BERLIN: Record-breaking Stuttgart striker Serhou Guirassy said England captain Harry Kane’s arrival in Germany has “pushed a lot of strikers in the Bundesliga to raise their level to try and compete with him.”
Guirassy, who scored a record 14 goals in the opening eight league matches this season before injuring his hamstring, told English newspaper The Guardian in an interview published Thursday he relished the competition.
“It’s something big to be competing with Harry Kane, who is a world-class striker.”
Despite his blistering start, Guirassy is not currently atop the Bundesliga goalscoring charts, after the Guinean’s injury allowed Kane to overtake him.
Kane has 15 league goals since joining Bayern Munich from Tottenham in the summer, having played two more matches than Guirassy.
Last season, Niclas Fuellkrug and Christopher Nkunku shared the Torjaegerkanone, the award given to the top goalscorer, with each scoring 16 goals, indicating how dramatic the turnaround has been.
Guirassy, who scored 11 league goals in total last season, credited a more mature game understanding as the reason for his boosted output, while trying to “learn from the best.”
“When I was younger, I liked to run everywhere on the pitch but I’ve learned about myself. I watch a lot of football on TV and I like to watch players like (Robert) Lewandowski, Kane or (Erling) Haaland and analyze what they are doing.”
“I’m always trying to be in the right place at the right time.”
After missing two games, Guirassy returned to team training on Wednesday and is in line to return for Saturday’s clash with Borussia Dortmund.
Stuttgart, who needed to win a two-legged playoff to avoid relegation last season, sit third on the table, one spot ahead of Dortmund.
Stuttgart striker Guirassy credits Kane for record-breaking start
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Stuttgart striker Guirassy credits Kane for record-breaking start
- “It’s something big to be competing with Harry Kane, who is a world-class striker,” Guirassy told The Guardian
- Despite his blistering start, Guirassy is not currently atop the Bundesliga goalscoring charts
Manchester United stun leaders Arsenal to open up Premier League title race
- United’s win, their first in the league at Arsenal since 2017, lifted them to fourth
LONDON: Manchester United loosened Arsenal’s grip on the Premier League title race with a 3-2 win in north London on Sunday thanks to stunning second-half goals by Patrick Dorgu and Matheus Cunha.
Victory would have restored Arsenal’s seven-point lead over chasers Manchester City and Aston Villa, both of whom won this weekend, but Mikel Arteta’s side instead left the door open as they lost at home for the first time this season.
United’s win, their first in the league at Arsenal since 2017, lifted them to fourth, and while they are not in the title equation themselves, it fueled the new-found optimism sweeping the club since Michael Carrick stepped in as interim coach.
Everything was going to plan for Arsenal when they took the lead in the 29th minute with a Lisandro Martinez own goal.
But a terrible mistake by Martin Zubimendi in the 37th minute gifted United an equalizer for Bryan Mbeumo.
Dorgu then smashed a ferocious shot in off the crossbar to put United ahead in the 50th minute but substitute Mikel Merino prodded the hosts level in the 84th.
United were not finished though and substitute Cunha was allowed to advance toward Arsenal’s goal before curling a low shot past the dive of David Raya from 25 meters to spark wild celebrations among the visiting fans.
Arsenal, who are now winless in three league games after two 0-0 draws, have 50 points from 23 games with City and Villa on 46. United moved fourth with 38 points.
United’s win followed their 2-0 defeat of Manchester City last weekend in Carrick’s first game of his second spell as the club’s interim manager.
The nerves are clearly starting to show at Arsenal as they seek their first title since 2004.
Even after Martinez got his legs in a tangle and deflected Martin Odegaard’s shot past his own keeper, Arsenal never looked completely at ease and slowly lost control of the game.
The omens still looked bad for United at that stage with Arsenal having won their last 15 Premier League games in which they had taken the lead.
But when William Saliba passed to Zubimendi who in turn gifted the ball straight to Mbeumo to score in style, the visitors suddenly sensed an opportunity.
Things took a dark turn for Arsenal five minutes after the interval. Again their defense was found wanting as Dorgu was allowed to control a bouncing ball before thumping a left-foot volley in off the crossbar past a stunned Raya.
Arteta reacted by making four substitutions, sending on Viktor Gyokeres, Eberechi Eze, Mikel Merino and Ben White while Noni Madueke also joined the fray later from a stacked bench.
There was huge relief when United failed to deal with a corner and Merino prodded in from close range — the ball being adjudged to have crossed the line after a brief delay.
It looked as though Arsenal had got out of jail and might even snatch a win but United’s belief was unwavering as Cunha delivered a gift to City and Villa.
