in 2025 whereas Nigeria is due to hold general elections in 2027. Bayelsa is yet another example. Other examples include Edo State, Ekiti State, Kogi, Ondo, Osun, and Imo states. In Rauf Aregbesola and 2 ors v. Olagunsoye Oyinlola and Ors, in the 2007 elections, the petitioner did not get justice until three years later in 2010. There was hence a felt need for the review of the 2010 Electoral Act, especially with regard to the time frame for determining election petitions. Off-cycle elections have their roots in this regard.

President Goodluck Jonathan, after voting in Bayelsa state during the current off-cycle elections in Imo, Bayelsa and Kogi states has been quoted as having now expressed the view that the National Assembly should consider an amendment of the Constitution to put an end to off-cycle elections in Nigeria. With the off-cycle pattern already in place, post-1999, and the decisions of the courts on various election petitions, it would be difficult to see how that can be done without violating sections of the Constitution which obligatorily state the tenure for elected officers as four years, renewable every four years for the President and Governors, with a limit of two terms, and open-ended for legislators. The extension of that tenure by a day would be a gross violation of Section 135 (2) for the Presidential position, and Section 180 with regard to Governors. Besides, it was the case previously that election petition cases used to be heard in some cases, for three years as already indicated, creating room for grave injustices and limited access to justice. The 2002 Electoral Act and the 2006 Electoral Act did not specify time limitations for election petitions. This was the mischief that the amendment of Section 285(6) of the 1999 Constitution (by the First Amendment Act No 1 of 2010) sought to correct by limiting the hearing and disposal of petitions to 180 days, and 60 days for the appeals arising therefrom. These amendments arose from petitions to the 6th National Assembly to amend the Electoral Act and the 1999 Constitution.

The merit in President Jonathan’s statement is not that off-cycle elections would end, they have come to stay, but that there is indeed a need for amendments of the Constitution and the reform of the Electoral Act to deepen our electoral system. There are two arguments on the table: by those who argue that the time limitation in Section 285(6) of the 1999 Constitution often limits the intendment of Section 36 on fair hearing, and hence should be further extended, and the second by those who argue that in fact the time limitation should be reviewed to ensure that all election petitions should be determined within a shorter period and before anyone is sworn into office. In other words, it would amount to a miscarriage of justice for a person to enjoy the benefits of an undeserved victory only to be removed months later as in again Ngige vs Obi, or for the court to have its hands tied by the limitation of time as in Senator Adeleke v. Gov. Oyetola (2019). The prevalent opinion is that election petitions should be determined before anyone assumes office as is done in Kenya. Perhaps when this happens, the number of off-cycle elections would be reduced considerably. After every general election many issues are thrown up for further consideration and reform, and there are many that have been thrown up in such manner in recent times after the 2023 General election including time limits for election petitions, electronic transmission of results, the burden of proof, and whether or not our courts in determining election cases, should rely less on technicalities and lean more towards judicial activism as in Marbury vs. Madison, and Adegbenro vs. Akintola.

However, with regard to off-cycle elections, I recall that after the 1999 and 2003 elections, the dominant impression at the time was that such elections were necessarily good for the country’s “fledgling” (once upon a time, a famous phrase) electoral system. It was thought that they would provide the Electoral Commission and other stakeholders in the process an opportunity to correct whatever mistakes that they may have made in the main elections and respond also to omissions identified by the courts and the general public. Unfortunately, this has never been the case. Every off-cycle election is as bad as the main election, in many cases worse. Nigerian politicians and the various stakeholders are obsessed with their own greed, ambition and limitations. Nobody shows any capacity to learn any lessons, making every election the same of the same: the same incredulous pattern of criminality, conflict and capture. This is what the current off-season elections in Imo, Kogi and Bayelsa states have demonstrated. As usual, the various stakeholders observed the established pattern, elections having become hollow rituals in Nigeria.

Ahead of the elections, the National Peace Committee chaired by General Abdusalami Abubakar invited the gubernatorial candidates in the three states to a peace accord signing event. Out of the 16 candidates in Bayelsa State, 15 showed up, the only one who was absent, Udengs Eradiri of the Labour Party (LP) said his own party people hid the invitation away from him, so he did not know about the event and that in any case, even if he was invited, he was not interested in signing any peace accord in the company of the same perpetrators of violence, attending accord signing ceremonies they do not believe in. Indeed, in Bayelsa state, shortly after the signing of the peace accord, Bayelsa Governor Douye Diri (PDP), and his APC counterpart, Chief Timipre Sylva engaged in a war of words blaming each other for promoting violence.

