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Leeds United could be about to bring back an £11m attacking player to Elland Road, according to one journalist.

Leeds remain patient in January transfer window

The Whites are top of the Championship and on course to win promotion to the Premier League at the second time of asking under Daniel Farke.

However, despite leading the way in the second tier, it is turning into a four-horse promotion battle alongside Sheffield United, Burnley and Sunderland, all of which have bolstered their squads with new signings.

The end for Wilfried Gnonto: Leeds plotting late move for "huge talent"

Leeds United could be about to land a target who could end Wilfried Gnonto’s time at Elland Road.

ByEthan Lamb Jan 29, 2025

Leeds are yet to make a 2025 addition, although Farke previously admitted that a centre-back, attacking midfielder and centre-forward are positions Leeds could still strengthen in, saying: “There are still a few positions we could have a deeper look at if they can improve the squad. But right now, I’m a little bit more calmer with not being in panic mode with the need to have to do something.

“I think it’s fair to say if there is a creative offensive player out there, like a number 10 position, then it is something that could be beneficial for our group.

“Brenden Aaronson has been excellent this season and a key player for us. But we might have a similar player like him in our group. Of course we have players who can play in this role.

“If there is a solution for a creative midfield player it definitely make sense to stay awake. In all the other areas we are covered. The only two [positions] we have to stay awake in my head is the centre-back position… and perhaps a bit in the striker position.”

In recent days, Leeds have taken Liverpool youngster Oakley Cannonier on trial at Thorp Arch, and there have also been links to Newcastle United full-back Matt Targett.

It could go down to the wire in regards to if a new signing is secured by the 49er Enterprises, but a familiar face could well return to Yorkshire, going off a new update.

Jack Harrison could make Leeds return

Sharing a Leeds transfer update for The Daily Mail, relayed by Caught Offside, journalist Ian Herbert said that Leeds want a striker, left-back centre-back, central midfielder and winger.

That winger could well be Jack Harrison, currently on loan at Everton, with Herbert stating the 28-year-old “may be the one heading to Leeds”.

“They [Leeds] badly want a striker – [draw against Burnley] revealed why – and also seek a left-back, centre-back, central midfielder and winger.

“If they had to put it all on one, it would be a striker, but PSR means they could end up with none. Aston Villa’s Emi Buendia didn’t want to go to Leeds, preferring Bayer Leverkusen on loan. Brighton’s Julio Enciso preferred a loan move to Ipswich.

“Jack Harrison, shot on confidence after a torrid period on loan at Everton, may be the one heading to Leeds.”

Things haven’t gone to plan for Harrison during his second season on loan at Everton, failing to score or provide an assist in 21 games in all competitions.

Harrison, who cost Leeds £11m from Manchester City, has also been an unused substitute under new Everton boss David Moyes for the last two wins against Tottenham and Brighton, so a return to Elland Road could make sense for all involved.

Leeds United

206

34

32

New York City

61

14

10

Everton

56

4

3

Middlesbrough

4

0

1

Granted, Leeds ideally could do with a central attacker to rival Joel Piroe and Mateo Joseph or a number 10 to challenge Brenden Aaronson, but a fresh returning face in Harrison may have to do for the second half of the season.

MatériaMais Notícias

Após 18 jogos sem marcar, Nikão fez o seu primeiro gol pelo São Paulo na vitória de virada, por 2 a 1 contra o Cuiabá, pelo Brasileirão. O camisa 10 reconheceu que as cobranças sobre ele eram justas, e revelou que estava incomodado com o jejum sem balançar as redes.

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> GALERIA – Quem é o melhor batedor de pênaltis do Brasil? Saiba números de jogadores

– Incomoda. Todo jogador que joga na minha posição, claro que incomoda, ainda mais sendo o segundo contratado por um clube do tamanho do São Paulo, de ter uma expectativa muito grande. A gente nunca fica satisfeito. Mas eu procuro sempre estar trabalhando, me esforçando – disse o camisa 10 na zona mista do Morumbi.

– As cobranças são válidas, naturais em uma instituição deste tamanho, uma torcida dessa dimensão. Sempre tive a cabeça muito boa para isso, procurei estar sempre preparado, para quando surgir as oportunidades, colocar a bola para dentro. Depois de 18 jogos, fico feliz de ter feito o gol que nos proporcionou uma vitória – completou o atleta.

O camisa 10 contou que vem conversando com algumas lideranças do elenco,como Miranda e Reinaldo, para evoluir dentro do clube.

– Jogador passa por muitos tipos de situações, independente aonde esteja. No Athletico, passei por todo o tipo de situação que você imaginar. Acontece, não é natural, mas pode acontecer com qualquer atleta. Vim há bastante jogos sem fazer gols, uma equipe desse tamanho, normal ser cobrado, ainda mais com essa expectativa. Procuro estar trabalhando, conversando com aqueles que tem mais tempo de casa, Miranda, Reinaldo, as pessoas que conhecem bem o São Paulo e como funciona, para que eu estreite esse laço e faça meu trabalho da melhor maneira – afirmou.

