Posted by Ademola Olajire on
Just as Nwankwo Kanu recants on his desire to move to Ajax Amsterdam, saying he now wants to stay with Portsmouth to win titles and is only interested in a long-term contract, the Nigerian captain is being hotly pursued for the top-scoring Nigerian-in-the-Premiership mantle by fellow Super Eagles Yakubu Aiyegbeni and Oba Martins.
Aiyegbeni, Martins chase Kanu
Just as Nwankwo Kanu recants on his desire to move to Ajax Amsterdam, saying he now wants to stay with Portsmouth to win titles and is only interested in a long-term contract, the Nigerian captain is being hotly pursued for the top-scoring Nigerian-in-the-Premiership mantle by fellow Super Eagles Yakubu Aiyegbeni and Oba Martins.
Martins has seven goals now despite starting life in the Premiership on a slow note, and Yakubu Aiyegbeni's double against Sheffield United took the former Maccabi Haifa of Israel's marksman's tally to seven as well.
Kanu said during the week that he now wants a long-term contract with Pompey and will appreciate it if his one-year deal (which now remains six months) is stretched another year as is provided for in the initial deal.
The Nigerian talisman has scored nine goals in the campaign but has been left out of the past two games and perhaps, out of wise counsel, decided to stop the talk about a move, which has annoyed Coach Harry Redknapp. When the rumours of the Ajax fancy first filtered in, two months ago, Redknapp had said: 'That could be his manager talking, flying a kite so we can give the player a new contract". It has now turned out to be so.
Martins failed to get a goal against Manchester United at St James Park on New Year Day, but a super strike from James Milner and one from youthful David Edgar denied United the opportunity to go nine points clear at the top of the log.
United stand at 54 points, and, after being denied a win by Fulham on Saturday, Chelsea were compelled to come up with the goods against Aston Villa on Tuesday or be damned.
They failed, drawing 0-0, and are now six good points behind the Red Devils, who have hot-and-cold arrangements between now and Week 30.
United face the same Aston Villa at Old Trafford next Saturday, before an away trip to Arsenal's Emirates Stadium on January 21, and a home tie to bottom Watford at the end of the month. They will than play Tottenham away, host Charlton, visit Fulham and Liverpool and then host Bolton Wanderers.
Six points may be just two league games away but it's not been turning out too wonderful for Chelsea of recent and they could chase those six points all the way to the tape.
United have also been able to prove they are not a one-man team, with Cristiano Ronaldo following in goal-scoring form after Louis Saha dried up, before the Frenchman got injured. Now, with Saha injured and out for two weeks, former Celtic Glasgow and FC Barcelona ace, Henrik Larsson, gets the opportunity to impress.
Last Saturday, as Saha got injured in only 30 minutes, and Ronaldo observed a holiday from scoring a brace in three successive matches, midfielder, Paul Scholes, turned up with the goods at St James Park.
It is beginning to look like Sir Alex Ferguson has the last laugh on those who had insisted his team lacks the strength in depth.
Yakubu Aiyegbeni rose quickly from low point with a treble in the close-year, hitting the one goal in the 1-2 defeat by Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park on Saturday and then clipping a double round Sheffield United at Fratton Park on New Year Day.
There were a number of stunning results on Weeks 21 and 22, with Everton mauling Newcastle at Goodison Park and Fulham holding Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
Two of Everton's goals came off the boots of Nigerian teenager, Victor Anichebe, who had predicted a good second round of the campaign for himself after impressing against champions, Chelsea, at Goodison Park on December 17.
Liverpool won away to Tottenham Hotspurs, and, once again, the Reds were starting to look serious contenders in the Premiership. Blackburn, battered 6-2 by Arsenal, beat Middlesbrough and mediocre Charlton got three points off Martin O'Neill's Aston Villa as Sheffield United hit Arsenal 1-0 at Bramall Lane.
While the man of the close-year was Cristiano Ronaldo (six goals against Aston Villa, Wigan and Reading), the super team was Liverpool, who got six points from two games and leaped up to third with 40 points. Their 3-0 manhandling of Bolton on New Year day was especially something to watch.
Bolton have moved to 39 points (same as Arsenal) and must rue the defeat by Liverpool, but Portsmouth are still stuck at 36 while Reading have gone to 30. Blackburn have also gained massively, chalking up nine maximum points from three matches since their debacle at the Emirates Stadium, and going to 28. But at the bottom, West Ham, humiliated 6-0 by Reading on New Year day, are struggling for life alongside Charlton Athletic and Watford.