The coach of Real Sociedad Imanol Alguacil says Nigerian forward Sadiq Umar has the ability to score goals following his debut goal against Atletico Madrid in the LaLiga.

Sadiq head home the leveller for his side after coming on as a substitute in what was his first game since his around €30m transfer to the club from Almeria on the eve of the closure of the summer transfer window.

Their next game will be in the group stage of the Europa League against Manchester United and ahead of the game the coach has warned their opponent about the lanky forward.

He said he wasn’t surprised he scored on his debut as goal scoring is natural to the 25 year old right from the start of his career at Almeria till his last match for the team. He presently has three goals in four games in the league this season.

“I was not surprised, because he has been doing it at Almería until the last day and, on top of that here he is surrounded by very good players. It’s very natural for him. We have men of great quality inside, who play a lot. I am happy for those who have debuted today, but above all because of the image we have given”,

The senior national team of Nigeria will take on Algeria in a friendly game on the 27th of September in the newly built stadium in Oran as part of plans to keep the team active following the postponement of the AFCON 2023 qualifiers.

OwnGoalNigeria.com first broke the news of an agreement for the game and it has now been confirmed by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). Already head coach of the senior national team of Nigeria has submitted the list of players for the game.

We exclusively gathered that as many as five new players who haven’t played under new coach Jose Peseiro have been handed first time call up by the Portuguese coach for the game.

They include the trio of Wilfred Nididi, Kelechi Iheanacho and goalkeeper Maduka Okoye. Also two players were handed fresh call ups, one in midfield and one in attack but their names weren’t made known.

The list is expected to be made public next week and it will be the first time the coach will be solely responsible for the list of players called up for a game.

The proposed friendly game between the senior national team of Nigeria and Portugal is not going to happen after both parties failed to reach an agreement on participation fees.

As first revealed by OwnGoalNigeria.com and later confirmed by the general secretary of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) talks were at an advanced stage on the friendly game planned for the September international break.

“We are working on arranging a grade A friendly game with Portugal ahead of next FIFA window,” Sanusi told The PUNCH.

“Following the postponement of the AFCON a friendly game is necessary for the Eagles.

“Arrangements are in full gear and we are close to finalising the details. Once that is done a statement will be released by the Nigeria Football Federation”, he said last month.

The talks from what we gathered have broken down due to a disagreement over what will be paid to the Nigerian team as appearance fee for the game. There was equally no agreement on other logistics. It means the team will only engage Algeria during the international break.

Gone are the days when gambling got linked to a lonely gaming experience? Online casinos have gone to greater lengths to offer an impeccable gambling experience and brought gamblers together.  With the introduction of live casinos and multiplayer games, online betting just got bigger and better. Here are social reasons to try out online gambling.

Interact with Fellow Punters

On-net gambling is a chance to kill two birds with one stone. You get to have the real feel of the casino in the comfort of your home while interacting with family members. Thus, you don’t get to miss the casino experience of interacting with live dealers and players. One also has time to spend with family members and catch up on good times without missing every milestone at home.

Low Crime Rates

On-net gambling is a great entertainment form that most people can engage in to minimize stress. Some punters end up using it as a side hustle to make ends meet. Thus, it decreases crime rates within the community. One can engage in any gambling site where Slots break often (สล็อตแตกบ่อย) and make a professional career out of online gambling.

In the process, you get to gain skills that you can pass on to others at a reasonable fee. Other punters begin to buy your predictions or seek advice to maneuver a certain level.

Major online gambling sites are known to start community-based projects among vulnerable members of society. It gives people hope to live and conquer another day. During these projects, people come together and work; thus, they can improve their living standards.  

Rewards Go Back To the Community

The more you keep playing at a gambling site, the more money goes into good use within a given community. The gambling industry continues to generate billions of dollars each year. And the best way to give back to the playing population is by assisting them in one way or another. Some of the social benefits are often indirect, but one gets to participate in the greater good. You get to see community-funded projects such as hospitals, schools, and learning scholarships, among others. Some of the betting sites also offer sporting scholarships to young talented players and thus make their vision come to life. It’s often a chance to bring communities close to one another rather than get divided over gambling.

