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A club is believed to be on the verge of tempting one Arsenal star to leave the club, and he could be one of many Gunners stars set for the exit door.

Players who could be sold by Arsenal in January

Kieran Tierney and Jakub Kiwior are two solid candidates to leave the Emirates as soon as January, but they’re by no means the only duo in danger of manager Mikel Arteta’s axe.

Arsenal targeting £54m "leader" who made history by scoring against them

Fans will remember him for the wrong reasons.

ByEmilio Galantini Nov 20, 2024

Tierney hasn’t played a single minute for Arsenal since the summer of 2023, and it is pretty clear that the former Celtic star is out of Arteta’s long-term plans.

He’s been sidelined by a hamstring injury since Euro 2024 as well, limiting his minutes even more, but the north Londoners will be hoping Tierney can battle his way back onto the pitch in the lead up to January. Arsenal are set to sell Tierney, according to reports, and this could be in the winter if suitors come forward.

Nottingham Forest (home)

November 23

West Ham United (away)

November 30

Man United (home)

December 4

Fulham (away)

December 8

Everton (home)

December 14

Meanwhile, there is a real belief emerging that Kiwior is likely to make a Serie A return, where the likes of Napoli, Juventus and former club Spezia are taking a real rumoured interest in the Poland international who has struggled to establish himself under Arteta.

Even Oleksandr Zinchenko could be sold by Arsenal soon, according to some reports, with the Ukraine international struggling for minutes.

“And that’s Gabriel Jesus, Zinchenko, and Kieran Tierney,” said well-connected ex-scout Mick Brown to Football Insider this week.

“They’re not in the manager’s plans. When it comes to sales, you have to look at who your assets are. We know there’s been interest in Saliba, for example, but I think he’s one of the last players they’d ever consider selling for any sort of money.

“If they feel they need to raise money, they’ve got these players who they’re far more likely to turn to. That’ll take a big chunk off of the wage bill and help them to reinvest in strengthening their squad.”

Arsenal star Jorginho "very close" to being convinced by Besiktas move

As per Turkish news outlet Sabah, £110,000-per-week midfielder Jorginho is edging ever closer to leaving as well.

It is believed that Besiktas are “very close” to convincing Jorginho to join them from Arsenal at the end of the season, with the Italy international out of contract in 2025 and free to join another club on a Bosman deal.

The “world-class” former Chelsea star was rewarded with an extension for his contribution towards the back end of last term, but he’s been far more of a bit-part player over the course of 2024/2025.

Thomas Partey is in a similar situation, even if the Ghanaian has actually become a mainstay for Arteta again. One of the biggest decisions for the club is whether to keep both Partey and Jorginho, let both leave or extend their deals – but it appears Besiktas are trying to take advantage of this situation.

There have not been too many positives from Erik ten Hag’s reign as Manchester United boss but let us not be too negative for the Red Devils are winners again.

It was two of their young superstars who stepped up to the mark as Alejandro Garnacho and Rasmus Hojlund both found the net in the 2-1 victory over Brentford last Saturday.

Truth be told, it’s those up-and-coming players who have been the real standout of Ten Hag’s tenure at Old Trafford.

To his credit, the Dutchman has engineered the progression of Garnacho, in particular, who has shone for the Red Devils over the last year or so.

Kobibe Mainoo – now injured – has also been a real asset in the middle of the park. He was first given a run of games just before the New Year period last season and was so impressive that he later went on to start at the European Championships for England.

So, who are the next big things off the Carrington production line? Well, they’ve got two fine young players who could emulate stars of the past, chiefly Wayne Rooney.

Wayne Rooney's time at Man United

“Remember the name, Wayne Rooney!” Yeah, we’ve all heard the commentary, haven’t we?

That remarkable goal from the striker against Arsenal in Everton colours got everyone in English football talking, notably Sir Alex Ferguson.

Just a few months later he was heading to Manchester United as a teenager, moving for a sizeable £27m transfer fee. The rest, as they say, is history.

As a young striker, there have been very few better in English football history. He burst onto the scene with some aplomb, lighting up Euro 2004 before going on to score 53 times in 120 caps for the Three Lions.

For Man United, he was truly spectacular, netting 253 goals and winning five Premier League titles on the way to cementing himself as a legend of the game.

