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كشفت تقارير إعلامية اليوم الأحد، عن قرار اتخذته إدارة نادي ليفربول تجاه المدير الفني للفريق آرني سلوت، وذلك عقب تعادل الريدز مع ليدز يونايتد بالدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

وفشل ليفربول في تحقيق الانتصار على ليدز يونايتد وتعادل معه بثلاثة أهداف لكل فريق يوم أمس السبت، مما زاد من حجم الضغوطات على سلوت.

ويتواجد ليفربول في المركز الثامن في ترتيب الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، ليبتعد الريدز تمامًا عن مراكز الصدارة في البطولة المحلية.

وذكرت صحيفة سبورت بيلد الألمانية، أن مستقبل سلوت مع ليفربول بات محل شك، حيث يعتبر المدير الفني الهولندي مهددًا بالإقالة عن تدريب النادي الإنجليزي خلال الفترة المقبلة.

أقرا أيضًا .. ميرفي عن تصريحات محمد صلاح: وضع ليفربول في موقف محرج

وأضافت الصحيفة، أن إدارة ليفربول قررت منح سلوت مهلة حتى أعياد الميلاد في نهاية الشهر الجاري وذلك بشأن تغيير الوضع الحالي في الفريق.

وأوضحت بيلد، أن إدارة ليفربول تؤمن أن سلوت عليه أن يبدأ في اتخاذ خطوات إيجابية تجاه تغيير الوضع في الفريق، لكن إذا استمرت الأمور على حالها فسوف يتم إقالته.

وأتمت الصحيفة قائلة، أن إدارة ليفربول لم تتواصل حتى الآن مع يورجن كلوب بشأن عودة محتملة إلى ملعب آنفيلد.

وكانت بعض الأنباء قد أفادت بعد نهاية مباراة ليفربول وليدز يونايتد، أن إدارة الريدز تفكر بشكل جدي في إقالة سلوت وتعيين أسطورة النادي الإنجليزي، ستيفن جيرارد، بدلًا منه بشكل مؤقت.

كما ورد أن جوليان ناجيلسمان، مدرب منتخب ألمانيا، على رادار ليفربول لتدريب الفريق بدلًا من سلوت.

Man United are reportedly planning a bold move to sign one Arsenal sensation who’s now shot to the very top of Ruben Amorim’s transfer agenda.

Arsenal maintain perfect Champions League record after Brugge win

Arsenal extended their flawless Champions League campaign to six consecutive wins after dismantling Club Brugge 3-0 at the Jan Breydel Stadium on Wednesday evening, moving three points clear atop the league phase standings.

Noni Madueke delivered a match-winning performance with a sensational brace, whilst Gabriel Martinelli added a spectacular third to virtually guarantee automatic qualification for the last 16 with two fixtures remaining.

Mikel Arteta made five changes from Saturday’s disappointing 2-1 defeat against Aston Villa, with Christian Norgaard deployed as makeshift centre-back alongside Piero Hincapie due to Arsenal’s current defensive injury crisis.

Jurrien Timber, William Saliba, Gabriel and Cristhian Mosquera were all unavailable, forcing Arteta to improvise.

Madueke opened the scoring with a piece of absolute brilliance after 25 minutes, collecting the ball just inside the Belgian side’s half before embarking on a mazy run, shrugging off multiple challenges and unleashing a venomous long-range strike that crashed off the underside of the crossbar and into the net.

The England international doubled Arsenal’s advantage just 80 seconds into the second period, arriving unmarked at the back post to power Martin Zubimendi’s cross beyond goalkeeper Dani van den Heuvel.

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Martinelli then etched his name into Arsenal history nine minutes later by becoming the club’s first player to score in five consecutive Champions League matches.

The Brazilian cut inside from the left touchline, weaved past a Brugge defender and curled an exquisite right-footed effort from the edge of the penalty area into the top corner.

David Raya preserved Arsenal’s sixth clean sheet of the competition with seven saves, dealing comfortably with Club Brugge’s pressure despite the hosts creating numerous opportunities throughout the encounter.

The Belgian champions, under new manager Ivan Leko following Nicky Hayen’s surprising Monday dismissal, tested Arsenal’s makeshift defence regularly but lacked clinical finishing.

Gabriel Jesus also made his emotional competitive return after 332 days sidelined with an ACL injury, entering as a second-half substitute.

The Brazilian striker nearly marked his comeback with a goal too, smashing the crossbar after being found by Ethan Nwaneri.

