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The veneer of invincibility has been pulled off Arne Slot’s Liverpool project over the past few weeks, with the Reds dropping points across four of their past seven Premier League matches.

Struggling Tottenham Hotspur also claimed a 1-0 lead after the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final contest, while detractors have started to pick at Liverpool’s ostensibly slow starts.

Blips happen in football. The ebb and flow, the pull and push, is all part of the winding season. Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola have perhaps created a false sense of reality through several obscene title showdowns in recent years. Dropped points are part and parcel.

Liverpool have what it takes to cross the finish line before their rivals, and will be confident that a purple patch lies just around the corner.

Injury-wise, Liverpool are pretty swell. Joe Gomez is currently out with a hamstring injury, but that’s about it. Oh, Diogo Jota has picked up a small problem ahead of this weekend’s Brentford clash. He’s injured. Again.

Does that mean Darwin Nunez will start? It heightens the questions around the Uruguay international in any case.

Liverpool must cash in on Darwin Nunez

Jota is an elite finisher, but his fitness record leaves plenty to be desired, strengthening the argument that Liverpool need a new number nine.

Luis Diaz has worked neatly in a sort of hybrid, false nine role this term, working through tight spaces and confusing defenders with sharp electric movements to free up room and allow Cody Gakpo and Mohamed Salah to overload and strike on goal.

But the Colombian isn’t the solution, evidenced through his subdued role against Nottingham Forest last time out, who marshalled him en route to a 1-1 draw. Brentford are tough cookies themselves, so Nunez might be preferable to lead the line.

Nunez has been linked with a move away in recent months amid his ongoing struggles for goals, posting just four across 28 appearances in 2024/25.

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Will Slot be able to crack the nut? It’s looking more and more unlikely, with reports mounting that Liverpool will sell their record signing, £85m from Benfica in 2022.

Liverpool will of course look to target a replacement in the transfer market, but Slot might already have the perfect successor in academy star Jayden Danns, who could save the club millions.

Why Jayden Danns should replace Nunez

Danns burst onto the scene under Klopp’s wing last term, filling in during an injury-hit period of the campaign and playing his part as Liverpool went against the odds and defeated Chelsea in the Carabao Cup final.

The 19-year-old has found his chances have been limited under Slot’s wing, but he was introduced from the bench during last week’s FA Cup tie and, naturally, got himself on the scoresheet, leading to pockets of the fanbase questioning whether he might be a good alternative to the misfiring Nunez, who doesn’t seem to be offering all that much at the moment.

Analyst Ben Mattinson has even described the teenage star as a “better finisher than Nunez,” endowed with the cool and composed striker’s edge that sets him in good stead for an illustrious career laden with goals.

Danns, indeed, has only featured seven times for Liverpool’s senior set-up but already has three goals to his name, bagging twice against Southampton in the FA Cup last year and again off the bench against Accrington Stanley last week. He loves England’s esteemed cup competition, that’s for sure.

Reporter Lewis Bower has confirmed that interest in the marksman is “hotting up” this winter, with numerous Championship sides keen on bringing him in for the remainder of the campaign.

This might be a good move in normal circumstances, but with Jota’s fitness raising questions and Nunez’s ability on the pitch raising even more, Danns might be a brilliant option to ensure Liverpool have a sharp goal threat over the coming months.

Better signing than Kvaratskhelia: Liverpool set to win race for £50m star

Liverpool are getting ready to make some improvements in the transfer market this year.

ByAngus Sinclair Jan 16, 2025

Everton could be about to lose one of their key men in January, with the player’s representatives having reportedly opened talks with a new club.

Everton transfer news

Despite a recent upturn in form that has seen them thrash Wolverhampton Wanderers 4-0 and secure a well-deserved point against high-flying Chelsea, Everton’s season so far can still be considered disappointing, with Sean Dyche’s side currently hovering dangerously above the drop zone.

Everton and Friedkin Group in talks to sign "extraordinary" ace in January

Talks have been held over a move to Goodison Park.

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By
Henry Jackson

Dec 25, 2024

To try and keep them in the division next season, Dyche is expected to prioritise reinforcements during the January transfer window as he looks to revitalise the squad.

Among the potential targets is Fenerbahce winger Oguz Aydin, who Everton recently sent scouts to watch, as well as Botafogo forward Igor Jesus, who is viewed as a possible replacement for the outbound Beto.

Lyon winger Ernest Nuamah is also a target. The 21-year-old had agreed terms to move to Goodison Park in the summer, but the deal stalled. According to Foot Mercato, however, the Toffees remain keen, and Lyon are now ready to let him leave for the right offer.