It was a time in the club’s history when icons dominated the Old Trafford landscape. Think Cristiano Ronaldo, think Ryan Giggs, think Paul Scholes and think of Gary Neville. How United would love those players in their primes at their disposal now.

Well, it just so happens that at Carrington, United have two players ready to follow in the footsteps of Rooney and Co.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast's In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

Man Utd's two best wonderkids at Carrington

Enter the conversation, Chido Obi-Martin. Like Rooney, the young Dane has joined Man United as a teenager. Like Rooney, he’s deadly in front of goal. The only thing he lacks at the same age is experience.

16-year-old Obi Martin officially arrived from Arsenal a few weeks ago but he did not make a senior appearance for the Gunners. That said, he certainly made a lot of noise with his goalscoring exploits.

For Arsenal U18s last season, the teenager scored a breathtaking haul of 32 goals in 18 games. The Premier League 2 hasn’t seen many strikers like this, it’s safe to say.

Obi-Martin’s incredible run of form
Opposition	# of goals
Palace U18	4
Fulham U18	4
West Brom U18	1
Brighton U18	2
West Ham U18	5
Aston Villa U18	1
Norwich U18	7
Spurs U18	1
Chelsea U18	3
Stats via Transfermarkt.

During the back end of the campaign, he was in electric form. During a run of nine games from 16th March to 11th May, he scored 28 goals. Yes, that’s right, 28 goals in nine games.

That included four goals in one game against Fulham, four goals in one match against Crystal Palace and a staggering seven goals in one outing against Norwich. Already at such a young age, Obi-Martin is an elite goalscorer and one who could be ready to make an entrance just as Rooney did.

However, Carrington may also possess a Giggs-like talent in another exciting wonderkid; Shea Lacey.

He’s not had the best of time with injuries of late but he’s certainly causing a stir behind the scenes. Why? Well, like Giggs – he possesses a “left foot made of gold” – as scout Jacek Kulig referred to.

Secondly, there have already been comparisons to Lionel Messi and Phil Foden. The first point of comparison might be a tad extreme but the second certainly isn’t.

Lacey is a natural winger but he’s capable of playing off either side. He’s slight in frame, has lovely close control and regularly finds himself in goalscoring positions.

Due to injury, he played just ten official games at youth level but across those fixtures, he scored twice and registered four assists. Not quite the mindblowing numbers that Obi-Martin has registered but consistent nonetheless.

Even if Ten Hag doesn’t get to utilise these two special young talents, whoever the next manager is could have two of the Premier League’s finest on his hands.

What the Man Utd team could look like once Shea Lacey becomes a regular

A look at how the Red Devils could line up once teen sensation Shea Lacey breaks into the side…

By
Robbie Walls

Apr 16, 2024

Changes to FTP mean England will play bilateral men’s series in five different countries

Matt Roller02-Dec-2021England will tour South Africa and New Zealand in early 2023, ESPNcricinfo can reveal.In the original version of the Future Tours Programme (FTP) for 2018-23, the men’s 50-over World Cup was due to be staged in India in February-March 2023 but the postponement of the 2020 men’s T20 World Cup to October-November 2022 shifted that tournament back to an October-November window.The ECB confirmed in August that England’s tour of Bangladesh, which will feature three ODIs and three T20Is, had been pushed back until March 2023, filling part of the gap in their schedule, and ESPNcricinfo understands that England will also complete tours of South Africa and New Zealand at the start of the year.Related

Graeme Smith: South Africa to host Australia, England tours in 2023

England's 2021 tour of Bangladesh pushed to March 2023

England's South Africa tour called off after Covid-19 outbreak

ICC postpones T20 World Cup due to Covid-19 pandemic

The tour of South Africa will feature three ODIs and forms part of the World Cup Super League, with the series initially set for December 2020 until a Covid-19 scare in the England camp prompted a last-minute postponement. The series will now be played in late January.England will then travel to New Zealand for a two-Test series in February, which does not form part of the World Test Championship and reciprocates New Zealand’s tour immediately before the WTC final in June this year.England are now due to play men’s bilateral series in five different countries in the 2022-23 winter, as well as the T20 World Cup in Australia. Their winter is scheduled to start with seven T20Is in Pakistan from late September, then three T20Is and three ODIs in Australia either side of the World Cup. They then tour Pakistan again for three Tests in December 2022 before the tours of South Africa, New Zealand and Bangladesh in early 2023.