Speaking of Nwaneri, who was introduced by Arteta to replace Martin Odegaard in the second-half of their Brugge triumph, a surprise report has emerged on his long-term future.

Man United plan 'audacious' move for Arsenal gem Ethan Nwaneri

The Hale End sensation is now attracting serious interest from Old Trafford, according to a report by CaughtOffside in their Daily Briefing.

Nwaneri has struggled for consistent minutes this season, starting just three matches so far with two of them coming in the Carabao Cup.

He’s an incredible player, one hailed as “Arsenal’s version of Phil Foden and Jamal Musiala” by one analyst on social media, but Arteta is also yet to hand the 18-year-old a single Premier League start this term, with Nwaneri said to be growing ‘frustrated’ and ‘fed up’ with his lack of opportunities.

CaughtOffside state that United are planning an ‘audacious’ January move for Nwaneri to take full advantage of this, with the Englishman now among their top winter transfer priorities.

The report also claims that Arsenal’s ‘financial position has quietly become far more precarious’ than they’re publicly admitting, and they may be ‘forced’ into a high-profile sale.

United believe that they can prise Nwaneri away from the Emirates as a result of this and the player’s own desire for game time, but it is very hard to imagine Arsenal greenlighting any permanent transfer to a direct rival.

There are far better candidates to balance the books, and if Nwaneri is to leave, the far more likely scenario is a dry loan to help further his development elsewhere.

Since Pep Guardiola was appointed Manchester City manager in 2016, the club have spent around £1.276bn on more than 50 new recruits.

Some have, of course, been a massive success, none more so than Erling Braut Håland, arriving from Borussia Dortmund for £51m in the summer of 2022, so far scoring 143 goals in 164 appearances for the Sky Blues, which isn’t bad.

However, others have not lived up to the expectations set upon their arrival, disappearing into the proverbial wilderness without a trace.

So, is one of Man City’s summer signings, not so long ago labelled one of the best players in the Premier League, in danger of becoming the latest man to follow this path?

Kalvin Phillips' Manchester City career

When Kalvin Phillips joined Manchester City from Leeds United for £42m in the summer of 2022, he was a first-choice starter for England and widely considered to be one of the best defensive midfielders in the Premier League.

However, to date, he has made just 32 appearances for the Sky Blues, totalling a miserly 921, accumulating only six starts, while 12 of his outings have lasted ten minutes or fewer.

After unsuccessful loan spells at both West Ham and then Ipswich, Phillips is back at Manchester City now, featuring in the Carabao Cup in September, entrusted with a seven-minute cameo towards the end of the victory over Huddersfield Town.

This was his first appearance for the Citizens for 645 days, his last before that coming against Urawa Red Diamonds in Jeddah in the Club World Cup semi-finals of 2023.

Having not represented England for over two years, fair to say this move has wrecked Phillips’ career, going from international star to complete obscurity, yet to even appear on a Man City bench in the Premier League or Champions League this season – including in Saturday’s 3-2 win over his former club.

So, which of Guardiola’s summer recruits is in danger of repeating this trajectory?

Manchester City's next Kalvin Phillips

For the majority of Guardiola’s tenure at the Etihad, the left-back spot has been up for grabs.

First, Fabian Delph and Oleksandr Zinchenko were deployed as midfielders in that role while, more recently, a rotating cast of centre-backs have filled the position, including Joško Gvardiol and Nathan Aké.

So, when Rayan Aït-Nouri arrived from Wolverhampton Wanderers for a reported fee of £31.8m in June, supporters were delighted as the left-back conundrum appeared to have been solved.

The Algerian international joined Wolves from Angers in 2020, making 157 appearances for the club, and becoming one of their most outstanding players.

In the Premier League last season, the 24-year-old registered seven assists, a tally only bettered by 16 players and just one defender, namely Antonee Robinson.

As a result, Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley described him as “one of the Premier League’s best players” last season, while Manchester City director of football Hugo Viana praised his “quality” upon his arrival.

Having switched allegiance from France, Aït-Nouri will be looking forward to representing Algeria at both next month’s Africa Cup of Nations, the Desert Foxes among the favourites to triumph in Morocco, as well as the World Cup in the summer, but he may not be going into those competitions all guns blazing.

Despite earning rave reviews for his performances in old gold, the full-back has made very little impact in sky blue thus far, as the table below documents.