Calvert-Lewin in talks with Sevilla

One man Dyche could be without for the second half of the season, however, is striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

The English striker has previously been linked with a number of clubs, including Juventus and Fiorentina, but a new report from Vamos Mi Sevilla FC, per Sport Witness, claims that it is now Sevilla who are leading the race to sign him.

The publication claims that the La Liga side are in the race to sign Calvert-Lewin and are talking to his representatives. Sevilla’s sporting director Victor Orta sees Calvert-Lewin as an exciting player who can help the club turn their season around, with Garcia Pimienta’s side currently stuck in 14th place in the Spanish top flight.

Calvert-Lewin, meanwhile, intends to leave Everton “soon,” possibly as soon as January, and he would reportedly be “excited” to play in Spain if given the chance, making a switch to Sevilla one to watch.

Calvert-Lewin, who earns £100,000-per-week at Goodison Park, has been a key figure for the Toffees since they signed him from Sheffield United in 2016, hitting 70 goals in 263 games. His most fruitful season came in 2020/21 when he hit 21 goals in all competitions, though this term, he’s managed just two goals in 15 games.

The 27-year-old is out of contract at Everton next summer, meaning the club will likely need to sell him on after the New Year to avoid losing him on a free later down the line. Speaking about the striker’s future, former Everton captain Alan Stubbs told BBC Sport that he expects him to move on in January.

“That decision comes from Dominic. But for me, it looks like his head is elsewhere. We are at a crossroads for the next chapter of Dominic’s career and for Everton to move on.”

سجل فريق برشلونة هدفًا قاتلاً في شباك ريال مدريد، خلال مباراة الفريقين بنهائي بطولة كأس ملك إسبانيا.

ويستضيف ملعب “لا كارتوخا” مباراة ريال مدريد وبرشلونة، في نهائي كأس ملك إسبانيا للموسم الجاري.

وامتدت المباراة للأشواط الإضافية بعد نهاية الوقت الأصلي بالتعادل الإيجابي 2-2 بين الفريقين.

ومرر لوكا مودريتش تمريرة خاطئة استغلها جول كوندي واستلم الكرة وسدد في شباك تيبو كورتوا بالدقيقة 116 ليمنح برشلونة الهدف الثالث. هدف كوندي في مباراة برشلونة وريال مدريد

⚽ الهدف الثالث لبرشلونة بصوت المعلق فهد العتيبي 🎙️

⁧ #ريال_مدريد_برشلونة
⁦#CopaDelRey⁩ | ⁦#SSC⁩ pic.twitter.com/FRvCYd0TWg — SSC (@ssc_sports) April 26, 2025

وسجل لريال مدريد كل من كيليان مبابي وأوريلين تشواميني، أما برشلونة سجل له كل من بيدري وفيران توريس، ثم أحرز كوندي الهدف الثالث.

Champions make short work of small target to get title defence up and running

ECB Reporters Network24-Apr-2022

Dom Sibley helped Warwickshire knock off their target•Getty Images

Warwickshire completed the first victory of their LV=Insurance County Championship title defence by polishing off Essex by ten wickets an hour after lunch on the final day at Edgbaston.Essex resumed on the last morning on 290 for 8, just 73 ahead and needing something special from their last two wickets to stay in the game. But they added only another 33 to be all out for 323 and leave the home side a victory target of 107 in more than two sessions. Both wickets fell to concussion substitute Craig Miles who ended with 4 for 85 while Simon Harmer was left stranded on 75.Openers Alex Davies, who made his first fifty since joining Warwickshire over the winter, and Dom Sibley eased Warwickshire to victory with an unbroken stand of 110 in 37.4 overs. The emphatic win rounded off a strong start to the season for the defending champions after their solid opening-game draw with Surrey.Essex were left to digest their first defeat of the campaign and also the blow of England batter Dan Lawrence’s hamstring injury which is likely to sideline him for several weeks. Tom Westley’s side will also reflect on some careless first innings batting as the root cause of their defeat.Alex Davies made an unbeaten 65 on Warwickshire debut•Getty Images

Miles, who was drafted into the team as concussion sub on Friday afternoon when Liam Norwell took a short ball on the head, proved to have a significant impact on the match. Within minutes of arriving at the ground, summoned from home, he was batting at No. 11 and helped Michael Burgess add 64 for the last wicket.Then he took two important wickets late on the third day and added the final two on the last morning. An inswinger trapped Mark Steketee lbw and an outswinger did for Sam Cook whose edge gave wicketkeeper Burgess his fifth catch of the innings. Harmer ran out of partners, frustratingly as he looked untroubled in the excellent batting conditions.Chasing 107 in a minimum of 85 overs, Davies and Sibley took their time. They acquired eight runs from the first nine overs as Cook and Shane Snater bowled testing new-ball spells, but the true pitch throttled any Essex hopes of triggering the requisite clatter.Warwickshire eased to 50 in the 23rd over after which Davies advanced to a fluent 50 from 107 balls, maintaining his proud record of having scored a half-century in every first-class match he has played at Edgbaston (two for Lancashire and now one for his new county).