Pakistan’s batting coach also says Babar Azam is the ‘premier’ batter everyone will ‘target’ at the World Cup

Umar Farooq21-Oct-2021Matthew Hayden, Pakistan’s new batting consultant, sees Babar Azam as the premier batter everyone at the T20 World Cup will be targeting. Hayden also mentioned “leadership” as one key factor in the UAE conditions, saying matches will be a “real dogfight” and the Pakistan captain has the command and presence to impose himself.”Babar obviously has his own role to play not only in terms of leadership but as a premier batter,” Hayden said. “Because as you’ve seen through the IPL, the two dominant captains here in the UAE, MS Dhoni, a World Cup winner and [Eoin] Morgan, a World Cup winner…even though their individual performances weren’t as good as what they have previously done within their own statistical record. But the way that they led their troops and conduct themselves is an important part of the UAE because as I mentioned, it’s not one side, it’s not necessarily going to run away with it here. It’s a real dogfight.”The conditions and the margins for errors are very little and so good leadership is going to be key. I think Babar has that and commands that presence and that role and he needs to fulfil that role and in a batting sense as well. He, I think, is the premium player and he will be targeted. He will also be the person that everyone is wanting to put in his pocket. There’s going to be additional pressure on him, both as a captain and also as a batsman. I sense that the way that he goes about it is going to be spot on.”Pakistan begin their campaign with a much hyped game against arch-rivals India on October 24 in Dubai. So far India have a 100% winning record against Pakistan in all ODI and T20 World Cups but there was one instance when the two teams tied the league game in the 2007 T20 World Cup before India won the bowl-out. When asked about being in one of the dressing rooms for such a rivalry, Hayden recalled his time playing for Australia in the Ashes against their biggest rival, England.”For Australia, it’s England as the old guard, as they would say,” he said. “I mean, you could argue that England versus anyone considering that at various stages we’ve been ruled by the kingdom of the UK and cricket wouldn’t be on our shores if it hadn’t been for that. But nothing else that I’ve ever seen throughout various elements of the game that I’ve been a part of ever matches the rivalry between India and Pakistan.”There is an obvious pressure, as there is an obvious pressure against England if you’re an Australian. The pressure, though, is only as much as what you allow it to be. All that can be done is done. Your preparation is there. Your experience is there. Your opportunity now becomes a very history-making opportunity.”I sense that our players are ready for that opportunity, and I sense that there is a calmness around our group that wants us to be a successful competitor on the day. So all that is done is done and now it’s the opportunity of playing the game.”Matthew Hayden: “If you look at the way that even Fakhar is going about his preparations for this, not to single him out, but to look at the way that he has extended himself in the two warm-up matches, it’s exciting to think what can happen•AFP/Getty ImagesHayden retired in 2009 and has had only limited coaching experience so far. He has taken up occasional work in the media and as a commentator, and his assignment with Pakistan at the World Cup will be his first major coaching assignment.”Calmness is maybe something that (I want to bring in),” Hayden said . “A sense of calmness and control of remaining very present in play because World Cups are such a challenging thing and playing multiple World Cups has been such an important part of my life. One of the things that I’ve learned is that for whatever reason, you’re always under pressure so you don’t need to create it. You know, pressure environments are additional to what the game demands, so to remain calm, that’ll be the one thing.”Hayden watched a lot of the Indian players “closely” while commentating during the IPL in the UAE and said KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant are two batters Pakistan should watch out for.”I’ve been watching Indian cricket closely for some time,” Hayden said. “As I’ve just mentioned, I more or less watch KL Rahul, for example, who’s a major threat to Pakistan. Seeing his struggles with Test matches versus his dominance in the shorter formats of the game. Seeing someone like Rishabh Pant with his cheeky smile and his brash nature and his beautiful vision for the game. Watching how he destroyed bowling attacks because he’s got that opportunity and sees it that way. Individually, I think it’s always fantastic to see how players perform in a pressure match.”This (Pakistan) camp has got some wonderful assets that will perform on the day that are ready to perform. If you look at the way that even Fakhar [Zaman] is going about his preparations for this, not to single him out, but look at the way that he has extended himself in the two warm-up matches, it’s exciting to think what can happen, in a few days’ time versus India. Babar at No. 2 and Rizwan in the top three…you know, such a critical part of performances here in the UAE.”Generally speaking, when the powerplay has been such a significant part of T20 cricket in the UAE and there have been a few exceptions, but most sides that win the powerplay win the match and you don’t necessarily win the powerplay by being overly aggressive. So I think that we have a very strong batting combination, including Hafeez as well. That knowledge and that wisdom and that ability to be able to build and create opportunities at the top of the order is certainly among our batting strengths. Big totals here are never going to be achieved. You know, the two 200-plus totals I feel are going to be … it would take something extraordinary on the day for that to happen.”

Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS have decided to slash the salaries of Manchester United ambassadors in their latest round of brutal cost-cutting.

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United legends' salaries slashedINEOS continue cost-cutting processRatcliffe also ended Ferguson's contractFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Club legends like Bryan Robson, Denis Irwin and Andy Cole, who serve as global ambassadors for United, will see their salaries slashed significantly as part of the Ratcliffe-led INEOS group's ongoing cost-cutting process at Old Trafford, according to .

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The report adds that the fee for matchday ambassadorial duties usually ranges from £500 to £1,000. Robson, fondly known as 'Captain Marvel' by Red Devils fans has been serving as a global ambassador for United since 2011, while 1999 treble-winning stars Irwin and Cole, along with a host of other United legends, remain associated with the club in a similar capacity.

Getty ImagesDID YOU KNOW?

The cost-cutting started last year when Ratcliffe took the ruthless decision to terminate legendary former manager Sir Alex Ferguson's multi-million-pound contract as the club's global ambassador, effective from the 2025-26 season. It also affected the club's employees as around 250 non-playing staff were made redundant.

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(C)Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR MANCHESTER UNITED?

Ruben Amorim's struggling United side will be back in action on Thursday night in the Europa League as they host Scottish giants Rangers.

MatériaMais Notícias

As conquistas recentes dos clubes do futebol brasileiro evidenciaram a tendência de maior presença de uma marca nacional entre as gigantes do ramo esportivo no mercado. A Poker, especializada em luvas para goleiros, comemorou o título da Copa Libertadores do Palmeiras pelo segundo ano consecutivo, e assumiu a ponta de um ranking que leva em conta os feitos dos times do país nos últimos cinco anos. Tudo isso graças à parceria da marca com o goleiro Weverton, que levantou o troféu usando os produtos da marca.

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A empresa foi a que mais esteve presente no topo do pódio das grandes competições entre os fornecedores de luvas entre os anos de 2016 e 2021. No período, foram 16 times brasileiros campeões das quatro competições mais relevantes do futebol praticado na América do Sul: Campeonato Brasileiro, Copa do Brasil, Libertadores e Sul-Americana.

Entre eles, a Poker esteve representada seis vezes. Em oito ocasiões, os goleiros vencedores estavam distribuídos entre quatro diferentes marcas, com a vice-líder tendo três representantes, e em duas, os arqueiros não tinham nenhum patrocinador fixo, e alternavam os materiais durante a competição.

Além dos feitos de Weverton na Libertadores, o jogador foi campeão da Copa do Brasil de 2020 e do Brasileirão de 2018 pelo Palmeiras. Outro nome de destaque foi Santos, que representou a marca nas conquistas da Copa do Brasil de 2019 e da Copa Sul-Americana de 2018.

– Para nós, isso é apenas consequência de uma relação muito próxima com os atletas patrocinados. Damos a eles excelentes ferramentas de trabalho e eles fazem o seu melhor. Como costumo brincar, comparando a Fórmula 1: para ser campeão é preciso um piloto excepcional e uma escuderia que possa dar condições de ser campeão. Com a Poker é assim – afirmou o diretor de marketing da Poker, Rogério Cauduro, ao “MKT Esportivo”.

Mas comemorar títulos na maior competição da América do Sul não é novidade para a Poker. Além do bicampeonato de Weverton, a empresa também esteve presente em outras duas conquistas brasileiras: em 2006 com Clemer, do Internacional, e em 2012 com Cássio, do Corinthians.