Com a vitória sobre o Dourado, o Tricolor chegou ao terceiro lugar no Brasileirão, e Nikão falou que o plano do clube é estar competindo na parte de cima da tabela.

– É o que a gente almejou, dentro da proposta do Rogério, do clube, estar com a classificação encaminhada na Sul-Americana, estar brigando no pelotão de cima do Brasileiro. Para a gente, é muito importante estar lá em cima, por isso a vitória hoje era muito importante. Jogo difícil, equipe difícil de enfrentar, mas graças a Deus saímos vitoriosos – comentou o camisa 10.

> TABELA – Confira e simule os jogos do São Paulo no Brasileirão

Nikão fez questão de esclarecer que está bem fisicamente, e disse que a demora na adaptação se deu pela diferença na metodologia em relação ao Athletico-PR.

– Fisicamente estou bem. As pessoas associam esse tempo de adaptação à parte física. Nunca estive fora de forma ou mal fisicamente. Era simplesmente pela filosofia do Athletico. As pessoas associam isso a um mau condicionamento. Se pegar com os nutricionistas, pessoas que trabalham no clube, vai ver que estou entre os cinco do clube em termos físicos – concluiu.

Na quinta-feira (19), às 21h30, o São Paulo enfrenta o Jorge Wilstermann, podendo assegurar a vaga ao mata-mata da Sul-Americana.

No domingo (22), às 16h, a equipe de Ceni vai até a Neo Química Arena, onde tentar vencer pela primeira vez o Corinthians na casa do rival, pelo Brasileirão.

Arsenal’s chances of winning the Premier League took a huge blow on Saturday evening when they drew 2-2 with Aston Villa.

The win over Spurs in midweek was forgotten about swiftly with Mikel Arteta’s men left to rue some missed opportunities and lapse defending.

That hasn’t been Arsenal in recent seasons. They’ve been incredibly tough to score against and they’ve scored goals regularly.

This isn’t any ordinary season though. From the moment Declan Rice received a red card against Brighton for ‘delaying the restart’, bad luck and obstacles have been an all too regular occurrence.

This doesn’t look like it’ll be Arsenal’s season, yet it’s difficult to pin things on Arteta.

There’s been red cards, there’s been injuries, there’s been obscene misfortune. Still, the Gunners need to play better football.

Where things went wrong for Arsenal against Aston Villa

One of the main problems facing Arteta’s men in recent weeks has been their ability to dominate yet still concede.

Against Tottenham, Arsenal had all of the ball in the opening quarter of the game but still found themselves behind.

Therefore, when the hosts went 2-0 up on Saturday, there was confidence in the air that the Gunners would get the job done. They did not.

Although Jurrien Timber performed admirably in the absence of the injured William Saliba, they really missed the Frenchman’s box presence. They also missed Timber’s astuteness at right-back.

It was a header from one of the smallest men on the pitch – Youri Tielemans – that got Villa back into things when a cross from Lucas Digne on the left was headed home.

It was another cross, this time from the right, that led to Ollie Watkins’ equaliser, peeling away at the back post and beating David Raya via the crossbar.

The defending wasn’t great but Arsenal could have done more to force things in the final third.

Leandro Trossard stood up when it mattered, assisting both of the Arsenal goals but he didn’t get much help from the traditional orchestrator in this team, Martin Odegaard.

The Norwegian was a notable underperformer this weekend, supplying just one key pass, not winning a duel and also losing possession 18 times.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

He wasn’t the worst in Arsenal colours though…

Arsenal’s worst performer against Aston Villa

While Odegaard should take criticism for not doing enough, blame must also be passed in the direction of Thomas Partey.

With Timber forced to play at centre-back, it meant Partey deputised as a right-back again. While his play in the build up was largely fine, actually providing more key passes (2) than Odegaard, his defending left plenty to be desired.

He was playing out of position but attracted criticism for his part in both Villa goals. A switch of the ball found Digne on the left and Partey could only dordle out towards him and didn’t close him down adequately. The ball ended up being inch-perfect for Tielemans.

His marking for the Villa second goal in which Watkins found the net was then described as “schoolboy-level” by Arsenal reporter Oli Price Bates.

The Athletic’s Aaron Catterson-Reid gave a more scathing assessment of the Ghanaian’s display, suggesting it was “abysmal”. It was hardly a surprise given those reviews that he earned such a low 4/10 match rating from the Express.