Manchester United supporters' group The 1958 have slammed INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe's plans to construct a new 100,000-seater stadium.

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• The 1958 issue scathing statement
• Stadium said to resemble a circus tent
• Ratcliffe under further fire

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  United unveiled plans for a new 100,000-seater stadium on Tuesday, but some fans immediately reacted with immense disappointment. The stadium appears to resemble a circus tent, with three spires that are said to be inspired by the Red Devils' trident that adorns United's badge.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Now, fan group The 1958 have absolutely slammed Ratcliffe and INEOS' plans, insisting that the design is "soulless" and "corporate", and betrays the club's industrial heritage, while resembling a "circus". As per the plans, Old Trafford is set to be demolished.

• WHAT THE 1958 SAID

  A statement from The 1958 reads: "Instead of embodying the gritty, historic essence of Old Trafford…the design resembles a generic, soulless corporate structure, more akin to a modern entertainment venue than a football cathedral.

  "Its circus-like aesthetic disregards the club’s working-class origins and the identity of a fanbase that spans generations. Rather than honoring the past and strengthening the bond with the local community, it prioritises spectacle over substance.

  "Football, dignity and traditions need to be upheld and from what we can see they aren’t. It should be a cathedral for fans to go and worship our team and not a circus like tourist attraction."

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  WHAT NEXT?

  On the pitch, United play Real Sociedad on Thursday in the second leg of their Europa League last-16 clash. The tie is finely poised at 1-1.

Cristiano Ronaldo has been that told he “played the student and the teacher” in GOAT claim, with Fabio Capello ranking Lionel Messi higher.

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• Ronaldo billed himself as most 'complete' player
• Comments have generated lively debate
• Others considered to have stronger GOAT claims

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Portuguese superstar Ronaldo recently claimed to be the most “complete” player of all time, with the qualities that he possesses allowing a standing to be taken up above the likes of Messi, Diego Maradona and Pele.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Said comments have generated lively debate, with prominent figures from across the footballing world offering their take on who deserves the ‘greatest of all-time’ title. Capello, who has managed Real Madrid and England in the past, has added his voice to that discussion.

• WHAT FABIO CAPELLO SAID

  Asked about Ronaldo’s bold statement, the Italian tactician told : “When someone claims that title, they mark it themselves, they've done their homework, they haven't listened to others, I think they've exaggerated a bit. In short, they've played the student and the teacher, haven't they?

  “A great player, built with desire, with will. But when I talk about phenomena, I say Messi, I say Pele, I say Maradona and I put Ronaldo the 'Gordo', Ronaldo the 'Phenomenon', right next to them. He's a hair below them.”

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  Messi and Ronaldo are both still going strong in 2025. They are now on the books of MLS side Inter Miami and Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Nassr respectively. Capello added on big career calls that took two icons away from Europe, with Messi chasing the American dream: “It was a lifestyle choice for him, there were no economic problems.

  “It seems to me, at least from what you read in the newspapers about certain matches, that he has succeeded in raising his profile. Ronaldo raised the profile of Saudi Arabia and Messi raised the profile of the United States.”

Tottenham Hotspur superstar Son Heung-min is set for an internal meeting with Spurs over his future “in the coming days”, as a European club prepare to bid for him when the January transfer window reopens.

Spurs reportedly set to trigger one-year extension clause in Son contract

Reliable media sources have claimed that Son’s one-year extension clause is set to be triggered, which would keep him in north London until the summer of 2026, with his current terms set to expire at the end of this season as things stand.

Lange willing to pay £50m requirement to sign long-term Tottenham target

The Danish director has his eyes on an in-form Premier League player wanted by his predecessor.

1 ByEmilio Galantini Nov 16, 2024

The 32-year-old was pivotal for manager Ange Postecoglou last term, scoring 17 goals and assisting 10 more in the Premier League alone, and there is little denying he remains a key man despite the lesser numbers so far this campaign.

The £190,000-per-week forward is a Lilywhites legend, and perhaps one of the best bargain buys in recent history, considering he signed for just £22 million from Bayer Leverkusen nearly 10 years ago.