Aït-Nouri’s Man City stats
Stats	Aït-Nouri	Man City rank
Minutes	315	22nd
Appearances	7	21st
Starts	5	20th
Completed passes	153	20th
Tackles	10	10th
Ball recoveries	10	20th
Touches	222	19th
Stats via FBref

As the table documents, Aït-Nouri is yet to make his mark since joining Manchester City.

Since starting two of three Premier League matches in August, he has seen just one minute of action in the competition, partially as a result of an ankle injury.

He was handed his full Champions League debut against Bayer Leverkusen on Tuesday, but was hooked at half-time as Guardiola made a triple substitution, with his team a goal down, ultimately beaten 2-0 by the Bundesliga side.

Aït-Nouri’s performance in that one did not earn rave reviews.

Richard Martin of Goal noted that he lacked ‘awareness defensively or creativity going forward’, awarding him a 4/10, while Simon Bajkowski of the Manchester Evening News believes he was at fault for die Werkself’s opening goal, criticising his ‘heavy touches and poor passes’.

The Algerian was replaced by Nico O’Reilly at the interval, and the form of the 20-year-old is also a problem for him.

The youngster has been outstanding this season, thereby starting both England World Cup qualifiers against Serbia and Albania earlier this month, and will not be an easy man to displace at left-back, for club or country.

Thus, unlikely to be given regular starting opportunities any time soon, Aït-Nouri is in danger of slipping into the Phillips vortex of being forgotten and cast aside by Guardiola.

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Amid an abysmal offensive start, the Texas Rangers are turning to a former player who knows hitting well.

The Rangers are hiring ex-MLB second baseman Bret Boone as their hitting coach, the team announced on Monday afternoon.

Boone, 56, played 14 seasons with five teams. He is primarily known for his two stints with the Seattle Mariners, and particularly for his performance in 2001—when he slashed .331/.372/.578 with 37 home runs and 141 RBIs.

Texas will task Boone with turning around an offense slashing .228/.285/.359; its batting average and on-base percentage would both rank in the bottom 10 in the franchise's six-decade history.

Boone is a member of a prominent baseball family; his brother Aaron manages the New York Yankees, while is father Bob and grandfather Ray were both also MLB All-Stars.

The Rangers are currently 17-18, four games behind the first-place Seattle Mariners in the American League West race. Texas is scheduled to open a three-game series against the Boston Red Sox Tuesday.

Leeds United travel away from West Yorkshire and Elland Road to face Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League this afternoon.

The Whites are looking to win back-to-back matches in the Premier League for the first time this season, after they beat West Ham United in their last outing.

Daniel Farke’s side won, thanks to goals from Brenden Aaronson and Joe Rodon, and Anton Stach did not play a single minute of the match at Elland Road.

Why Leeds should unleash Anton Stach

Despite beating the Hammers, Leeds can improve on their performance from last time out because they failed to put the game out of sight for the away side, which led to a nervy ending when they pulled a goal back.

After Rodon’s goal, the Whites did not create a single chance that was worth more than 0.14 xG, per Sofascore, and they allowed West Ham to get back into the game, albeit they were able to hang on for all three points.

Stach, who did not get on the pitch, has proven that he can provide a threat at the top end of the pitch from a midfield position, with one goal, 1.8 key passes per game, and two ‘big chances’ created in eight appearances, per Sofascore.

The summer signing from Hoffenheim has shown that he can be a difference-maker with his individual quality, which could help Leeds to capitalise on a shaky Brighton defence that has conceded 15 goals in the Premier League.

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

In order to bring Stach into the starting line-up, though, Farke would have to ruthlessly ditch Ao Tanaka, whose performances he has recently defended.

Why Leeds should drop Ao Tanaka

After the win over West Ham, the Japan international stated that he is “not good enough at the moment” and that he will be using these experiences to improve as a player.

Asked about Tanaka’s honest admission, Farke said: “He had a really good start to the season with us. I didn’t expect him to be man of the match [vs West Ham], being in his first match after injury back in the starting line up, but I think he was quite solid and showed a really, really good performance.”

In spite of his defence of the central midfielder’s comments and performance, the German head coach should drop the midfield maestro from the XI because Stach may be able to offer more quality against Brighton.

Appearances

7

8

xG

0.16

0.79

Goals

0

1

Key passes per game

0.6

1.8

Big chances created

0

2

Ground duel success rate

18%

52%

Aerial duel success rate

43%

77%

Tackles + interceptions per game

0.7

2.3

As you can see in the table above, Tanaka has struggled to influence games in the Premier League this season, as he has offered little in the final third whilst being dominated by opposition players physically.

