Saturday Fulham Stuff - 10/01/26...

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'Bassey is there' - Ex-Super Eagles defender backs Fulham ace to stop Algeria dangerman Mahrez
Former Super Eagles midfielder Sam Elijah has expressed strong confidence in Nigeria's defensive setup ahead of their quarterfinal clash against Algeria, backing Fulham defender Calvin Bassey to neutralize Algerian dangerman Riyad Mahrez.

Elijah dismissed concerns about Mahrez's threat, insisting the Super Eagles have the quality and structure to keep the former Manchester City winger quiet.

"I tell you to forget it. Bassey is there for him. He has nowhere to go. Bassey is enough for Mahrez and Ajayi is there to complement," Elijah told allnigeriasoccer.com.

"So our defense is solid. There's no room for him at all."

Elijah added that Nigeria's strength across all departments gives him confidence that the team will deliver when it matters most.

"And I tell you at this stage the Super Eagles will not disappoint at every unit."

However, the former international cautioned against complacency, stressing the importance of tactical discipline against a well-organized Algerian side.

"I believe this though but we need to be on our toes, we need to be careful, how we attack and defend," he warned. "We have to be tactical. There is no room for fear. We have a solid defense."

Reflecting on Nigeria's progression in the tournament, Elijah noted a clear improvement in cohesion and mentality, particularly after the match against Mozambique.

"When we started our game, you can see we started shabby, there is no cohesion, unity, buildup and all that."

"But now, you can see with our game against Mozambique, you can see the fire in the boys, the never say die attitude in the Super Eagles players, commitment was there from the goalkeeper, to the defense, midfield, and attack."

He praised the team's collective approach, highlighting improvements in midfield play, especially from Alex Iwobi.

"We attack as a unit, we defend as a unit. Our midfield is trying to improve especially players like Iwobi," he said.

Elijah also pointed out that Nigeria's forwards are beginning to find their rhythm.

"You can see that he improved his game and we can see the passes and what is lacking before," he revealed. "You see in our last game that the strikers are not struggling anymore."

Despite acknowledging Algeria's past success against Nigeria in the Africa Cup of Nations and their tactical strength, Elijah believes the Super Eagles are ready for revenge.

"Our match against Algeria, yes they eliminated us before in the Nations Cup but now the Super Eagles are very ready."

"We are going to take the day. I believe we are going to win that match. It is not going to be an easy match , it is going to be a very tactical match because the Algeria is highly tactical but with the present spirit and commitment from the boys, I believe we are going to crush Algeria."

On the debate over Nigeria's most important player among Alex Iwobi, Ademola Lookman, and Victor Osimhen, Elijah emphasized teamwork over individual brilliance.

"Football is a team work. Honestly speaking, these players Iwobi, Ademola, and Osimhen are very important players, and they have different roles they are playing," he said. "Each one of them is very important. They are our best players."

He also addressed recent confrontation between Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman , urging the striker to remain humble.

"That's why I said the other time they were telling me about Osimhen misbehaving, Osimhen is not our best player, he is one of our best players," he said.

"So he should not see himself as the team god. He should behave himself. He should calm down. He is not a coach, he is the player, he has no right to challenge any player. He can motivate."

"He is our highest goalscorer but he cannot score alone. The goal that he scored, the pass came from Iwobi to Lookman, to Osimhen, and he scored."

"So the three of them are very important players. For me, all of them are very important. I think they are our best players."

Nigeria will take on Algeria on Saturday at the Marrakesh Stadium, aiming to secure a positive result and book a place in the final four of the AFCON tournament.

Adeyemi Adewale




https://allnigeriasoccer.com/bassey-is-there-ex-super-eagles-defender-backs-fulham-ace-to-stop-algeria-dangerman-mahrez

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Inter eye move for Bassey but Fulham make January transfer decision – report
Reports in the UK suggest that Inter are among the Serie A clubs interested in versatile Fulham defender Calvin Bassey, but the Premier League side don't want to sell the Nigerian this month.

TeamTalk reports that Inter are among the Serie A clubs interested in Fulham defender Bassey.