Minutes played

90

Touches

87

Accurate passes

55/68 (81%)

Key passes

2

Accurate crosses

0

Ground duels won

4/5

Aerial duels won

4/4

Interceptions

1

Tackles

1

Fouls

1

Possession lost

18x

His overall numbers suggested that was the case too, losing possession on 18 occasions and only attempting one cross from his right-back role.

He only made one tackle, one interception and was adjudged to have made an error that led to a shot. This wasn’t his finest night at the office and you can perhaps understand why given he was out of position.

That said, it’s an experiment Arteta needs to give up with. Providing Saliba is fit for their next Premier League outing then Partey must be given the boot from the starting XI.

0 duels won, 0 dribbles, 0 shots: 5/10 Arsenal star dropped a 'stinker'

Arsenal dropped more points in the race for the Premier League title against Aston Villa.

ByMatt Dawson Jan 18, 2025

The January transfer window is now officially open for business and that means that Glasgow Rangers can make moves to improve their squad in the coming weeks.

Philippe Clement and Nils Koppen could look to bring players in to bolster the squad, with the Gers currently 14 points adrift in the Scottish Premiership but still having the Europa League and the SFA Cup to play for.

Oscar Cortes, Mohamed Diomande, and Fabio Silva were all brought in to Ibrox in the January transfer window in 2024, which shows that the Gers chiefs are prepared to be busy in the winter market.

However, Rangers could need to move on some players to create space in the squad for new additions, and Kieran Dowell is one dud who should be moved on.

Why Kieran Dowell should be moved on

Signed on a free transfer from Norwich City in the summer of 2023, the English attacking midfielder has failed to make his mark at Ibrox over the past 18 months.

The former Everton academy graduate only made 12 appearances, starting five of those games, in the Premiership last season, and contributed with two goals and two assists.

Dowell’s campaign was heavily disrupted by injuries because he missed a whopping 26 matches with two separate issues, that both kept him out for over 50 days.

So far this term, the 27-year-old dud has produced zero goals and zero assists in 11 Premiership outings, which illustrates how little the midfielder has contributed for Clement.

Therefore, the Belgian boss should bin the midfield flop, who has scored two league goals in 18 months at Ibrox, and use the January window to sign a replacement for him, with reported target Darius Olaru a potentially fantastic option.

Why Rangers should sign Darius Olaru

Rangers are reportedly keen on a deal to sign the Romania international, who has a £3.3m release clause in his contract with FCSB, and signing him would allow them to ditch Dowell from the squad in that position.

Olaru is an attacking midfielder whose form in the Romanian top-flight since the start of last season suggests that he would come in as a big upgrade on the Englishman, if he can translate those performances over to Scottish football.

The 26-year-old star, who was compared to Manchester City star Kevin de Bruyne for his quality as a scorer and a creator of goals by FCSB chief Mihai Stoica, has only missed six games through injury since the start of the 2021/22 campaign.

Darius Olaru (Romanian Super Liga)

23/24

24/25

Appearances

36

16

Goals

15

8

Big chances created

19

6

Assists

5

3

Key passes per game

2.1

3.0

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Olaru has provided regular contributions of goals, assists, and ‘big chances’ created in the league since the start of last season, something that Dowell has been unable to do in his time at Ibrox.

These statistics suggest that the potential is there for the De Bruyne-esque star to come in and offer Clement more quality at the top end of the pitch than he has been getting from the former Norwich man, who should be ditched from the squad and replaced by the £3.3m-rated star.

Related Rangers signed a star who was "like Virgil van Dijk" but let him go for £0

Rangers may have thought that they had their answer to Virgil van Dijk at Ibrox.

Posts ByDan Emery Jan 1, 2025

Olaru has the availability, as shown by his impressive fitness record, and the ability, as evidenced by his form in Romania, to be a far more valuable asset to the club than Dowell.

GOAL US writers try to make sense of the USMNT's loss to Panama, as Pochettino era suddenly era stalls with disappointing defeat

Welcome to crisis central. The USMNT had a real chance Thursday night to exorcise some recent big-game demons, beat Panama in the semifinals of the CONCACAF Nations League and push for a fourth straight trophy in the tournament.

So much for that.

Instead, they turned in a stale attacking performance before getting hit on the break at the death and losing 1-0 at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. It was a cruel, cruel moment for the USMNT, and perhaps a stark reminder that this project might take a little more time to come together than most thought

There's been plenty of finger pointing. Some have blamed Pochettino for his poor tactics and bad substitutions. Others have claimed that star man Christian Pulisic should be singled out because he didn't score five, assist one, and lead this team to a 7-1 victory. More generally, there's been an outcry for more passion, more anger, and more grit.

And there might truth to all of that. Or it might be that the USMNT just lost a game they should have won. How could this happen? And, who, exactly, is responsible? And where do they go from here? GOAL US writers debate those questions in the latest edition of … The Rondo.

• Imagn
  

  How much of a wasted opportunity was this for the USMNT?