Man City vs Tottenham

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Losing Son for nothing would be a bitter blow for Postecoglou and chairman Daniel Levy, resulting in their reported decision to take action as they begin steps to trigger his one-year extension clause.

“I have something to say about Heung-min Son, a top player of Tottenham Hotspur. It’s important to say that, according to my information, Tottenham are prepared to take the option to extend the contract of Son,” said Fabrizio Romano last week (via GiveMeSport).

“So if you check on Son, on all the websites, for example, Transfermarkt, you can see that his contract is expiring in the summer of 2025.

“But Tottenham have an option, they have a clause in the contract to extend the deal for one more season, 25/26, and they are in the process, from what I’m hearing, of extending this contract for one more year.”

While this would appear to cement his future for another year and a half, reports in Turkey now claim that Süper Lig champions Galatasaray could give him something to think about in the winter.

Son set for Tottenham meeting as Galatasaray ready January bid

According to Fanatik, Galatasaray are ready to bid for Son in January, as they’re actively scouring the market for a world-class winger after letting the likes of Wilfried Zaha, Kerem Aktürkoğlu and Tete leave in the summer.

They’re also prepared to offload Hakim Ziyech in January, meaning that they’ll be in need of a proven option in that area.

The report adds that Son is set for internal talks over his Tottenham future “in the coming days”, so it is by no means a certainty he will stay going by this latest bit of information from abroad, regardless of his contract clause.

Of course, it will have to be a very audacious bid from Galatasaray to make Levy and Postecoglou even consider letting Son depart midway through the campaign.

Aiden Markram’s unbeaten 52 off 25 in South Africa’s win against England in their last group match of the T20 World Cup has helped him attain a career-best No. 3 position in the T20I batting rankings. He has also broken into the top 10 allrounders list, rising seven places to No. 7. His team-mate Rassie van der Dussen, who scored an unbeaten 94 in the same match, has also broken into the top 10 rankings for batters, moving six spots up to No. 10.Markram gained 84 points to achieve 794 rating points and climb three spots and is now behind Pakistan’s Babar Azam and England’s Dawid Malan, who are the top two batters in the format. van der Dussen, meanwhile, gained 74 points following his Player-of-the-Match performance against England.Among bowlers, the Australian duo of Adam Zampa and Josh Hazlewood, who have played key roles in Australia’s qualification to the semi-final in the tournament, have climbed up the charts.Zampa, who took a five-for against Bangladesh has moved to No. 5 while Hazlewood, who picked up four wickets against West Indies, gained 11 places to reach No. 8. New Zealand’s Tim Southee, who has picked up seven wickets in the tournament so far, moved three places up to No. 9.In the allrounders’ rankings, Australia’s Glenn Maxwell and Mitchell Marsh made gains, with Maxwell jumping three places to No. 4 and Marsh moving from No. 14 to No. 9. Sri Lanka’s Wanindu Hasaranga achieved a career-high rating of 173 for allrounders and moved to the third position.

Northern will take on Southern Punjab instead of Balochistan in Wednesday’s evening game

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Oct-2021

Lahore is hosting the second leg of the domestic T20 tournament•Getty Images

Four Balochistan players participating in the ongoing National T20 Cup have tested positive for Covid-19, forcing the PCB to move their October 6 evening game at the Gaddafi Stadium against Northern to October 9. The match will be swapped with the Northern and Southern Punjab game.The players who tested positive are placed in a 10-day quarantine while the remaining squad, who tested negative, will continue to participate in the tournament with a minor tweak in their schedule.The first leg of the National T20 Cup was played in Rawalpindi before the six teams travelled by road to Lahore for the remaining games of the tournament; the final will also be played at the Gaddafi Stadium on October 13.Despite the hiccup, Balochistan will continue to play Thursday’s game against Khyber Pakhtunkhwa according to the original schedule. But the squad led by Imam-ul Haq will have to rebuild their team with new players being picked from their Association Championship three-day tournament side. Players coming in as replacements can move from one bubble to another.”All other participants and their families underwent testing on Tuesday and have returned negative,” the PCB wrote in a statement. “The PCB continues to monitor the situation and is retesting all participants and their families. It has also been decided the frequency of testing will be increased for the remainder of the tournament.”The PCB has created a biosecure bubble for the National T20 Cup but the players selected for the upcoming T20 World Cup won’t play in the domestic tournament from October 8 and will be shifted to a new bubble being set up by the PCB as per the ICC’s regulations. The World Cup squad will depart on October 15 from Lahore.