Gambling also brings like-minded individuals together and thus fosters social interaction. It’s often a chance to exchange gaming ideas as well as life skills that often come in handy during the day-to-day lives of the punters. As one gets to interact with others, you get to delight in yourself and not get buried in your thoughts.

You can experience the most-celebrated social advantages that come with online gambling on multiple betting sites, including where Slots break often (สล็อตแตกบ่อย). Get a chance to take your online gaming to the next level by trying out online betting. Get to interact with live dealers, virtual players, and much more, while in the comfort of your home.

What are some new betting trends in the English Premier League?

Betting on the Premier League offers the opportunity for you to make money while enjoying the show.  And with a new EPL season upon us, enthusiastic bettors all around the world are getting ready to back their favorite team.

Football fans are actively flocking to online bookmakers to find Football betting tips for getting the best odds on the English Premier League.

However, betting on football isn’t always about getting the best Free Football Tips.  Or about following the league, its outstanding players, skilled coaches, or excellent teams. The Premier League has seen some betting trends you may not know.

To succeed in betting on this league, you must understand the trends backing it. That is why in this article, we show you the new betting trends in the English Premier League.

New Betting Trends in the English Premier League

Every new Premier League season, bettors look out for football betting tips to start the new season. But, many of them forget that understanding the trends and how bettors’ behavior changes every season is just as important as getting a tip on who will win the game.

For this part, we examine 9 new betting trends in the Premier League that could improve your decision-making and understanding of the EPL.

1. Live Betting

As online sportsbooks become more technologically advanced, bettors have become aware of live sports, and as a result, increased their in-play sports betting. Many fans watch the Premier League and bet during the games, instead of before it starts.  

This new betting style has also led to an influx of prop bets. First goalscorer betting, for example, is now one of the most popular bets amongst bettors. Bettors follow a player, even if they don’t support any of the teams playing.

Similarly, other markets like HT score and totals (total corners or total goals) are attracting more attention than they used to, thanks to live-betting.

Sportsbooks are gearing their promotions to suit bettors who love in-play betting. This means you’d see more weekly promos focused on the EPL live betting experience.

2. More Goals

Each Premier League season hosts 380 games, and for the past 6 years over 1000 goals have been produced by each season. Since 2007, the average is 1032 goals. Coming down to 2.7 goals a game.

This metric is important because it is relevant when you’re betting on football. The total goals market typically sets the over/under the mark at +/-2.5.  And now that you know that the average goal a game is 2.7 you can make a guaranteed bet here.

Furthermore, minor changes to the Video Assistant Referee system consist of greater flexibility with offsides. The VAR is expected to add up to 25 more goals to the 2022 Premier League.

So, smart punters are likely to back more goals over fewer in the course of this season.

3. Less Yellow Cards

The 2020 Premier League season saw a drastic drop in the number of yellow cards issued across the 380 games. It reported the average yellow card bookings per game dropping by almost 0.7.

Players were wary of the VAR system which could turn a yellow card into a red one, hence the drop. This also means that actions that would bring about a booking are not being done.

The COVID-19 restrictions meant that most Premier League games of 2020, were played without fans. No spectators meant no tense atmosphere, and players were less likely to do something stupid and get a yellow card.

In 2022, bettors should however expect more yellow cards than in the 2020 season. But the cards won’t be as much as in 2018/19. The average will rise, but not over 3.00, which is a trend you can use to your advantage when checking yellow card props.

4. Comeback Wins

Comeback wins by failing teams are another Premier League betting trend, fans can expect to see this season.

The English Premier League has in the past led with comeback wins across major teams in the league.

In 2021, three out of the 10 fixtures played witnessed teams win the match after losing the opening goal.

Leicester lost the opening goal but beat Manchester United 4-2, Wolves scored thrice in the last 10 minutes to turn a 2-0 deficit into a 3-2 win. Tottenham played against Newcastle who scored after two minutes, but Spurs emerged 3-2 winners.

The same pattern can be seen with West Ham leading the league with two wins after conceding the first goal. They were set to face Tottenham, the kings of comebacks.