  Tom Hindle: In the sense that there was a semi-relevant trophy to be defended, then it means something. With the USMNT, though, every win – every performance – is about redemption and program-building. Last summer, they lost to Panama to crash out of a home Copa America. A win here would have exorcised those demons a little bit and also served as a decent barometer as to just how far they have come. Beating the team you lost to last year is, objectively, a pretty good thing to do. That's more important than any meaningless medal. It's all a bit "back to square one vibes" at least for now.

  Jacob Schneider: It was a wasted opportunity in the sense that Pochettino had the ability to win his first trophy. It was a wasted opportunity to show that Gregg Berhalter was in fact the issue, not the player pool. Now? Not so sure.

  Alex Labidou: Wasted opportunity is obvious, as the U.S. only have one competitive tournament left – the upcoming 2025 Gold Cup – before the 2026 World Cup, and will miss several players in that competition due to the Club World Cup. Look at the reactions of former USMNT players ranging from Clint Dempsey to Taylor Twellman – they're pissed. And yes, they're paid talking heads who are employed to share hot takes but there was a common thread between them all, this was an embarrassing showing. Instead of ringing in a new era led by the highest-paid coach in U.S. soccer history, the Americans were flat, uninspired, and at times very one-dimensional in their first competitive match under Pochettino. There's been a lack of buzz around this team, which has been deemed for years as the "Golden Generation," and in part, it is due to what they have shown on the pitch. The USMNT needs to be better and the concern is there's not much time to put this all together before what should be a monumental World Cup for U.S. Soccer, and the sport in this country as a whole.

  Ryan Tolmich: In one sense, you could say it isn't? The road to 2026 is about meaningful games and, while there might not be a trophy on the line, the USMNT has somehow stumbled their way right into a more meaningful game then even a Nations League finale might have been. This team is suddenly under immense pressure to perform, and failure to turn up in the third-place match against Canada on Sunday could lead to real consequences for players in this squad. That pressure is, ironically, exactly what this team needs. So in the grand scheme, this could end up working out, even if there isn't a trophy at the end.

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• Getty
  

  How much blame does Pochettino deserve?

  TH: A little bit of blame. The first thing that needs acknowledging is that there are a lot of injury woes. A bit of pace from Antonee Robinson on the left, Yunus Musah in a more natural position, and a fit Ricardo Pepi would certainly have helped. Still, with the players at his disposal, he could have pieced things together a bit better. There were two puzzling tactical decisions here. First, having two defensive midfielders – Tanner Tessmann and Tyler Adams – was pretty baffling. You don't need to have two lads who move the ball sideways a lot against Panama. And this was a game absolutely for Gio Reyna. Low blocks are hard to break down. Reyna is the guy here who has that kind of magical final ball in him. He can't go 90? Then get him on for the last 30. Too cautious all round, and done as a result.

  JS: The 5-4-1 formation is a difficult one to play. Not sure it was the correct call, it was almost too cute. No starting fullbacks and a third-string forward surely didn’t help, but it was just lifeless. The midfield couldn’t progress. The needle was never threaded, the final pass was never made. There was no width or dynamism. Pochettino deserves critique for sure, but at some point, the players themselves need to look in the mirror and ask what they’re doing.

  AL: He gets a slight pass because he's still relatively new on the job and was missing a very important player in Robinson, who would've made a significant difference. And he's still has yet to see what he has in Johnny Cardoso or Folarin Balogun. Yet, Pochettino doesn't fully escape blame here. He went for a more cautious look with five in the back and while Josh Sargent wasn't great, the striker could make a case the system didn't give him much service. There were also some strange substitutions and tactical decisions. He was right to not have played Reyna, due to form and inconsistent playing time, but how does he explain keeping Matt Turner as starting goalkeeper? And if the USMNT needed a goal, wouldn't bringing in Diego Luna have helped in that case? He's been better form in MLS than Jack McGlynn has to start the season. This will be a valuable lesson in international management for Pochettino and hopefully, he can institute some immediate changes when the U.S. faces Canada.

  RT: He gets his share, for sure. His substitutions didn't address the primary problem: Pamana's low block. The game was crying out for a creator and Pochettino waited too long to get one in. He admitted after that Reyna and Luna were being looked at for extra time – but the U.S. never got there. Given his salary and stature, Pochettino is expected to guide this team to wins in games they would otherwise lose. He didn't do that, and his personnel decisions were at least partly to blame for the defeat.

• Getty
  

  Based on that performance, what is the U.S. missing?