– A Poker é tetracampeã da Libertadores. Isso é um marco para orgulhar as marcas brasileiras, pois seguimos quebrando as barreiras de termos apenas marcas internacionais figurando como as principais. Em nosso DNA temos essa “pegada” de nossos atletas serem vencedores, campeões e alcançarem títulos. Tanto é que, hoje, está muito difícil contar quantas conquistas regionais, nacionais e sul-americanas a marca possui – afirmou Cauduro, que fez questão de destacar a proximidade com os atletas para que o nível de excelência seja alcançado dentro e fora dos campos:

– Nossos goleiros parceiros são muito importantes para nós. Sempre estamos prontos para fazer o possível e, muitas vezes, o impossível para que eles tenham condições de estarem prontos para alcançarem grandes conquistas. Essa relação próxima faz com que a participação no desenvolvimento do produto, na opinião sobre posicionamento da marca, no orgulho de vestir uma marca genuinamente brasileira traga um sentimento de “juntos conquistamos”. Jamais será “você lá e eu aqui”. Estamos sempre batalhando juntos nos treinos, nas estratégias, nos dias mais complicados e nos bons. A conquista em conjunto se torna consequência.

Na temporada 2022, a marca terá uma chance ainda maior de aumentar seus números na maior competição da América do Sul. Isso porque, além do atual campeão Weverton, a Poker terá outros 12 atletas patrocinados no torneio. São eles: Vinicius (Palmeiras), Rafael (Atlético-MG), Hugo e César (Flamengo), Marcelo Boeck (Fortaleza), Cleiton e Júlio César (Red Bull), João Lopes (Fluminense), Matheus Cavichioli e Airton (América-MG), Jean (Cerro Porteño-PAR) e Joaquin Muñoz (Audax-CHI).

Manchester City’s first Champions League game of the season did not get off to an ideal start after they were held to a 0-0 draw at home to Italian champions Inter Milan. Simone Inzaghi’s side were superb and won a lot of plaudits for holding the Premier League holders away from home.

There were some golden chances for both sides throughout the game, especially in the second half. Henrikh Mkhitaryan missed from 15 yards for the visitors, blasting over the crossbar, and Phil Foden saw a shot saved with his right foot, which, had that been on his stronger side, might have ended up in the back of the net.

However, arguably City’s best two chances of the game came late on, for their returning midfielder Ilkay Gundogan. He had two headers from inside the penalty box, one of which landed safely in the arms of Yann Sommer, and the other which was headed over the bar.

Pep Guardiola will no doubt be disappointed that his side dropped points in the opening game of the Champions League. It will be a competition they are surely aiming to win, and they would have been hoping to kick-start proceedings with three points.

Man City’s attacking stats vs Inter

It was certainly a frustrating night for the Citizens who had plenty of chances but simply could not score.

As per Sofascore, Inter’s Swiss shot-stopper Sommer made an impressive five saves on the night, with three of those from shots inside the penalty area.

Overall, City had 22 shots against the 20-time Scudetto winners, managing to get just five efforts on target, seven being blocked by the I Nerazzurri defence, and the other ten completely missing the target.

Shots

22

Shots on target

5

Shots off target

10

Blocked shots

7

Shots inside the box

16

Shouts outside the box

6

Expected goals

2.35xG

Frustratingly for the Manchester outfit, their star striker, Erling Haaland, had a tough night at the Etihad Stadium.

He had just 14 touches and managed three shots. It will not be too much of a concern in terms of the Norweigan’s form, given he has nine goals in just four Premier League games, but it is frustrating for Guardiola that they could not score without Haaland.

It was certainly a disappointing night in front of goal for the Premier League side but one of their attackers in particular was underwhelming.

Savinho’s stats vs Inter

The player in question here is Brazilian winger Savinho. It was not an easy night for the 20-year-old who looked a far cry from his normal self. He is usually one of the most confident players on the pitch, taking players on in one-vs-one situations, but looked a shadow of that player.

He was subsequently taken off at half-time by Guardiola, and was replaced by Foden who had a much greater impact on the game than the Brazilian managed during his 45 minutes on the pitch.

The former Girona winger received a 6/10 rating for his performance from Simon Bajkowsk, chief Manchester City writer for the Manchester Evening News. The journalist explained that “it must be a concern” if he was getting subbed at half-time again for something other than tactical reasons.