In Imo State, 17 political parties signed the accord, but conspicuously absent were the candidates of the APC, the incumbent Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma, the Labour Party candidate, Senator Athan Achonu, and Senator Samuel Anyanwu, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate who by the way, arrived the venue and not sighting the candidates of the other two major parties decided to leave. He obviously considered voting for peace a matter of ego and status. Also absent were the candidates of the All-Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Tony Ejiogu, and Ben Odunze of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP). The running mates to the Gubernatorial candidates (APC, LP, and PDP) who were sent to represent their principals were not allowed to sign the accord. Party Chairmen were allowed to do so though. In Kogi State, 18 Gubernatorial candidates signed the peace accord, with John Cardinal Onaiyekan appealing to the conscience of the political parties and their candidates, urging them to play according to the rules of the game.

Apart from the signing of the peace accord, other stakeholders in the process assured Nigerians that they were ready. This was going to be an election in three senatorial zones (South South, South East and North Central) with a total of 5.169, 992 voters, in 10, 470 polling units across 649 wards in 56 Local Government Areas. INEC deployed 27 Resident Electoral Commissioners, 2 National Commissioners and 46, 084 regular and ad hoc staff. The police mobilized a total of 92, 565 personnel, including 27, 000 in Bayelsa, 25, 565 in Imo and 40, 000 in Kogi, with a Deputy Inspector General of Police leading the operation in each state assisted by AIGs and CPs, helicopters and 15 gunboats in Bayelsa. The political parties on their part deployed 137, 934 agents to cover the polling and collation centres. An off-cycle election in three states, limited only to Gubernatorial elections, would seem to be easier to manage than a general election in 33 states of the Federation. Everything also seemed set on the eve of the November 11 elections, but what happened?

Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), one of the many Civil Society Organizations that covered the election drew attention to the spate of violence, armed thuggery, and electoral fraud in the three states. HURIWA went further to advise losers not to bother to go to the courts to challenge the outcome of the polls in the three states because the judiciary cannot guarantee justice. HURIWA is wrong on that score. The judiciary is still the best forum for aggrieved persons in the electoral process, no matter how flawed to seek redress. Petitioners must always be encouraged to address their concerns through a recourse to due process and the rule of law, never through self-help. But as for violence, this was widespread in Imo where party Chairman of the Labour Party and an agent of the party were beaten up, in Bayelsa there were reports of shootings and killings before and during the election in Nembe, Basambiri, Brass, Southern Ijaw and Kolokuma-Opokuma.

In Brass LG, INEC officials were held hostage; in Yenagoa, there were street protests over results from APC strongholds in Nembe. The more astonishing report was the revelation that in Kogi state that certain persons were found with pre-filled election results forms even before the election commenced in five Local Government Areas, resulting in INEC’s decision to cancel the election in some polling units in the affected LGAs and to reschedule the elections for Saturday November 18 as follows: Ogoro-Magongo (9 wards), Adavi (5), Ajaokuta (5) Okehi (7) and Okene (5). The Civil Society Situation Room has asked that this should be investigated by INEC – how did sensitive election results forms get into the hands of unauthorized persons ahead of the election? Who did it? My fear is that the investigations may lead to nowhere.

Other election observers including Watching the Vote Initiative - YIAGA Africa, EU-sponsored TAF Africa and the Centre for Democracy and Development Election Analysis Centre (CDD-EAC) have all reported logistics challenges, vote-buying, and collusion between state government officials, security agents and electoral officials. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arrested 14 vote buyers in all three states. Udengs Eradiri in Bayelsa and Dino Melayein Kogi both further protested that indeed the level of vote buying was so overwhelming but they were not part of it. In many places, voting materials arrived late and the BVAS did not work as Senator Achonu claims. There were reports of discrepancies between the results at polling units and the data posted on the IREV portal. Even more bewildering is the report by YIAGA that INEC uploaded results for polling units where elections did not take place. How?

In all the three states, incumbency was a major factor, with Hope Uzodinma of Imo State winning by a wide margin of 540, 308 votes, his closest challenger, Samuel Anyanwu of the PDP- 71, 503 votes. Uzodinma has claimed this as a vindication of the fact that he truly won in 2019, and has won again leading in all the state’s 27 Local Governments. In Bayelsa state, incumbent Governor Douye Diri was declared winner with 175, 196 votes to defeat his closest rival, Sylva of the APC who polled 110, 108 votes (not so wide a margin in this case). In Kogi State, Usman Ododo, the anointed candidate of the incumbent and outgoing Governor, got 446, 237 votes to beat Muri Ajaka of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) who scored 259, 052 votes. But there is something even more noteworthy in the Kogi election. The people voted strictly along ethnic lines, with the people of Kogi West (the Okun people) playing the beautiful bride by pitching their tent with Kogi Central (the Ebira) to prevent the Igala (Kogi East), who had ruled the state for so long, and to prove to this dominant group that they do not have the advantage of the numerical strength that they claim. Usman Ododo is not necessarily a product of any grand strategy, but the Okun and the Ebira conspiring against the Igala, in the hope that if the Ebira end up spending 16 years in power as the Igalas did, they too, the Okun people will in the future be supported by the Ebira. This ethnic sub-text to Nigerian politics which rears its head at every cycle portends danger for the polity.

