Nigerian Players Round Up

Another weekend of exciting football matches in European leagues is upon us and Correspondent TUNDE LIADI snoops  on Nigerian players in Diaspora.

 

In ENGLAND, Alex Iwobi’s Everton will hope to pick up the pieces once again when they visit the Saint James’ Park tomorrow against  Newcastle United after Southampton  stopped their unbeaten start to the season.

Iwobi got his first league start of the season against the Saints but was hurled off at halftime by coach Carlo Ancelotti and it is yet to be seen if he will add to his five league games against Newcastle.

At the Old Trafford, can Odion Ighalo force his way back into the heart of Manchester United gaffer Ole Gunnar Solskjaer when they host Arsenal tomorrow? The ex-Super Eagle last league game for the Red Devils was a cameo appearance against Crystal Palace on September 19th. He has only featured once on the bench afterward (versus Newcastle) but he played the Red Devils’ both games in the Carabao Cup and was an unused substitute in their Champions League wins over PSG and RB Leipzig.

At the Craven Cottage, Fulham will go in hot chase of their first win of the season when they host Semi Ajayi’s West Brom who are also winless, on Monday. The Cottagers boast of Super Eagles, Ola Aina who has been used three times since his loan move from AC Torino this summer. Tosin Adarabioyo and Ademola Lookman are the other Nigeria eligible at the London club who will hope to ruin the 51st outing of Ajayi for the Baggies in all competitions.

At the Elland Road, Leicester City are away to Leeds United to consolidate on their vital road victory at the Emirates Stadium last weekend.  While Wilfred Ndidi remains on the side-lined injured, Kelechi Iheanacho is available.

Elsewhere in SPAIN, Kelechi Nwakali’s SD Huesca will have a tough job of trying to curtail erratic reigning champions, Real Madrid at the Alfredo di Stefano today. Huesca were pummelled 4-1 by Real Sociedad last week with Nwakali subbed-on in the final 19 minutes.

Granada will still be without Ramon Azeez as they trade tackles with Levante tomorrow as he continues his recovery from a hamstring injury he copped early this month while Samuel Chukwueze and Villarreal have a date with Real Valladolid on Monday at Estadio de la Ceramica.

In  ITALY, Crotone and Simy Nwankwo will have another tough assignment on their hands in their desperate search for their maiden win of the season when they slug it out against Atalanta today at home.

Former Flying Eagles Star, Kingsley Michael is gradually coming good with Bologna and will hope he is thrown into the fray today in a league game against Cagliari after he put up a commendable performance in the Coppa Italia Round of 64 clashes with Reggina on Tuesday. As usual, SS Napoli will expect Victor Osimhen and his teammates to be all fired up when they face Sassuolo on Monday. Osimhen has a goal from four league games and the Partenopei will be eager to extend their winning streak to three consecutive league games.

In GERMAN, the duo of Toluwase Arokodare and Kingsley Ehizibue who ply their trade with Cologne have a blockbuster fixture with reigning league champions, Bayern Munich today. Ehizibue has played all Cologne’s five league games this season but Arokodare who recently joined from Latvia has only been used twice.