The Japanese midfielder is seemingly still adjusting to the step up from the Championship, which is understandable, but Stach has shown that he can make an impact offensively and hold his own defensively in his eight starts in the division.

Given Brighton’s defensive struggles this season, conceding 15 goals in nine games, it could be the right time to bring the German central midfielder back into the starting line-up to give the Whites the best chance of causing their defence problems.

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Therefore, Farke should ruthlessly drop Tanaka from the XI, despite his defence of the midfielder’s display against West Ham, because it may improve the team’s chances of winning this afternoon, given the context of the opposition.

Chelsea ran out 2-1 winners over Premier League champions Liverpool on Saturday despite fielding a weakened side, and Sky Sports pundit Micah Richards says a previously struggling player shined alongside Moises Caicedo.

Chelsea battle to dramatic 2-1 win over Liverpool

After what was a difficult last few weeks in the build up to their clash at Stamford Bridge, with reports even suggesting tension between Enzo Maresca and Chelsea’s board (Simon Phillips), the Blues couldn’t have gone into the international break on more of a high.

Supporters perhaps feared the worst, knowing that Maresca had precious few options to pick from defensively, with Trevoh Chalobah, Wesley Fofana, Levi Colwill and Tosin Adarabioyo all forced to miss Liverpool through injury or suspension.

Maresca elected to start youngster Josh Acheampong alongside Benoit Badiashile at the heart of Chelsea’s defence, and the duo managed to keep Arne Slot’s side fairly at bay as the West Londoners sealed a dramatic victory.

Caicedo opened the scoring with one of the goals of the season so far, thundering a long-range strike past Giorgi Marmadashvilli just 14 minutes into the keeper’s Premier League debut.

Cody Gakpo managed to grab one back for the visitors, but it was exciting teenage sensation Estevao Willian who scored next deep into added time — securing all three points as the delighted Maresca was sent off for his jubilant celebrations.

Caicedo and Estevao grabbed most of the headlines for their obvious contributions on an afternoon to remember for Chelsea, but a few other star performers deserve a worthy mention.

Star right-back Reece James was impeccable against Liverpool, and Chelsea will be praying the Englishman’s shin problem isn’t too serious after he withdrew from the England squad with Man City’s Nico O’Reilly replacing him.

Statistics

James

Match rank

Tackles

5

1st

Defensive actions

10

1st

Blocks

1

1st

Interceptions

2

2nd

Key passes

2

4th

Accurate passes

50

2nd

Duels contested

10

3rd

Duels won

8

1st

Aerial duels won

2

1st

Touches

83

1st

SofaScore rating

7.2

5th

As well as the aforementioned, redeemed star Enzo Fernandez once again proved very capable in his more advanced midfield role.

The Argentina international was struggling to justify his mammoth price tag around this time last year after a difficult start to life in London, but he’s since become a mainstay of Maresca’s midfield as Fernandez also attracts serious rumoured interest from Real Madrid.

Micah Richards says Chelsea star Enzo Fernandez now has "everything"

Speaking on The Rest is Football Podcast, Richards was effusive in his praise for the 24-year-old after Liverpool — saying Fernandez now has “everything” after becoming a “leader” at Chelsea.

Even taking into account the odd sub-par performance this season, Maresca has made it clear what he thinks of Fernandez, with the Italian underlining his plan to utilise the ex-Benfica star in an attacking midfield role more often than not.

Wayne Rooney’s son Kai is nearing a return to action after suffering a “life can’t get any worse” injury blow. The talented youngster, who continues to catch the eye in the Red Devils’ academy system, has been nursing a foot problem since September. His recovery is almost complete, with Rooney junior back in boots and stepping out onto the training field.

• Another Rooney to lead the line for Man Utd?

  Kai celebrated turning 16 on November 2, but has spent several weeks stuck on the sidelines unable to do what he loves most. The highly-rated teenager is held in high regard at Old Trafford, with there every chance that he will follow in the illustrious footsteps of his famous father.

  Wayne remains United’s all-time leading scorer, having registered 253 goals for the Red Devils, but could see his eldest son begin to chase down that record at some point in the not too distant future.

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• Has Kai Rooney recovered from injury?

  Kai has been stepping up the age groups in United’s youth ranks, earning a call-up to their U19 side prior to being laid low with an untimely knock. He has already savoured success in tournaments around Europe, with trophy wins being added to his CV.