On the whole, there isn’t much to cheer about the conduct of the just-concluded off-season elections. The various stakeholders seem not to have learnt the right lessons. In all the three states, the opposition parties have called for the cancellation of the elections. Nigeria remains a work in progress.

Former Chelsea midfielder and retired Nigeria international, John Obi Mikel has vowed to ensure that he makes his countryman, Victor Osimhen join Chelsea next summer.

Obi Mikel who had the best part of his football career at Chelsea believes that Victor Osimhen is the kind of striker the Blues have been lacking since Didier Drogba left the club.

While speaking with Osimhen on his podcast: Obi One Podcast, the 2012 UEFA Champions League winner said: “Next season, I know you’re gonna come to Chelsea man!

“I’m telling you, I’m gonna be the agent to broker that deal.

“I’m gonna make sure that happens. We are crying out for someone like you — since Drogba left the club”.

Obi Mikel is a legend at Chelsea with huge access to the club and the West London side have shown interest in Victor Osimhen, especially in the last summer transfer window. Hence, there is a high chance that he could broker Osimhen’s move from Napoli to the West London side in the forthcoming summer.

However, the process might not be as easy as anticipated because Osimhen, who is said to be a fan of Chelsea before he became a professional footballer, said he doesn’t have a favourite club in the Premier League.

The 24-year-old Nigerian striker who still has until June 30, 2024, before his contract with Napoli expires, however, noted that most of the people who are currently close to him are Chelsea fans.

“I don’t have a favourite PL team but I’ve two jerseys: Chelsea and Man United”, Osimhen told Obi Mikel.

“Many friends of mine are Chelsea fans, few are Man Utd fans”.

“Premier League is the most appreciated league by every African player — it’s a huge league”.

Xabi Alonso the coach of German side, Bayer Leverkusen has cried out over the timing of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON)

The next edition of AFCON will run from January 13 to February 11, 2024 in Cote D’Ivoire.

Leverkusen will be without five regular stars during the period.

Two Players,  Victor Boniface and Nathan Tella  could miss playing for Leverkusen for the period of AFCON if called to camp by Super Eagles of Nigeria coach, Jose Peseiro.

Moroccan forward Amine Adli, Burkina Faso centre-back Edmond Tapsoba, and Ivorian defender Odilon Kossounou are the other players Leverkusen could miss during the AFCON finals.

Alonso said it is a situation his team has to deal with.

“It is a concern for January and February, perhaps not having five players. It is a reality. We have to accept that,” Alonso told Transfermarkt.

[Newsguru]

LeBron James claimed 32 points and 11 rebounds as the Los Angeles Lakers ended a three-game losing streak with a 122-119 win at the Phoenix Suns.

Kevin Durant scored a game-high 38 points for Phoenix in what was both teams’ in-season tournament opener.

The Suns led 96-89 at the end of the third quarter after Durant scored nine points in a span of 71 seconds.

But the Lakers opened the fourth quarter with an 11-0 run to take the lead and ultimately held on.

After missing Wednesday’s game at Houston with a hip injury, Anthony Davis added 18 points for the Lakers, who won on the road for the first time in six tries.

Both teams now have a 4-5 record this season, with the Suns having played without Devin Booker (calf) for the seventh time in eight games.

There were a total of nine NBA games played on Friday, all part of the league’s new in-season tournament.

Luka Doncic scored 44 points on 17-of-21 shooting as the Dallas Mavericks beat the visiting Los Angeles Clippers 144-126. Kyrie Irving added 27 points for Dallas, who are now 7-2.

The Philadelphia 76ers enjoyed a seventh straight win as Joel Embiid had 33 points and 16 rebounds in a 114-106 win at the Detroit Pistons.

Jaylen Brown scored a game-high 28 points to help the Boston Celtics end a two-game losing streak with a 121-107 home win against the Brooklyn Nets, with Jayson Tatum adding 23 points.

Antetokounmpo scores 54 points but Bucks defeated by Pacers

Karl-Anthony Towns scored 29 points as the Minnesota Timberwolves came from behind for their fifth straight win, beating the San Antonio Spurs 117-110, despite 29 points from number one draft pick Victor Wembanyama.

Fred VanVleet drilled two late three-pointers as the Houston Rockets rallied from a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter to win 104-101 at home to the New Orleans Pelicans.

Mark Williams had 21 points and a career-high 24 rebounds as the Charlotte Hornets won 124-117 at the Washington Wizards.

Elsewhere, the Sacramento Kings won claimed a 105-98 home win against the Oklahoma City Thunder while the Utah Jazz recovered to win 127-121 at the Memphis Grizzlies.

