Mikel Arteta did not quite envisage Eddie Nketiah could perform to the level he has done for Arsenal this season but backed a player with "a real Arsenal heart and spirit".
Nketiah is now Arsenal's leading scorer this season with nine goals in all competitions, having netted twice in Sunday's 3-2 defeat of Manchester United.
He has four in the Premier League despite only starting five matches – averaging a goal every 147 minutes – after beginning the season as back-up to Gabriel Jesus, who was then injured at the World Cup.
Arteta had faith in Nketiah to step up but acknowledged there was little prior evidence of the "incredible" standard to which the striker is now playing.
"What Eddie's doing is incredible," Arteta said. "We cannot say we saw that [coming] – we were hoping that he could do that, because of the way he is, because of his mentality, because of his qualities and how those qualities fit within the team.
"Losing Gabby was a big blow, and it is a big blow today, but Eddie's responding – and the team – in an exceptional way."
Asked just what he had seen in Nketiah, Arteta replied: "The qualities that he has, how much he wants it, how much belief he has in himself to become Arsenal's number nine, his desire, his background.
"We are with him every single day. He's a special kid, so loved by everybody at the football club.
"He's got a real Arsenal heart and spirit within him, and that's special. You cannot put that into numbers, but he is really, really good."
Nketiah had six shots against United and it looked as though he might have passed up the opportunity to earn a dramatic victory when he was denied by David de Gea six minutes before his last-gasp winner.
But Arteta explained Nketiah's mindset: "The next time he's going to try again.
"He's going to miss chances, and he's going to miss more chances, for sure, but I guarantee you that the next one he's going to try to do it again. He's not going to hide."
With Nketiah keeping Arsenal on track at the top of the table, they have earned a club-record 50 points in a first half of the season Arteta described as "extraordinary".
But the Arsenal manager is not yet content with their progress, believing they remain some way behind defending champions Manchester City, who are five points off the pace.
"I know my team so well," Arteta said. "I know where we are, I know why we are here, I know where we want to be. We are still far from that.
"And I know the level of the other teams – especially one that has won everything in the last five or six years. We are not there yet."
Magic savour 'special' Washington triumph after record-equalling ninth straight win
Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero and coach Jamahl Mosley both lauded a "special" night for the team as they equalled the franchise's record winning run by overcoming the Washington Wizards.
Banchero finished with 28 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists, while Franz Wagner had a game-high 31 points as Orlando beat Washington for the second time in two days on Friday, clinching a 130-125 success at Amway Center.
The victory was Orlando's ninth in a row, taking them to 14-5 for the season and matching their longest ever streak, with the team having previously won nine straight in 1994, 2001 and 2010-11.
Orlando are one of just two NBA franchises – along with the Indiana Pacers – to never enjoy a double-digit winning run, but they have the chance to do so for the first time when they visit the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday.
"It's pretty special," Banchero said of the team's run, which began with the first of back-to-back road wins over the Chicago Bulls on November 15.
"Eventually I think a loss is going to come, but we just want to keep it rolling for as long as we can.
"But you're not surprised when you do something like this because we've got great chemistry and we play really well together."
Orlando are up to second in the Eastern Conference, with only the 15-4 Boston Celtics and the 14-4 Minnesota Timberwolves boasting better records across the entire league.
Head coach Mosley said: "It's a big time for this group, but more importantly, I think it's a big time for the fans and the organisation.
"There's an energy, there's a vibe, a buzz about this group, and our guys are doing a good job of embracing it, not getting too high or too low but being able to register that this is something special."
Beth Mead highlights the importance of consistency after England’s comeback show
England forward Beth Mead called for more consistency after the Lionesses required a dramatic comeback to beat the Netherlands 3-2 at Wembley and keep their hopes of qualifying for next summer’s Olympics alive.
The Nations League contest marked a first appearance for second-half substitute Mead in more than a year since she ruptured her anterior cruciate ligament last November, just a few months after the Arsenal veteran had won the golden boot at Euro 2022 and also been named player of the tournament.