  It was, however, revealed in September 2025 that a blow to his right foot had been suffered – leaving Rooney sporting a protective boot. He posted an image on social media alongside the caption: “Life can’t get worse.”

  More pictures from behind the scenes have now been shared, with Kai revealing how close he is to earning a recall at United. He is back on the grass, with boots being laced up again as he works on rebuilding match fitness and sharpness.

  Instagram

• Man Utd urged to appoint Rooney as a coach

  The Rooneys have been lapping up some sunshine of late, with Kai joining dad Wayne on a trip to Dubai. The ex-England captain was in the Middle East during the October half-term break as he continues to deliver coaching sessions in that region with Football Escapes. He was joined on this occasion at the Jumeirah Beach Hotel by former Nottingham Forest and Tottenham defender Michael Dawson.

  Having enjoyed a relaxing break, Kai is now ready to resume his football career. It has been suggested that his ongoing development could be aided by a return to Old Trafford for his father – who has struggled as a manager across stints with Derby, D.C. United, Birmingham and Plymouth.

  Former team-mate Danny Simpson recently told GOAL when asked if United should add Rooney to their coaching team – allowing him to work with Kai in the academy ranks: “Kai, I’ve seen him play a few times and he looks fantastic – looks just like his dad but obviously left-footed! Any time that you get a chance to bring these ex-players back in, I think you have to. Whether he would want to do that, I don’t know.”

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  Disney documentary: What next for the Rooneys?

  Kai has not always wanted his father to be that close, with mother Coleen telling of how Wayne can be an unwelcome distraction: “I’ve got to make them aware that with social media, things can come back around again. My eldest is 15, he’s at a football academy [in Manchester] where they have social media workshops. They’re told if they put anything online now and you’re in the public eye, it can affect you later on.

  “But I think our kids grew up with it. There’s certain things that it does affect – there were times when the kids have said, when Wayne was playing, ‘Can Dad stay at home?’ because we didn’t get around the theme park. Or, ‘He’s not watching me play football because he’s being asked for selfies.’

  “He’s grateful for fans too, so it’s a hard situation. We’ve obviously made them aware of things as they’ve got older and started to understand things.”

  Wayne is free to watch Kai in action at present, having opted against another return to management, with the 40-year-old enjoying punditry work with Match of the Day and TNT Sports. He is also set to star in an upcoming Disney+ documentary alongside Coleen and their four sons.

Pant had shown dissent by throwing the ball on the ground in front of the umpires on the third day after they had refused to change the ball

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Jun-2025

Rishabh Pant has scored two centuries in the Headingley Test•Getty Images

India wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant has been handed an official reprimand for breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct during the Headingley Test. In addition, one demerit point has been added to Pant’s disciplinary record, for whom it was the first offence in 24 months.The ICC found that Pant had breached Article 2.8 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to “showing dissent at an Umpire’s decision during an International Match.” The incident had occurred in the 61st over of England’s first innings when Pant was having a discussion with the umpires regarding the condition of the ball, while Ben Stokes and Harry Brook were at the crease.”When the umpires refused to change the ball after checking it with the ball gauge, the wicket-keeper showed his dissent by throwing the ball on the ground in front of the umpires,” the ICC release said. Pant admitted to the offence and accepted the sanction imposed by match referee Richie Richardson, after the charges were brought in by on-field umpires Chris Gaffaney and Paul Reiffel.The first Test of the series is poised nicely for the last day, with England set a target of 371. They were 21 for 0 after the fourth day, with openers Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley at the crease.

Thomas Frank must be wondering what the fuss is all about. Managing Tottenham Hotspur isn’t that tricky, is it? Think again.

Spurs kicked off their Premier League campaign with back-to-back wins over Burnley and Manchester City. They even led PSG 2-0 in the UEFA Super Cup. However, a mini crisis is always around the corner at Spurs.

While crisis may be pushing it a bit, their 1-0 defeat to Bournemouth on Saturday did raise some alarm bells. The Cherries managed 20 shots. Spurs managed just five and failed to create a single big chance.

Well, the arrival of Xavi Simons should certainly help in that regard, but is there more to come for the Lilywhites? Quite possibly.

Spurs transfer deadline day plans

If there’s one area that Spurs could recruit in during the dying hours of the transfer window, it’s in attack where you sense some quality is still left to be found.

A number of players, including Ademola Lookman and Savinho have been touted, with both players hoping to move before the window slams shut.