Inter set sights on Bassey
The Nerazzurri are expected to make big changes in central defence over the coming months, given that Francesco Acerbi and Stefan de Vrij are expected to leave at the end of their contracts in June.

According to the report, Inter and other unnamed Serie A clubs are tracking Bassey's situation, but Fulham are unwilling to sell their defender this month.

Fulham unwilling to sell Bassey in January
Bassey has scored one goal in 18 appearances across all competitions this season and is a pivotal member of the team, whom Fulham don't want to sell midway through the season.

Therefore, any potential move might only happen in the summer, when Inter will still be looking for at least one new centre-back.



https://football-italia.net/inter-move-bassey-fulham-january-decision/

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Manchester United (A) tickets
Tickets for Fulham's away fixture against Manchester United will begin to go on sale from Monday 12th January.

Follow Fulham away as the team travel to Old Trafford to face The Red Devils in Premier League action on Sunday 1st February, kick-off 2pm.

Tickets for this fixture will go on sale to 2025/26 Season Ticket Holders from 10am on Monday 12th January. 2025/26 Members* will be able to purchase tickets from 10am on Wednesday 14th January.

Supporters with Previous Booking History can purchase tickets from 10am on Thursday 15th January. Any remaining tickets will then go on General Sale** from 10am on Friday 16th January.

Supporters can secure two tickets per person for this fixture. Further matchday information, including ticket prices, can be found here.

Tickets can be purchased online at fulhamfc.com/tickets, by calling the Ticket Office on 0203 871 0810 (Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm) or in person from the Ticket Office (Mon-Fri, 9:30am-4:30pm).

BUY TICKETS FROM MONDAY

*Membership must have been purchased prior to 9th January 2026 in order to be eligible to purchase tickets during the Membership priority window.

**Subject to postcode restrictions - Fulham FC will be monitoring bookings and any tickets purchased by supporters who live in the vicinity of Manchester (and local areas) who do not have a previous booking history with us, will be terminated.



https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2026/january/09/manchester-united-away-tickets/

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AFCON could be set to hand Leeds United a massive survival opportunity today
Leeds United have the FA Cup trip to Derby County up first, but after that is a crucial home meeting with Marco Silva's Fulham in the Premier League.

This weekend's FA Cup action should see some of the pressure lifted in the midst of a relegation dogfight in the Premier League.

Daniel Farke will be able to call upon the reaches of his squad at Pride Park, in order to leave his key players well rested for the return of Premier League action at Elland Road vs Fulham.

Premier League state of play: How is Leeds United's survival bid looking after Newcastle?
It felt like the end of the world when Harvey Barnes got his inevitable winner on Wednesday night. Losing that late after being in the lead three times at St James' Park was a sickener on the night.

Looking more holistically at the season ahead, though, it's still very healthy for Leeds. We're still on above a point-per-game, as prescribed by Daniel Farke and the board for a successful survival bid.

Meanwhile, the gap to relegation has stayed at eight points, with another tough game for Leeds ticked off and another really winnable match for West Ham passing them by.

AFCON could hand Leeds United crucial boost against Fulham next week
Beyond this Sunday's FA Cup clash with the Rams, most focus this month is on the next Premier League fixture.

United host Marco Silva's Fulham off the back of their home win against 10-man Chelsea on Wednesday night. Leeds should be eager for revenge after being undeservedly dealt a cruel defeat at Craven Cottage back in September, as Gabriel Gudmundsson inexplicably headed into his own goal in stoppage time.

Harry Wilson is the man to watch, of course. But, the Cottagers could travel up to West Yorkshire still without three key players – Nigeria internationals Calvin Bassey, Alex Iwobi and Samu Chukwueze.

All three are still competing in AFCON, progressing to the quarter-finals, where they face Algeria this afternoon. Should they progress to the semi-finals, all three would be guaranteed to miss the Elland Road fixture.

That's because their semi-final progression means they're guaranteed to either play in the AFCON final, or the third-place playoff – both fixtures take place on the weekend of the 17th January when Leeds meet Fulham.

So, let's hope for a Super Eagles win!



https://www.leedsallover.com/leeds-united-could-be-handed-huge-pre-fulham-boost-in-afcon/

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