Namibia might stick with the XI that lost to Sri Lanka but Netherlands could bring in Stephan Myburgh and Timm van der Gugten

Firdose Moonda19-Oct-2021Big pictureThe cruelty of the big time will catch up with one of Namibia and Netherlands on Wednesday, with the T20 World Cup dream taking a major hit for the team that is defeated. Such is the first round of the T20 World Cup, where two losses are often too many, and the pressure of rising from an early stumble ever greater.Both Namibia and Netherlands had poor starts to the competition. Namibia were bowled out for their joint-lowest score in a T20I and Sri Lanka then finished the small target inside 14 overs. Netherlands were rocked by a Curtis Campher hat-trick – four wickets in four balls – which took out their middle order and allowed Ireland to chase down a modest score with 29 balls to spare. The margins there also mean their net run-rates aren’t great.The expectations from the Dutch, who won the qualifying event two years ago and have significant major tournament experience in their squad, would be more. But Namibia expect a lot of themselves, and would have been disappointed with the way they performed in their first World Cup match in 18 years, especially after their intense preparatory period.The big-picture aside there are also a few sub-plots – of the South African kind – here. Namibia’s David Wiese and Netherlands’ Roelof van der Merwe used to play for the same South African domestic side, the Titans, for example, so expect some fireworks and plenty of familiarity amid the desperation to prolong their T20 World Cup stay.Form guide
Namibia LWLWW
Netherlands: LLTWW
In the spotlight Craig Williams was Namibia’s best batter in their match against Sri Lanka after coming into this tournament on the back of an impressive run. Williams has scored four half-centuries in his last five T20I innings, against Uganda, UAE, Scotland and PNG, and averages 41.14 in the format this year. If Namibia are to improve on their batting performance, they need Williams to do well and at least one other batter to support him. A middle order which includes captain Gerhard Erasmus and Wiese has enough to post a big score, but the proof will be in the pudding.Between Ryan ten Doeschate and van der Merwe, Netherlands have 638 T20 caps but neither of the veterans had the opening match they wanted. They both recorded ducks after becoming the second and fourth victims of Campher’s four-wicket burst, while van der Merwe was the most expensive bowler for Netherlands on the day. With ten Doeschate set to retire after this tournament and van der Merwe likely to be contemplating similar before the next event, the focus will be on them to see if they can lift their team.Netherlands will be tempted to give Stephan Myburgh a go•ICC via GettyTeam news Despite the poor batting in the opening match, Namibia are likely to go in with the same XI.Namibia: 1 Stephan Baard, 2 Zane Green (wk), 3 Craig Williams, 4 Gerhard Erasmus (capt), 5 David Wiese, 6 JJ Smit, 7 Jan Frylinck, 8 Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton, 9 Ruben Trumpelmann, 10 Pikky Ya France, 11 Bernard ScholtzNetherlands have former Northerns player Stephan Myburgh in the squad and while they might want to call on his experience, they will have a tricky time making room for him. Netherlands may gamble with leaving out Ben Cooper or Bas de Leede in favour of Myburgh, who has not played a T20 since August 2019. They may also consider replacing Brandon Glover with Timm van der Gugten in the attack.Netherlands: 1 Max O’Dowd, 2 Ben Cooper/Stephan Myburgh, 3 Bas de Leede, 4 Colin Ackermann, 5 Ryan ten Doeschate, 6 Scott Edwards (wk), 7 Roelof van der Merwe, 8 Pieter Seelar (capt), 9 Logan van Beek, 10 Fred Klaasen, 11 Brandon GloverPitch and conditions Monday’s Group A matches were low-scoring, but that is more a reflection of the line-ups than the conditions in Abu Dhabi, known to be usually good for batting. We could now be in for a close contest, whether low-scoring or in a run fest. The surface will, however, still be low and slow. And it will be another scorcher.Stats and trivia Namibia and Netherlands have only played one T20I against each other, in the qualifier for this tournament in 2019. Netherlands won by 44 runs then. Namibia have been bowled out for under 100 twice in their T20I history, first against Netherlands in the match above, and then again on Monday, when they lost to Sri Lanka.Quotes”We don’t necessarily have to go back to the drawing board. We have a very good game plan. We back ourselves in strike rotation and play spin well, which we just didn’t execute tonight. The spirit in the camp is extremely high. We back ourselves obviously against the Netherlands, we back ourselves against Ireland, and let’s see where those games take us.””Two must-win games. We’ve got Namibia, who we’ve played before, and we know their strengths, we know their weaknesses, and we’re going to have to go out and beat them.”