Savinho, in particular, is pushing for a move to north London and has been left frustrated by Manchester City’s stance this summer.

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Well, it would appear an alternative has been lined up. According to The Independent this Sunday, one player Spurs are said to be ‘looking’ at is AC Milan winger Rafael Leao.

The report states that Spurs would ‘prefer’ to sign a winger before 7pm on Monday, although a move for Leao is seen as a difficult one to do at this moment in time.

Why Leao is as exciting as Simons

After James Maddison suffered an ACL injury it was imperative that Spurs went out and signed another no.10.

They failed with their pursuit of Eberechi Eze but it matters no more as far as Frank and Co are concerned. Simons is now a Spurs player.

He was unveiled in front of Tottenham supporters prior to the defeat to Bournemouth and he must have been wishing he was on the field to help his new teammates.

Help is exactly what he’ll provide, specifically from a creative point of view. He’s also a goalscorer and could transform this Spurs attack.

In 2024/25, the former Leipzig man scored 11 goals and supplied eight assists. The campaign prior, the young Dutchman was even better, netting ten times and registering 15 assists.

Games

25

Goals & assists

17

Pass accuracy

83%

Chances created

2.2

Successful dribbles

1.4

Tackles won

75%

Duels won

5.7

Yet, Leao, who has been causing chaos for Champions League defences in recent years, would be an even more exciting addition.

The primary reason is that, in the words of data analyst Ben Mattinson, he is “one of the best left wingers in the world”.

Why is that the case? Well, back in 2022, Milan coach Stefano Pioli said: “Leao reminds me a lot of the early Thierry Henry, who started wide then came inside.”

It’s safe to say he’s one of the most captivating forwards in the world, something backed up by the numbers. In 2024/25, the Portuguese winger scored 12 times and also provided 13 assists in all competitions. One year prior, the electric speedster scored 15 and managed 14 assists.

He’s a duel threat packed with speed, chaos and energy. He’s like a younger Heung-min Son in that sense.

Over the last year, the 26-year-old ranks inside the top 4% of wingers in Europe’s top five leagues for successful take-ons. He’s so lively and that ability to beat a player and get in behind a backline will be game-changing alongside Simons.

The Netherlands international is a superb pick-up for Spurs but Leao is a true game-changer. He’s been renowned as one of the best wingers in European football for a number of years now and would be the maverick forward Frank needs to really push on domestically and on the continent this season.

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Alejandro Garnacho broke his silence on his bitter Manchester United exit after an impressive performance for Chelsea during their Champions League win over Benfica. The Argentine winger shone under the lights of Stamford Bridge as Chelsea edged past Jose Mourinho’s Benfica in the Champions League. His dangerous cross forced Richard Rios into an own goal, sealing a priceless 1-0 win for Enzo Maresca’s side.

• The 'bomb squad' fallout

  Garnacho’s Chelsea move came after he was lumped together with Marcus Rashford, Antony and others in a so-called 'bomb squad', training away from the first-team picture as Ruben Amorim decided they no longer fit his plans. While his former team-mates scrambled for new clubs, Garnacho eventually landed in London. Four appearances in for Chelsea, with two starts under his belt, it’s looking like a transfer that could haunt United.

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  Garnacho eager to move on

  Garnacho's attitude was frequently criticised at United and he engaged in a public spat with Amorim, which ultimately led to him being exiled from the United first team. The Argentine has been given a fresh start at Chelsea, though, and is eager to move on from a difficult period in his career. Speaking after the Benfica match, Garnacho chose not to lash out at his old club, despite the bitter split. 

  “I’ve got nothing bad to say about my old club Manchester United, just bad moments in life," he told . "I’m very happy to be here now, play in this competition and get 3 points today."

• Maresca lavishes praise on winger

  Chelsea boss Maresca gave a glowing assessment of the young winger. The Chelsea boss highlighted not just Garnacho’s attacking flair, but the dirty work he put in without the ball during the narrow win over Benfica. 

  "Not only on the ball, I think defensively he was very good, the way he pressed," he said. "In the last third, he has freedom to go one-on-one when he decides. To arrive in the box is important because it’s from there we score goals."

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  Liverpool test looms large

  As Chelsea gear up to face Liverpool in the Premier League this weekend, the big question is whether Garnacho has done enough to earn his first league start. Handing Garnacho the nod against the champions would be the ultimate vote of confidence, and another chance for the winger to show United exactly what they’ve lost.