[Leadership]

Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta has hailed Leandro Trossard following his side’s Premier League win over Burnley on Saturday.

Arteta said Trossard connects everyone, adding that the Arsenal forward is so intelligent.

He was impressive for Arsenal against Burnley at Emirates Stadium.

The Belgian scored a goal as Arsenal defeated Vincent Kompany’s side 3-1.

Speaking about Trossard’s display, Arteta said at his post-match press conference, “That is the word – I think he connects everybody. He’s so intelligent.

“I think he moves in ways that attract people that generate spaces and options for people.

“Today he did that really good because it was so difficult and the spaces were so small to attack. He gave us a lot of threat and possibilities to connect and find spaces for us.”

[DailyPost]

SAMUEL Chukwueze was back in action after a one-month layoff yesterday and made a goal contribution in AC Milan’s 2-2 draw at Lecce.

The Super Eagles winger was playing his first match since sustaining a hamstring injury during Nigeria’s 2-2 draw with Saudi Arabia in a friendly in Portimao, Portugal on October 13.

Chukwueze was on from the start and assisted Milan’s second goal by Tijani Reijnders in the 35th minute as the visitors took a 2-0 lead.

Lecce pulled it back to 2-2 in the 70th minute and Chukwueze was taken off nine minutes after as a stunned Milan sought to regain their lead.

The assist was Chukwueze’s first goal contribution in eight Serie A appearances for Milan since joining them from Villarreal in the summer but it was only his third start.

In England, Joe Aribo was once again left on the Southampton bench as they defeated Semi Ajayi’s West Brom 2-1 in the second-tier Championship.

Aribo, who is in the Super Eagles squad for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and Zimbabwe this week and next week, has now been an unused substitute five times in the Championship this season.

The 27-year-old midfielder has started only once and been substituted on 10 times for the Saints, who rose to fourth place with yesterday’s home win.

Centre-back Ajayi, who is also in Nigeria’s latest squad, came on as an 82nd minute substitute for West Brom’s scorer Kyle Bartley.

Ajayi, 30, has made 10 Championship appearances this season, seven from the start, and scored two goals for seventh-placed West Brom.

Also in the Championship yesterday, Kelechi Iheanacho was in leaders Leicester City’s starting line-up as they lost 1-0 at Middlesbrough.

The Super Eagles striker played the full game as Leicester City’s dodgy form persisted with their second straight defeat.

Iheanacho has started eight games and made eight substitute appearances in the Championship this season, registering five goals and one assist.

In Germany, Super Eagles defender Kevin Akpoguma, who was excluded from the latest squad, was in action for all 90 minutes for Hoffenheim as they played a 1-1 draw at Augsburg.

It was 28-year-old Akpoguma’s fourth start and seventh appearance in the Bundesliga for sixth-placed Hoffenheim this term.

In Belgium, Nigerian midfielder Alhassan Yusuf was impressive in Royal Antwerp’s central midfield and played all 90 minutes as they thrashed visiting Standard Liege 6-0.

The 23-year-old Yusuf, who is yet to make his Super Eagles debut, has made five starts and five substitute appearances for fourth-placed Royal Antwerp in the Belgian Pro League this season.

[NaijaTimes]

TOTTENHAM Hotspur’s Ange Postecoglou made history today as he won the English Premier League Manager of the Month award for the third time in a row, with Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah claiming the Player of the Month prize.

The Australian adds the October prize to those he received for August and September, making him the first head coach ever to win the first three Manager of the Month awards available to him, and the first to claim the first three awards from the start of any EPL season.

Only three other managers have won the award for three consecutive months, with Postecoglou joining Antonio Conte, Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp.

Postecoglou is however yet to match Guardiola’s record run of four consecutive awards, which the Manchester City manager accomplished in the 2017/2018 campaign.

Spurs finished October at the top of the Premier League table, and were the only side to win all of their matches during the month. They achieved away wins over Luton Town and Crystal Palace, and a 2-0 home victory against Fulham.

Postecoglou topped a poll of a four-man shortlist, beating Guardiola, Klopp and Aston Villa’s Unai Emery after votes from fans were combined with those of a panel of experts.

Salah’s brilliant form throughout October led him to win the Premier League Player of the Month award ahead of five other nominees, including Arsenal’s Declan Rice and Brentford’s Cameroon forward Bryan Mbeumo.

With the win, Egypt forward Salah moves alongside Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie to earn the accolade for a fifth time, and now has more Player of the Month awards than any other active Premier League player.

Only Cristiano Ronaldo (six), Steven Gerrard (six), Harry Kane (seven) and Sergio Aguero (seven) have won the award more times.

The 31-year-old Salah joins Tottenham Hotspur pair James Maddison and Son Heung-min as this season’s Player of the Month winners so far.

 [NaijaTimes]