The odds were 11/1 for Hammers to beat Spurs after losing the first goal while the visiting team Spurs were 13/11 to lose the match.

5. Eventful Second-Half

10 fixtures for the 2021 Premier League season produced a total of 30 goals, and 19 of them happened after half-time. This continued a trend throughout 8 rounds of fixtures. For that season, 212 goals were scored and 60.4% of those goals were scored in the second half.

One of the most-watched fixtures then was between Liverpool and Manchester United. Liverpool led the league scoring 14 goals in the second half.  Manchester was second with 11 goals scored after the interval.

6. Both Teams To Score

Newcastle and Crystal Palace were once fixed for a match for the 2021 EPL season. Newcastle needed 3 points to climb the league table, and only Norwich was below them.

Under their former manager, Steve Bruce, they weren’t winning but they entertained and both ends of the pitch scored goals. Out of 8 games they played, ‘both teams to score’ paid out 7 times including in a 3-2 home loss to Spurs.

On the other hand, half of Crystal Palace’s 8 games saw one goal for them and one for their opponents. They had 3 contests that saw BTTS.

During the match Between Newcastle and Crystal Palace, ‘both teams to score’ was available by 888 Sport.  In a previous match between the teams, Palace won 2-1 at their home.

7. Successful Visiting Teams

Here are some statistics for you, during the 2020/2021 edition of the Premier League, visiting teams were more successful.

Visiting teams won 40% of the matches, while home teams won 37% of the time, with ties occurring only 23% of the time. Over 2.5 and BTTS happened in 48% of the matches played.

8. Home And Away Trends

Home and away trends are one of the trends you should pay attention to. Most teams play better in away matches, while others thrive in their home stadium.

In last year’s EPL season, Sheffield United struggled to survive at the top and is the worst team when playing at home. They won 1 game out of the 10 games they played at home.

Manchester United on other hand was their best when on the road. They had an 8-3-0 record to prove it.

9. 1st Half / 2nd Half Trends

Previous EPL stats for 2021, showed that Everton was a good bet to make at halftime. They were undefeated in 17 of 19 games at the end of the first half.

Aston Villa also played well during the first half, when playing away matches. They had a 5-4-2 record.

Bigger clubs, on the other hand, dominated the second halves of games. Tottenham however didn’t make this cut. Spurs lost 14 of the second halves of the 20 games they played.

10. Over / Under 2.5

Over / Under 2.5 odds are another betting trends in the English Premier League to watch out for. These odds made an appearance in last year’s EPL season.

Clubs like Leeds, Manchester United and West Ham score the most goals in their matches. Over/Under 2.5 has happened in over 60% of the matches played by these clubs.

Manchester City and Burnley score 2 goals or less in 7 out of 10 of their matches. Newcastle focuses on defense when playing away, 82% of their matches score 2 goals or less.

West Bromwich on the other hand, ended 73% of their last year matches with 3 or more goals when playing at home. One trend to note is that West Bromwich’s rivals score first against them in 16 out of 21 chances.

As you find more Football tips betting on the EPL, it is important that you monitor these new betting trends in the English Premier League. As they may benefit you as you build your bets this season.

Before you use the Football betting tips from a bookmaker, apply them after studying these trends.

Find the best Free Football Tips and predictions on the EPL season on Matchplug.

New signings are usually the players in the spotlight when teams get their season underway particularly if they are signed for big money. The pressure is usually heavy on the said players to deliver from the get go.

It gets worse when the players have slow start and that is much the case with Nigeria international defender Calvin Bassey who was signed by Dutch giants Ajax Amsterdam for huge money.

He started his stint at the club by getting sent off in the Dutch Super Cup, and as expected critics wondered if he is worth the huge amount of money spent in signing him from Scottish side Rangers.

According to Ajax legend Frank de Boer, critics of the Nigerian are now being forced to eat their words with his strong performance in three straight games, which has seen the defence keep three straight clean sheets.

“I’ve been really impressed by Bassey,” De Boer told Record Sport. He added: “He was unlucky to be sent off in the Super Cup. He started the game well and we have already had the people who thought he was just a big lump, charging around kicking people, changing their opinions.”