England will need to beat Scotland at Hampden Park on Tuesday night to have any chance of advancing in the inaugural tournament, with only the group leaders progressing.
Mead said: “The days when I’ve struggled in the gym, long, hard training days of not being able to play football and do the thing that I love, it makes it worthwhile to run out there in front of such big crowd getting a great reception and a ruthless second half of football.
“We can [flick on at a moment’s notice], but we need to do that for 90 minutes. The first half let us down. We were chasing the game and you don’t want to be 2-0 down at half-time.
“But we had the belief in the team, we knew we could score goals and we came out in the second half and I thought the team was amazing. Every single person on the pitch and every player that came on is a game changer. And now we’ve got to do that for 90 minutes and be more consistent throughout the (next) game.”
England and the Netherlands have identical head-to-head records after Friday night’s meeting, which saw goals from Georgia Stanway, Lauren Hemp and Ella Toone follow Lineth Beerensteyn’s first-half brace, but the Oranje Leeuwinnen now boast a 4-1 advantage on goal difference.
The Lionesses, therefore, will hope for both improvements to their defence, which spluttered in the build-up to the Dutch opener, and a bit of help from Belgium, who travel to the Netherlands for their own final group stage encounter on Tuesday night.
England could secure top spot with a victory should the Netherlands drop points, but if both they and the Dutch win the Lionesses will require a comprehensive win over Scotland to overcome the goal difference, a situation many have pointed out as unusual considering those same Scottish players would be eligible for Team GB.
Mead, who started every game of England’s Euro 2022 triumph, was actively engaged from the bench throughout the first period, and passed on her observations at half-time before coming on for Chloe Kelly to start the second half.
She added: “Obviously I didn’t know I was coming on until quite late at half-time but everybody in this team can make an impact on the game, whether you’re playing or not playing.
“I think tactically, if you see something, give somebody that information to make the team better. And I think we did that really well at half-time. We give each other the belief and then the players that came on give the energy to the rest of the girls on the pitch. And ultimately that’s probably why we had such a good second half.
“[The win] gives us that little bit of energy again. We know we’re capable of that. We’ve just shown it in front of such a big crowd on such a big occasion and now we’ve got to do it consistently.”
Reggae Boy Morrison convicted of fraud after using dead person’s blue badge
Jamaican International Ravel Morrison has been convicted of fraud after he was caught using a deceased person’s blue badge to park.
According to a report in The Guardian, Morrison, during his interview under caution, claimed he bought the badge from “someone in Old Trafford” for £50. The former Manchester United representative was subsequently charged with one count of fraud.
Morrison, 30, who currently represents DC United in Major League Soccer (MLS) appeared before Manchester magistrates court to plead guilty to the offence on Thursday. He was fined £1,000 and was ordered to pay costs of £508.32 and a victim surcharge of £400.
Manchester city council enforcement officers began their investigation in May into a white Audi S3 parked in Bridgewater Street which was displaying a blue badge.
Blue badge permits are given to people with disabilities or health issues, whose mobility is limited. It entitles those individuals to park free of charge in spaces that are often closer to shops and destinations.
The police discovered that the badge’s holder died in February 2022, and was no longer valid. The vehicle was issued with a penalty charge notice and was removed to the Manchester vehicle pound. Morrison reclaimed his vehicle later the same day.
“This ruling shows that the law is applicable to everyone, with no exceptions. I am grateful for the diligent work of our investigating officers, as well as legal counsel, who were able to successfully prosecute this case,” a spokesperson for Manchester city council said.
“Our officers patrol the streets daily to ensure that blue badges are used legitimately, and we will not hesitate to take action if we discover people trying to circumvent the law,” they added.
Morrison’s topsy-turvy career, playing for 13 clubs around the world after leaving Manchester United in 2012. He has so far made 18 appearances for Jamaica with three goals to his credit.
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