  TH: Please, no more comments about "intensity" or "desire" or "grit" or "passion"… It's actually rather funny to see American soccer dragged down into the English rhetoric of "these lads just don't want it enough!" Of course they want to win a football match. Finding it really difficult to break down a solid defensive team without the players to do so? Have you considered merely ? No, the issue here isn't that there isn't a Landon Donovan or Clint Dempsey to point and shout. The USMNT just doesn't have the right profile of player for these sorts of games. Different nations produce different kinds of footballers. Spain, traditionally, have a load of unbelievable tacticians but not much bite. England, recently, have excellent attacking midfielders, and wingers, but don't have a No. 6. The U.S. has brought in a generation of athletic, technical and hard-working footballers – Weston McKennie, Musah, Adams, Robinson, Pulisic – but doesn't have any real creators. So, this is a tactical thing. Poch has to figure out how to get around that issue, or rely on a moment of magic from someone. "Trying harder" will not solve the problem.

  JS: Actually, what's missing is leadership. Self-awareness. Grit. Anger. A sense of passion. Desire. The team lacks the traits of winners. The team lacks what makes the world’s best, well, the best.

  AL: On-the pitch leadership is a big one. This group of footballers might be the most talented collection of talent the U.S. have ever seen, but they clearly lack the grit of some of their predecessors. Let's make one thing clear: Pulisic is the greatest American club soccer player who has ever played the sport. He gets an unprecedented amount of pressure and scrutiny on a club level, but on national level, he has seemingly dodged criticism for how the U.S. have played in the last 12 months. If this was Donovan, Dempsey, Tim Howard, or Jozy Altidore, they'd almost call to it themselves. Pulisic isn't the only one – McKennie, Tim Weah also share the blame. But if Dempsey, Donovan, Howard, Carlos Bocanegra were out there, the U.S. certainly wouldn't have came out as flat as it did. Players need to take accountability.

  RT: "Intensity" was the buzzword. "Confidence" might be another. The big thing, though, is another match-winner, someone besides Pulisic that can put this team on his back and go win a game. Maybe that's Pepi or Balogun when those guys are healthy but, in this current group, no one has shown the willingness or ability to be the guy that goes out there and does what this team needs in the final third to win. It's a problem, one that has bitten this team several times. If Pulisic is off, so is everyone else. They need to find that secondary option and, if not, that's how you end up with results like this.

• Getty Images
  

  Should we stop with Golden Generation references?

  TH: Sure? Maybe? Who actually cares? It's a platitude that doesn't really mean anything, a pretty arbitrary talking point that gets no one anywhere (which is what makes it funny.) This is a generation of pretty good footballers who are more tactically intelligent and technically skillful than the ones who came beforehand. That's probably more the natural evolution of a footballing culture than a "Golden Generation." Odds are, another wave will come through, and they, too, might be better. Golden? Probably not. And it really doesn't matter.

  JS: Not sure this term is even thrown around anymore. A "Golden Generation" of footballers was 2014 Belgium. This group? They’re not at that level. This was never generation was never golden.

  AL: No. This is still the best group of talent the U.S. have ever put together. They have players who are in leading roles at AC Milan, Juventus, Fulham, Real Betis. By comparison, look at the U.S. roster from 2010. Read some of the clubs they played on – IK Start, AGF Aarhus, Watford (in the Championship at the time). In the early 2010s, it was a dream to see Americans playing in Champions League or Europa League. In 2025, that's the expectation.

  RT: That label was premature to begin with, but it's also premature to rip it away. Ultimately, this team is midway through the journey, not at the end. The moments that will define their legacy are still on in front of them. Regardless of what they have done or will do, it'll all come down to how they perform next summer at the World Cup. We can reignite this conversation then and decide, either way, if they deserve to be remembered as something better – or worse – than their predecessors.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Palmeiras está classificado para a semifinal do Campeonato Paulista. Entretanto, após a vitória por 2 a 0 sobre o Ituano, na quarta-feira (24), no Allianz Parque, o técnico Abel Ferreira fez questão de minimizar o favoritismo do Verdão, que continua invicto na competição e possui outros recordes, como a menor média de gols sofridos na história.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasVídeoVÍDEO: Veja os gols da classificação do Palmeiras sobre o Ituano no PaulistãoVídeo24/03/2022PalmeirasDudu diz achar que Palmeiras pode ser favorito ao título do PaulistãoPalmeiras23/03/2022PalmeirasATUAÇÕES: Veiga e Rony marcam e são os destaques da classificação do Palmeiras à semiPalmeiras23/03/2022

– Tem equipes que tiram mais que nós. Que tem jogadores mais experientes do que nós. Treinadores mais experientes que eu. Eu sempre disse, nossa prioridade não era o Paulista, era a Recopa (Sul-Americana), o Mundial de Clubes. E há equipes que tem muita mais pressão e responsabilidade de ganhar essa competição do que o Palmeiras. Mas uma coisa é certa, o Palmeiras quando entra em uma competição, é para ganhar.

Para justificar a sua fala, o treinador que conquistou os corações palmeirenses com mantras, lançou um novo bordão na entrevista coletiva: ‘o trabalho duro não nos garante vitórias, mas sem trabalho duro não se ganhar nada.’