Indeed, his tough night was reflected in his Sofascore stats. Surprisingly, the young winger attempted just one dribble, and whilst he did complete it, it is a far fewer amount attempted than normal. He did not manage to have a shot on target, lost the ball seven times, and even had one fewer touch than Ederson, 36 compared to the goalkeeper’s 37.

It was certainly a disappointing performance from the young winger, and it could see him dropped for a crunch clash against Arsenal on Sunday afternoon.

Whilst it is arguably harsh for Guarduola to make such a decision, he might prefer the impact of Foden in the team, or the addition of Jeremy Doku who is a more like-for-like change.

Man City let a big talent leave for £76k, now he's outperforming Grealish

The former Cityzens youngster has caught the eye since moving on from The Etihad.

1 ByDan Emery Sep 9, 2024

Liverpool confidently won their first game of the new Premier League season back in front of their adoring Anfield masses, as Arne Slot's men beat Thomas Frank's Brentford with relative ease 2-0.

Limiting the visiting Bees to just two shots on target in the game, the Reds could well have won by more on another day, with 19 total efforts registered on Mark Flekken's constantly busy goal.

Thankfully, Mohamed Salah kept onside deep into the second half to stroke an effort home that wrapped up a routine three points in the end, but it was Luis Diaz down the opposing flank that really shone during the comfortable victory.

Luis Diaz's performance in numbers

Unable to open his Premier League account away at Ipswich Town on the opening day, despite tallying up three efforts on the Tractor Boys net, Luis Diaz certainly turned up for the test back on home soil today.

The blistering Colombian winger had the exact same amount of shots registered up against Flekken but converted this time around, finishing off a well-executed counter-attack by lashing an effort past the Bees number one to ease any early nerves at Anfield to make it 1-0.

Away from that important opener, the electric Reds number seven was also ice-cold with the ball at his feet, with zero misplaced passes managed from his 41 touches, alongside offering grit when needed with six ground duels won, before going on another mazey dart forward.

Substituted off on the 72nd-minute mark for Cody Gakpo to get some minutes up top, Slot would have been delighted with the South American forward's individual display when he was at full pelt, with his four key passes on the day also nearly gifting him an assist to make the scoreline more emphatic.

Away from the entertaining attacking performance as a collective, Liverpool were also rock solid at the back courtesy of Ibrahima Konate starring in the heart of defence, who justified his starting spot against Brentford.

Konate's performance in numbers

Not featuring in Suffolk against Kieran McKenna's men from the get-go, with Jarell Quansah starting alongside Virgil Van Dijk initially, Konate was substituted on at half-time in that potential banana skin and ensured the Reds looked far more controlled defensively in that 2-0 win after a shaky first-half.

Fast forward to today, and the French centre-back performed in exactly the same manner over the straightforward 90 minutes, with another clean sheet notched up on his 24/25 resume.

Stat

Konate

Minutes played

90

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches

87

Accurate passes

73/76 (96%)

Possession lost

4x

Clearances

3

Blocked shots

1

Tackles

3

Duels won

4/4

Stats by Sofascore

Glancing at Konate's glowing numbers from the game, when taking in the table above, the former RB Leipzig man has surely made that second centre-back spot next to Van Dijk his own going forward now, with 73 accurate passes managed – the most by any Liverpool shirt – and a flawless record with his duels as four out of four were bravely won.

Both Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa were limited to rare chances in the game as a result of Konate's imposing display, with an opening usually thwarted before it became too dangerous, often after a breakaway run forward fizzled out.

Konate's top display was reflected in Liverpool Echo journalist Ian Doyle's post-match ratings, with the 6 foot 4 titan handed an 8/10 rating after the dust had settled.

Doyle labelled the 25-year-old's showing as "composed and decisive", with Slot now hopeful that his number five can be as cool and collected when travelling to Manchester United next weekend.

A 100% record from their opening two league games will make for encouraging reading from Liverpool's perspective, but another victory on the board against Erik ten Hag's men to come would very much see the optimism levels raised once more that this can be a stunning season, even with Jurgen Klopp no longer occupying the dug-out.

Report: Liverpool make new contact over "complete" £31k-a-week player

The Reds are eyeing a transfer hijack.

