#africa-cup-of-nations

#africa-cup-of-nations

Sunderland will move fifth in the Premier League if the Black Cats start 2026 by winning at home to Manchester City on Thursday. Regis Le Bris' side are unbeaten in their first nine league games of the season, with Arsenal the only other side yet to taste defeat in the 2025/26 top flight. Second-placed City are aiming to close the gap on leaders Arsenal to two points, having extended their winning run to eight matches in all competitions by beating Nottingham Forest 2-1 away on Sunday.

Gabon vs Ivory Coast will be shown live in the UK on 4seven and the Channel 4 streaming service, with kick-off at 19:00 GMT. It will also be available for free on the Channel 4 Sport YouTube channel. Channel 4 has the rights to AFCON this year, so you can watch every game free in the UK. Coverage is geo-restricted, but you can use a VPN to get your usual access if you're away from the UK right now

The fate of Group E rests on Sudan's fixture against Burkina Faso. Algeria are through and Equatorial Guinea have been knocked out. All that's left is this. Sudan condemned Equatorial Guinea against the odds on Sunday and kept their hopes very much alive with a 1-0 win. They're level on three points apiece with the Burkinabe, which means that this is a tantalising straight shoot-out for second spot.

Following the established medical protocol between Marseille and Gabon medical staff regarding Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, clinical examinations were conducted daily. The most recent examination confirmed the discomfort he experienced in his left thigh the day after the Gabon-Mozambique match. Given the disappointing results, which cut short Gabon's participation, the medical staff, in consultation with his club, agreed to protect the player's physical well-being by exempting him from the final, inconsequential match.

"Yes, I still think so; otherwise I wouldn't be sitting here," he said. "I have even more confidence than everyone else, I believe, in this group and this team. And we know that in a competition - even more so in the Africa Cup of Nations, but in all competitions in general - it's at the end of the show that the musicians get paid. "The most important thing today is to continue our progress to win this game and finish first [in the group] to stay in Rabat. This is our objective."

Sadio Mane's equaliser earned 2022 champions Senegal a 1-1 draw with the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in their heavyweight Africa Cup of Nations clash on Saturday. Cedric Bakambu had given the Leopards the lead just after the hour mark in Tangier, but Al-Nassr forward Mane replied soon after, and the result ensures Senegal stay on top of Group D with one round of matches still to play.

Barcelona held an interest in Eyong last summer as well, before he left Villarreal to join Levante, and continue to keep an eye on him. In fact, according to SPORT, the Blaugrana are closely following the 22-year-old centre-forward at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations, where he is playing for Cameroon. The forward is one of the names Barça are considering for the upcoming summer transfer window.

The crunch Christmas period is upon us. Gameweeks 18-21 will bring four deadlines in 11 days between 26 December and 6 January. Expect heavy rotation, injuries, suspensions and continued absences due to the Africa Cup of Nations. There is nothing to panic about though. This is the time that FPL managers who plan well, stay engaged with their teams and don't miss deadlines often gain in ranks and mini-leagues.

Marmoush, 26, is admired by Spurs for his flexibility across the front line. Capable of operating both out wide and through the middle, he offers the kind of tactical adaptability Tottenham are keen to introduce as they look to improve consistency in the final third. His ability to carry the ball at speed, link play between midfield and attack, and contribute goals has long caught the eye of recruitment staff across Europe.

The midfielder is yet to play for his club this season and has almost certainly played his final game for Spurs. Mali head coach Tom Saintfiet is confident the 29-year-old will be available before the tournament ends. We have assurances that Yves will be ready during the tournament, Saintfiet said. When the matches get tougher, we'll be glad to have him with us.

Much of the spotlight will fall on Mohamed Salah, who is contesting his fifth AFCON and third as captain, aware that this edition could represent his final opportunity to claim continental glory with his country. The Liverpool forward was part of the squads that reached the finals in 2017 and 2021 and will be eager to finally get his hands on the trophy and cement his legacy in African football.