– Não sei se vou ganhar (o título paulista). Acho piada quando às vezes vocês (jornalistas) querem adivinhar o futuro. Ninguém consegue garantir quem vai ganhar o Paulista. E isso nem me preocupa. O que me preocupa é amanhã acordar, trabalhar e organizar os meus jogadores.

Sobre a partida, Abel destacou a importância de marcar um gol logo no primeiro lance, no caso o pênalti convertido por Raphael Veiga aos dois minutos de partida.

-Quando os jogos estão muito encaixados, os gols alteram a coisa. Está no subconsciente do jogador, quem jogou futebol sabe do que estou falando. Há uma relação de quem está a perder ou está a ganhar. E entramos muito fortes, procurando resolver o mais rápido possível o jogo. Tínhamos a obrigação de ganhar porque somos melhores.

TABELA
> Veja classificação e simulador do Paulistão-2022 clicando aqui
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Big picture

India will be mighty pleased with their gains from the 2-0 lead they have over West Indies, in the lead up to the T20 World Cup later this year in Australia. Their top order – including Virat Kohli – got off the blocks quicker, Suryakumar Yadav cemented his place further in the middle, Venkatesh Iyer provided the finishing touches India expected from him, Harshal Patel showed his death-bowling expertise, Bhuvneshwar Kumar proved he still had it in him, and Ravi Bishnoi bagged wickets with an economy under six in both games combined.With Kohli and Rishabh Pant skipping the dead-rubber on Sunday, India can now also give a chance to Ruturaj Gaikwad, who last played a T20I in July 2021, and Shreyas Iyer, on his new IPL home ground.West Indies, still winless on the tour, looked like they had narrowed the gap between the two teams on Friday night but they still need to smoothen some edges. In the opening game, they lost their footing after a good powerplay and could post only 157. In the second, they were chasing in dewy conditions but left too much for the end by posting just 41 runs in the powerplay and 73 in the first ten.They have also not found much support from their sixth bowler, possibly because they have played only two frontline bowlers and the rest of the job rests with their numerous allrounders. It made India’s chasing job easier when they needed 65 from eight overs in the opening game; in the second, they hammered 98 off the last eight.

Form guide

India WWWWW (last five completed T20Is, most recent first)
West Indies LLWLW

In the spotlight

Ishan Kishan was supposed to give India rapid starts they had been missing in T20Is. But in the two games so far, Kishan has struggled against both fast and spin bowling. Not against pace and turn, but while facing Sheldon Cottrell’s swing early on and then Roston Chase’s stifling lines from around the wicket in the middle overs. The man who went for a whopping INR 15.25 crore (approx USD 2 million) in the IPL mega auction recently has crawled to scores of 35 off 42 and 2 off 10 balls so far.Roston Chase, on the other hand, went unsold at the auction but has put up performances with the ball India may not have expected from him in this format. He got a chance in the XI in the first place only because Jason Holder wasn’t fit but retained his place with 2 for 14 from four overs, dismissing Rohit Sharma and Kishan, following it with 3 for 25 with the wickets of Rohit, Suryakumar and Kohli. With five wickets and an economy rate of just 4.87 in the series, West Indies have got a solid quota of four overs in the middle overs, against both right- and left-hand batters.

Team news

With Kohli and Pant not available for the third game, India can now pick Shreyas and Gaikwad and even try Deepak Hooda in place of Venkatesh. How they change their bowling attack with the series in the bag remains to be seen. They have Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Siraj, Avesh Khan and Kuldeep Yadav as options.India (probable): 1 Rohit Sharma (capt), 2 Ruturaj Gaikwad, 3 Shreyas Iyer, 4 Suryakumar Yadav, 5 Ishan Kishan (wk), 6 Venkatesh Iyer/Deepak Hooda, 7 Harshal Patel, 8 Deepak Chahar/Shardul Thakur, 9 Ravi Bishnoi, 10 Bhuvneshwar Kumar/Mohammed Siraj/Avesh Khan, 11 Yuzvendra Chahal/Kuldeep YadavWest Indies came close on Friday night and don’t really need a change to their XI unless they want to try out players they haven’t so far, like Dominic Drakes and Hayden Walsh.West Indies (probable): 1 Kyle Mayers, 2 Brandon King, 3 Nicholas Pooran (wk), 4 Rovman Powell, 5 Kieron Pollard (capt), 6 Jason Holder, 7 Roston Chase, 8 Romario Shepherd, 9 Odean Smith, 10 Akeal Hosein, 11 Sheldon Cottrell

Pitch and conditions

Evenings in Kolkata will continue to be pleasant with dew expected later on, which means the team winning the toss will likely chase again.