ByHenry Jackson Aug 25, 2024

Of all the sweet sounds we shall hear this season few will be recalled more fondly in autumn than the rich applause that greeted the fall of Somerset’s first wicket at Bristol today. This will be hard on Tom Lammonby, whose incautious skitter down the pitch led to his run out for 3 off the eighth ball of the game; but it will be pleasant indeed for Ian Cockbain, whose clean pick up and accurate throw at a single stump from midwicket was a rather brilliant piece of work. It is still the applause we will remember, though, for it came from the 700 or so souls who had braved poor weather and a worse forecast in order that they could return home this evening and say, for the first time in 602 days, that they had watched some cricket on this ground.A few people arrived early, of course. At 9.18am a man in a red anorak took up residence in the Mound Stand and at roughly the same moment a chap in a light tweed jacket on the opposite side was branding the weather “ridiculous”. A lovely couple parked their white Honda before spending the next two minutes smiling contentedly at the world. Another fellow arrived sporting a Somerset flag with the wyvern defiantly salient. But there are probably folk who would have turned up at the County Ground today if Armageddon had been 20/1 on and their homes had been washed away in God’s kerfuffle. There were even times when one felt roles had been reversed: that the spectators were performing for the players by demonstrating their loyalty, even as rain drove in from the west.Cockbain’s run out of Lammonby cheered home supporters before some of them had settled in but the following 45 minutes’ cricket was less obviously eventful as Tom Abell and Eddie Byrom resisted a Gloucestershire attack led by David Payne and Ryan Higgins. The Somerset pair’s tenacity and patience were admirable; this was the sort of morning on which sides can lose half their side while a spectator drinks his flat white.Byrom’s leg glance off Dan Worrall brought us our first boundary of the match but that delight was followed by a ten-minute break for bad light. During this time the umpires remained in the middle, their trousers fluttering in the breeze, much like the garments deliberately quivered by Eric Morecambe, Ernie Wise and Francis Matthews in their pastiche of 1930s detective fiction. As though momentarily in tune with that mood the clouds soon rolled by and Somerset’s batsmen marked the occasion with a trio of fours. Abell’s straight drive off Matt Taylor was the pick of them but our joys were brief. Just past noon the rain fell from squabbling clouds and before long a groundsman was grappling with a tarpaulin much as a first-year undergraduate struggles with a duvet cover.It turned out that we had seen our last cricket of the day. There was an early lunch and an early tea. There were also several inspections but the brief dry spells and snatches of blue sky played everyone false. During the worst of the rain the spectators crouched in the stands shielded by their umbrellas or they found shelter and talked quietly of the past year or more.Some of the people present had spent many of those long months in their houses, guarding their loved ones, waiting for better days. And now the absolute imperative to stay at home had been replaced by the gentler injunction that they must go to the cricket. Neither the rain nor a breeze lacking charity could deter them. They are among the salt of the earth

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Em situações opostas no Campeonato Brasileiro da Série B, Confiança e Avaí entraram em campo na noite deste sábado, na Arena Batistão, em Aracaju, pensando unicamente na vitória. Em uma partida muito movimentada, o Dragão alcançou mais um feito na competição desta vez por 3 a 1.

Com o resultado, o Dragão chegou aos 28 pontos, porém segue no Z4 da competição ocupando a 19ª colocação. Já o Leão, por conta do tropeço fora de casa, acabou ficando na 4ª colocação agora com 50 pontos. O Avaí desperdiçou, portanto, a chance de assumir a vice-liderança da Série B, hoje ocupada pelo Botafogo, com 52 pontos.

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>Aplicativo de resultados do LANCE! está disponível na versão iOS

INÍCIO DE JOGO EQUILIBRADO

Mesmo jogando longe de seus domínios, a equipe do Avaí não quis saber de levar o tradicional sufoco nos minutos iniciais e tratou de ir para cima. Com isso, logo aos 2 minutos, Lourenço testou o goleiro Rafael Santos em um bonito arremate, dando trabalho ao camisa 1 no primeiro lance.

Entretanto, o Confiança, tentando impor sua força em campo, respondeu na mesma moeda logo em seguida. Em uma boa chegada na área, Álvaro tentou a finalização, mas acabou vendo Betão fazer a interceptação evitando a tentativa por parte do atacante.

LEÃO PASSA A DITAR RITMO, MAS DRAGÃO ABRE A CONTAGEM

Com o tempo passando, a equipe catarinense passou a aparecer mais em seu campo de ataque. Sendo assim, em três boas descidas, criou boas chances com Jadson, Copete e Vinícius Leite, porém todas sem sucesso para lamentação do técnico Claudinei Oliveira.