De Boer went further to explain the extra thing that Bassey brings to the team of the Dutch giants. He was particular about his strength and pace which to him makes it impossible to drop him.

“He gives Ajax strength and speed and on the ball he’s alright. Of course, he can still improve on that part of his game but I think he showed in the last few games that he’s undroppable. Together with Jurrien Timber, they make a great couple in defence.”

Bassey is in contention to make his UEFA Champions League debut against the team he left in the summer and De Boer says they won’t be happy he is up against them.

“Rangers won’t be looking forward to meeting him again. I thought he was one of the best players in the Europa League final, he was unbelievable.”

On his ability on the ball which is what still remains a weakness in the game, the Ajax legend says it’s a matter of time before that area which is his weakness will disappear.

“He’s still very young so it’s a great signing for Ajax. He has some rough edges but Ajax is the perfect place to polish those up. He’ll come under the wing of Daley Blind and be taught the Ajax philosophy, which is to play the ball along the ground and make combinations.”

“I’ve seen a lot of defenders come to this club with what we call hard feet. But by the time they leave they have soft feet. Calvin is still young and he’s capable of learning that.”

Nigeria international Victor Osimhen has been termed a huge doubt for Napoli ahead of tomorrow’s UEFA Champions League first group game against Liverpool.

Napoli will be playing in the UEFA Champions League for the first time in two years and a fine start to the season has already led to talks of the team performing way better than they did when they last appeared in the tournament.

According to a statement on the website of the Italian team, Osimhen didn’t train with the rest of the team during yesterday’s session as he is nursing a knock picked up during the closing stages of their 2-1 win over Lazio in the Serie A over the weekend.

A small issue with his left adductor to be precise and although in itself is not excessively worrying, it could be aggravated if he takes part in full training in preparation for the game against Liverpool.

The little time left to properly diagnosed the issue before the game is largely why he is a doubt but he is adamant that he is fit enough to play the game. His extra ordinary will and indomitable character is making him hopeful of being fit for the game.

However Napoli are careful not to push him to the limit after two injury ravaged season. Osimhen isn’t seeing it that way and has told coach Luciano Spalleti that he is available for selection.

Games in the Italian Serie A continued today with as many as six teams with one team standing a chance of going top of the table if they pick up a win.

Going into the games, Napoli were joint leaders of the league with defending champions AC Milan after five rounds of games after they both picked up wins over the weekend.

However they have both been dislodged by Atalanta who were 2-0 winners of Monza with Nigeria international winger Ademola Lookman stealing the show with a goal and an assist.

Lookman laid the first goal on the plate for Rasmus Højlund to put Atalanta ahead before grabbing a goal of his own but it appears the goal will likely be given as an own goal by the goal panel of the league.

He slid in onto a cross at the left post directing it across goal, retreating Monza  defender Marlon couldn’t adjust his body and he deflected the effort into his own net. Lookman claimed the goal but it will clearly be subjected to a review.

However coach Gian Piero Gasperini won’t be bothered about who gets the credit with his team getting the needed three points to go top of the league on 13 points.

As players continue to push for a spot in the senior national team of Nigeria following the permanent appointment of Jose Peseiro as coach, some players who fell out of favour are also in contention.

Peseiro will in the coming days release his first full list of players for two proposed friendly games against Algeria and Portugal respectively and some new players are expected to be a part of the team.

Players who are regulars at their clubs will no doubt be the ones in contention for a call up with the European season just starting in several top leagues. One player who has been a regular is Isaac Success of Udinese.

Success was once again in the starting lineup for his team in the Serie A, where they picked up what can be described as the first shock result of the season by beating Roma 4-0.

The former Watford record signing made his international debut under former coach Gernot Rohr but never truly stamped his feet in the team with the German coach said to be unimpressed with his attitude, commitment and work rate.

” I am due for a recall. This time around I am going to give my all to remain in the team especially with my present form. We (Nigeria) have a new coach and I see a fresh beginning not just for me but several others who have not been a part of the team for a while”, he told OwnGoalNigeria.com.