Stats and trivia

• Yuzvendra Chahal needs one more wicket to become India’s sole highest wicket-taker in T20Is. He is currently joint on top with Jasprit Bumrah.
• India have won six consecutive T20I series at home. The last series they lost was 2-0 to Australia in February 2019.
• Across formats, India have now won 13 series in a row at home.

Liverpool made it five wins from five in this season’s Champions League after a 2-0 dismantling of Real Madrid at Anfield last night.

Arne Slot’s side followed up victories against AC Milan, RB Leipzig, Bologna and Bayer Leverkusen after second-half goals from Alexis Mac Allister and substitute Cody Gakpo.

Star man Mohamed Salah squandered his effort from the penalty spot, but he wasn’t alone, with French international Kylian Mbappé also having his effort denied on Merseyside.

The victory keeps the Reds top of the new-look group format, maintaining their perfect record in Europe – remaining the only outfit left in the competition with a 100% record.

It was a real team effort to defeat the defending champions, but there’s no denying that numerous players stood out during the triumph, playing a vital role in inflicting more pain on Carlo Ancelotti’s men.

Liverpool’s star performers against Real Madrid

Goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher has done a superb job in recent weeks, stepping in for Brazilian international Alisson after his recent injury issues.

The 26-year-old made himself known between the sticks once more last night, producing some key saves that kept the game swinging in favour of Slot’s side.

Kelleher made three saves during the win, including a crucial intervention from Mbappé’s penalty, undoubtedly the key moment in the fixture coming just minutes after the opener.

He also completed 93% of the passes he attempted and seven recoveries, with his display making it seriously hard for the usual number one to walk straight back into the starting lineup upon his return from his latest setback.

Argentine midfielder Mac Allister also produced another phenomenal display, proving to the boss that he made the right call in reinstating him to the side after being named on the bench against Southampton on Sunday.

The 25-year-old completed 54 passes against the Spanish giants, whilst finding the back of the net in superb fashion, handing the Reds the advantage just minutes into the second half.

However, he wasn’t done there, creating two big chances for his teammates as they went in search of the all-important second, which eventually came through Gakpo with less than 15 minutes remaining.

Despite the aforementioned duo’s efforts, one player outperformed them both, giving Slot a real selection headache in the weeks ahead.

Performance in Numbers

Want data and stats? Football FanCast's Performance in Numbers series provides you with the latest match analysis from across Europe.

The Liverpool ace who stole the show vs Madrid

Right-back Conor Bradley has been tasked with one of the hardest jobs in football, stepping in to replace Trent Alexander-Arnold after the Englishman’s hamstring issue.

However, he’s made it look simple, with last night one of his best displays since his first-team debut back in the 2021/22 campaign.

The Northern Ireland star was also facing one of the best talents in Europe in the form of Mbappé, but made light work of the 25-year-old, restricting him to limited opportunities in the final third.

Bradley, who was dubbed “magic” by pundit Ally McCoist, won eight duels during the match – the most of any player on either team – whilst achieving a 100% tackle completion rate, which included a superb last-ditch effort on the aforementioned talent.

He also managed to achieve an 86% pass completion rate, with eight of his passes being played into the final third, allowing him to have an impact at both ends of the pitch.

Minutes played

87

Touches

70

Passes completed

42/49 (86%)

Assists

1

Tackles won

4

Duels won

8/12 (67%)

Shots taken

2

One of his subsequent passes fell into the path of Mac Allister, allowing the midfielder to open the scoring for the Reds, with it no surprise that club legend Jamie Carragher was quick to praise the academy graduate, after stating “what a performance” it was from the youngster.

Not only did he wow that man Carragher, but Bradley was also handed a 9/10 match rating by the Liverpool Echo’s Ian Doyle – an indication as to how impressive the youngster was despite the mammoth task he was facing before a ball was kicked.

It was then frustrating to witness the man of the moment forced off with injury late on, although even so, he more than proved his credentials as the player who could potentially replace Alexander-Arnold for the long-term.

With his teammate yet to agree a new deal at his boyhood side, the future may not be so daunting, with Bradley waiting in the wings to make the role his own during the years ahead.

Liverpool's 9 best European nights – ranked

Liverpool have had plenty of wonderful European nights over the years.

ByRoss Kilvington Nov 27, 2024

Birmingham City have been blessed with a number of top talents coming through their academy over recent years, away from the star-studded quality at Chris Davies’ disposal currently in League One.

Jordan James was the latest breakout star from the Blues youth structure when he departed for Rennes this summer, costing the Ligue 1 club a sizeable £4m to pick up, after he had exploded into life for his boyhood club from the middle of the park.

Of course, there is a more notable midfield ace who used to call Birmingham his home as a starlet learning the ropes before a major move took place, in the form of Real Madrid superstar Jude Bellingham.