Voltando a equilibrar as coisas, o time de Luizinho Lopes deu a resposta. Depois de duas tentativas por parte de Álvaro, aos 35, a árbitra Edina Alves Batista, através do VAR, acabou confirmando um pênalti a favor do Dragão. Na cobrança, Lohan deslocou o goleiro Glédson abrindo a contagem no Batistão.

AVAÍ ADOTA POSTURA OFENSIVA E ENCONTRA GOL DE EMPATE

Com a bola rolando para a etapa final, os visitantes sabiam que o relógio seria um dos obstáculos no duelo também. Mesmo esbarrando no forte sistema defensivo por parte do Confiança, conseguiu encontrar espaços para as finalizações de Copete e Lourenço.

Percebendo o adversário vir para cima, Luizinho Lopes então recuou para seus suplentes trocando seus volantes colocando Vinícius Barba no lugar de Willians Santana. Por outro lado, Claudinei arriscou mais colocando Getúlio no lugar de Vinícius Leite. E quem se deu melhor foi o comandante do Leão. Aos 15 minutos, em cruzamento para o meio da área, Romulo só teve o trabalho de empurrar para o fundo das redes, deixando tudo igual.

DRAGÃO PERDE CHANCE INCRÍVEL NA SEQUÊNCIA

Em euforia com o tento marcado, a equipe do Avaí não contava com uma ducha de água fria momentos depois de balançar as redes. Aos 17, outra vez a árbitra da partida, através do VAR, marcou um novo pênalti para os mandantes. Entretanto, mesmo tendo convertido a primeira chance, Lohan acabou desperdiçando a segunda com sua batida acertando a trave mantendo o placar igualado.

EQUIPE SERGIPANA FAZ MAIS DOIS E FECHA A CONTA

Após novas substituições de ambos os lados, o duelo ganhou em emoção. Buscando seu campo de ataque, o Confiança, em um primeiro momento, chegou a vibrar com o gol marcado por Rafael Vila, mas acabou sendo anulado pela arbitragem que flagrou um impedimento no lance. Entretanto, após revisão através do VAR, Edna voltou atrás e validou o gol por parte dos mandantes, deixando o Avaí outra vez atrás no placar.

Nos minutos finais do tempo regulamentar, além dos 8 minutos acréscimos, o Leão apostou suas última fichas para correr atrás do prejuízo. Mesmo fazendo uma blitz na área adversária, não conseguiu criar chances reais para marcar, dando a deixa para Neto Berola, após um rápido contra-ataque, fechar a conta em Aracaju com vitória do Dragão.

FICHA TÉCNICA
CONFIANÇA 3×1 AVAÍ

Data e horário: 16/10/2021, às 21h (de Brasília)
​Local: Arena Batistão, em Aracaju (SE)
Árbitro:Edina Alves Batista (FIFA-SP)
Assistentes:Neuza Ines Back (FIFA-SP) eLeila Naiara Moreira da Cruz (FIFA-DF)
VAR:Daiane Caroline Muniz dos Santos (FIFA-SP)

Cartões Amarelos: Betão, 18’/2ºT; Jadson, 18’/2ºT

Gols:Lohan, 37’/1ºT (1-0); Romulo, 15’/2ºT (1-1); Rafael Vila, 35’/2ºT (2-1); Neto Berola, 53’/2ºT (3-1)

CONFIANÇA:Rafael Santos; Jonathan Bocão, Nirley, Adalberto e João Paulo; Madison (Neto Berola, aos 25’/2ºT), Jhemerson (Rafael Vila, aos 8’/2ºT), Álvaro, Willians Santana (Vinícius Barba, aos 14’/2ºT) e Ítalo (Robinho, aos 25’/2ºT); Lohan (Tiago Reis, aos 25’/2ºT).
(Técnico: Luizinho Lopes)

AVAÍ:Glédson; Edilson, Betão, Fagner Alemão e Diego Renan; Jean Cléber, Lourenço (Marcos Serrato, aos 39’/2ºT)e Jadson (Valdívia, aos 31’/2ºT); Vinícius Leite (Getúlio, aos 13’/2ºT), Copete e Romulo.
(Técnico: Claudinei Oliveira)