Zheng win keeps WTA Finals hopes alive, Edu quits Arsenal role, Amorim eyes City test

Zheng Qinwen claims first career win over Elena Rybakina in Saudi Arabia, while Edu linked to job with Nottingham Forest owner

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China’s Qinwen Zheng celebrates during her WTA Finals match against Elena Rybakina. Photo: AFP

Published: 7:30am, 5 Nov 2024Updated: 7:33am, 5 Nov 2024

Betting is the name of the game this morning, with the race that stops a nation just hours away, and Arsenal’s now ex-sporting director giving his verdict on their title chances.

The smart money would definitely not be on the London club to finally end Manchester City’s grip on the Premier League crown, with Liverpool favourites in that regard.

While that title race requires little guess work, Australia’s punters will be taking their chances in the Melbourne Cup this afternoon, and Hong Kong will have some skin in the game.

A sinking ship

Days after their Premier League title hopes took another knock with defeat at Newcastle, Arsenal sporting director Edu Gaspar quit the club to pursue “a different challenge”, but did not say what that would entail.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta (rigt) and technical director Edu built a team that was almost good enough to win the Premier League. Photo: Reuters

Edu, who called his departure “an incredibly hard decision” returned to his former as technical director in 2019 before being promoted in 2022, and has been seen as a key figure in Arsenal’s emergence as a title challengers under manager Mikel Arteta in recent seasons.

All of last Saturday’s starting XI were signed after Edu’s appointment, with the exception of academy product Bukayo Saka.

Reports suggest the Brazilian could be set for a role working for Greek businessman Evangelos Marinakis, who owns Nottingham Forest and Olympiakos.

The second coming

Incoming Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim will ignore comparisons with Sir Alex Ferguson if he steers his Sporting Lisbon side to victory over Manchester City in the Champions League on Tuesday.