Bellingham's time with Birmingham

Before all of that occurred for the former Blues youngster, Bellingham was the cream of the crop for the EFL club when it came to top homegrown prodigies rising up the ranks, with the then-teenager making his Birmingham debut back in 2019 at just 16 years of age.

The rest is obviously now history, with Bellingham going on to tally up four goals and two assists from 44 first-team appearances at St. Andrew’s, before leaving his boyhood side behind for Borussia Dortmund only a season into his men’s team development.

At least Birmingham managed to salvage back some pretty pennies from Bellingham’s sad departure though, which even saw the club retire his number 22 jersey, with Dortmund paying up a hefty fee around the £25m ballpark.

Now, the 21-year-old has reached unbelievable heights at the Santiago Bernabeu to fully justify Birmingham’s decision to set aside his number 22 strip, with a sublime 23 goals and 16 assists next to his name now from 52 clashes in Spain.

He would also become a national treasure this summer at the Euros for England by scoring this dramatic overhead kick, further cementing himself as a world-beater away from being adored in Madrid and the West Midlands.

Birmingham haven’t always been so fortunate in raking in lots of money off the back of selling some of their top academy products, however, with this low sale in 2013 no doubt irking those looking back.

Nathan Redmond's time at Birmingham

Nathan Redmond was arguably the original Bellingham before the teenager left his mark on proceedings at St. Andrew’s, having also been launched into the first team set-up from a young age.

He too made his debut in the men’s fold at the tender age of 16 in 2010, before going on to become a regular under the likes of Lee Clark in the Birmingham dug-out.

Player

Age when making debut

1. Jude Bellingham

16 years, 1 month + 8 days

2. Jobe Bellingham

16 years, 3 months + 16 days

3. Nathan Redmond

16 years, 5 months + 20 days

4. Jordan Mutch

16 years, 8 months + 24 days

5. Romolle Donovan

16 years, 10 months + 25 days

In illustrious company in the table above with the well-known Bellingham brothers, Redmond would go on to make far more appearances at St. Andrew’s than the now La Liga star managed, with an impressive nine goals and 11 assists notched up from 82 overall games.

You would think that would result in a club having to break the bank to land Redmond’s services, therefore, but in the wake of Birmingham’s disappointing 12th placed finish in the Championship during the 2012/13 campaign, top-flight Norwich City swooped in to land him for a cut price.

The Canaries would land the pacey winger from Clark and co for only £3m, with the Birmingham-born attacker going to become a Premier League regular for both Norwich and then Southampton for many seasons, amassing 276 Premier League appearances mainly donning a Saints strip.

The Blues must wish now that they had driven a harder bargain, but will strive to find their next Bellingham and Redmond in the here and now, with St Andrew’s obviously fertile ground for youngsters to prosper from.

Clotet struck gold selling Birmingham star who's now worth millions less

Birmingham City raked in the cash with this substantial sale.

ByKelan Sarson Oct 24, 2024

أعلن الجهاز الفني لـ منتخب مصر الأول بقيادة حسام حسن عن تشكيل لاعبيه أمام إثيوبيا، في المباراة التي تجمع بينهما ضمن منافسات تصفيات كأس العالم 2026.

وتقام المباراة بين مصر وإثيوبيا، على ملعب “العربي الزوالي” بالدار البيضاء بدولة المغرب، في إطار مواجهات الجولة الخامسة من المجموعة الأولى بالتصفيات الإفريقية المؤهلة إلى نهائيات كأس العالم.

منتخب مصر يتواجد بالمجموعة الأولى من تصفيات كأس العالم، مع منتخبات بوركينا فاسو، إثيوبيا، غينيا بيساو، سيراليون وجيبوتي.

ويحتل منتخب مصر، المركز الأول في ترتيب المجموعة الأولى بتصفيات كأس العالم، برصيد 10 نقاط، بعد خوض 4 مباريات، مُحققًا 3 انتصارات وتعادل وحيد.

طالع | بدلاء منتخب مصر أمام إثيوبيا

وكان منتخب مصر قد استهل مشواره بقوة بفوز ساحق على جيبوتي بسداسية نظيفة، ثم واصل تفوقه بالفوز على سيراليون بهدفين دون رد.

وفي الجولة الثالثة، تخطى بوركينا فاسو بصعوبة بنتيجة 2-1، قبل أن يسقط في فخ التعادل أمام غينيا بيساو بهدف لمثله. تشكيل منتخب مصر اليوم أمام إثيوبيا في تصفيات كأس العالم

حراسة المرمى: محمد الشناوي.

خط الدفاع: محمد هاني – رامي ربيعة – محمد عبد المنعم – محمود تريزيجيه.

خط الوسط: مروان عطية – حمدي فتحي – أحمد سيد زيزو.

وفي الهجوم: عمر مرموش – محمد صلاح – أسامه فيصل.