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Ange Postecoglou and his Tottenham Hotspur squad will know that falling to defeat against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday will result in a four-match skid to throw their grip on Champions League qualification into the abyss.

The season is still far from reaching the crucial business end but with so many outfits pushing for prominence slip-ups could be detrimental, and falling to yet another loss in the Premier League would allow those below to potentially sink Spurs down to seventh.

Injury-hit Tottenham lost on home turf to Aston Villa last Sunday but did have their chances, with Giovani Lo Celso opening the scoring and the hosts taking 18 shots and hitting the target eight times.

City are formidable but their rearguard is not impregnable, as has been evidenced by RB Leipzig in the Champions League earlier this week, and Postecoglou will maintain a stoical belief that his side can whir into life with a galvanising performance.

Absences are rife, however, with the Australian manager set to potentially issue four changes for the trip to Manchester…

1

GK – Guglielmo Vicario

Thank goodness Guglielmo Vicario has remained steadfast in his availability and performance since joining from Italian side Empoli for an initial £17m in the summer, having been touted to become a "phenomenon" by Kosovo technical director Sami Ujkani.

He has saved 75% of shots faced in the Premier League this term, as per FBref, which is behind only Alisson and Andre Onana, and he will be expected to stand strong against the Sky Blues.

2

RB – Pedro Porro

Pedro Porro will retain his place down the right channel, providing energy and supplementing his offensive peers ahead, having posted three assists already in the Premier League this term.

The graph's delineation of Porro's skill set evidences his superlative offensive credentials, while also ranking highly within his tackling and blocking metrics.

The Spaniard will need to be on his a-game to stifle the fleet-footed Jeremy Doku, but he certainly boasts the physicality to do so.

3

CB – Eric Dier

Eric Dier has completed 362 appearances for Tottenham but has fallen by the wayside under Postecoglou's leadership, having flattered to deceive last season as his side struggled.

Postecoglou opted to field four natural full-backs in the backline last time out, but against City, this will be exposed and Dier's experience as a central defender will be needed, especially aerially, where he ranks among the top 11% of positional peers for aerial duels won per 90.

Emerson Royal must be the man to drop out, with the Brazilian winning just one ground duel and failing to make a tackle against Unai Emery's side last week.

4

CB – Ben Davies

Micky van de Ven's hamstring injury and Cristian Romero's red card have provided Ben Davies with the platform to earn some minutes, having now started three of the past four games in the top flight after missing out from the outset across all nine of the opening fixtures.

Filling in at centre-half, the 30-year-old hasn't been half bad, completing 94% of his passes and. winning 70% of his ground duels thus far, as per Sofascore.

5

LB – Destiny Udogie

Spurs signed Destiny Udogie from Udinese in 2022 but he was immediately loaned back to the Serie A outfit, finally joining the fray this summer and proving to be one of the most exciting and dynamic young full-backs across Europe.

He won seven of his nine contested duels against Villa, made four tackles and completed 86% of his passes, and given that footballJOE's Hunter Godson remarked that he "gets into nearly every team in the world already", it's a big plus that he will start against Pep Guardiola's side.

6

DM – Yves Bissouma

Absent for the Aston Villa match last weekend after picking up a one-match suspension following an accumulation of yellow cards, Yves Bissouma will be the central cog in the engine room against Manchester City, having enjoyed a meteoric rise under his 58-year-old manager's guidance.

As per FBref, the Malian midfielder ranks among the top 1% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, the top 10% for tackles, the top 16% for interceptions, the top 7% for successful take-ons and the top 19% for clearances per 90.

7

CM – Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg

Pape Matar Sarr might be building back his fitness after missing out last week with injury but the exciting prospect might not be ready for a starting return against City, in what is sure to be a rigorous affair.

As such, the industrious Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg would be a worthy addition to the starting line-up, with the opportunity arising for the Dane after Rodrigo Bentancur's injury.

The 6 foot 1 "monster" – as he has been called by Morten Bisgaard – could provide the metronomic presence needed to fight against City's suffocating style.

8

CM – Giovani Lo Celso

Lo Celso's goal last weekend may well have secured him a place in Postecoglou's starting line-up for perhaps the most daunting fixture of the Premier League season (on paper, at least).

Enterprising and creative, the Argentinian ace also created three key passes and won seven ground duels against Villa, as per Sofascore, and he will be needed to act as the conduit between the midfield and the attack tomorrow.

9

RW – Dejan Kulusevski

Three goals and zero assists from 13 starts in the Premier League this season is a modest return but certainly not the stuff of awe, but Dejan Kulusevski's game is so much more.

Having completed 81% of his passes and averaged 2.1 key passes per game, as per Sofascore, the robust Swede's energy and penetrating presence have been invaluable for Postecoglou.

He has scored and won two of his three matches against Pep Guardiola's side, and could be the difference-maker come Sunday.

10

LW – Brennan Johnson

Signed from Nottingham Forest for £47.5m in the summer, Brennan Johnson has capitalised on Richarlison's recent pelvic injury to prove his worth in this Spurs side.

While his team has toiled over recent weeks, the Welshman, aged 22, has impressed with his directness and "frightening" pace – as has recently been noted by content creator HLTCO.

Raphael Varane says he is "racing" to get back playing for Manchester United as the defender steps up his recovery from a muscle injury.

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• Varane been out with muscle injury
• Man Utd defender 'resting well'
• Frenchman 'racing' to get back

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The France international has been sidelined for a few weeks with a muscle issue he sustained in the 4-3 defeat at Chelsea. However, the 31-year-old says he is "resting well" and suggested he may be back for for Erik ten Hag's men before the end of the season.

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• WHAT RAPHAEL VARANE SAID

  He posted a photo of himself on Instagram in his kitchen and wrote: "Resting well. Racing to get back ready to play in front of you again. Just wanted to check in and say I appreciate all your support, especially yesterday (Thursday)!"

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  United have been beset by injuries this season, especially in defence; with the likes of Varane, Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw, Tyrell Malacia, Lisandro Martinez, Victor Lindelof and Jonny Evans all having spells on the sidelines. That has not helped the Red Devils defensively but having the former Real Madrid man back available will be a big boost in their bid to qualify for Europe.

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  Varane recently admitted he has "damaged his body" because of repeatedly heading the ball over the years. The centre-back, who said he was on "autopilot" after playing for France at the 2014 World Cup with a concussion, has called for greater protection and better awareness on this matter.

  He told L'Equipe: "My seven-year-old son plays football and I advise him not to head the ball. For me, that's essential. Even if it doesn't cause any immediate trauma, we know that in the long term, repeated shocks can have harmful effects. Personally, I don't know if I'll live to be 100, but I do know that I've damaged my body. The dangers of headers need to be taught on all amateur football pitches and to young people."

After a lengthy conflict, highlighted by last year’s pay dispute, the two bodies attempted to mend fences in a meeting in Melbourne

Daniel Brettig27-Nov-2018Australian cricket’s governing body and players union will enter the holiday season by being back on each other’s Christmas-card lists for the first time in several years, after a somewhat amorphous but fruitful meeting in Melbourne on Tuesday.Led by the interim chairman Earl Eddings, members of Cricket Australia’s board and senior executives shared several hours with the Australian Cricketers Association (ACA) executives, including the president Greg Dyer and chief executive Alistair Nicholson. The meeting was among the 42 recommendations included in the independent review of CA’s culture, carried out by the corporates ethics expert Dr Simon Longstaff and the former Test batsman Rick McCosker.Arguably the greatest troubles confronting both parties are the ones currently being thrown up by the schedule, which has been placed in harsh relief by the struggles of an Australian system missing three of its best batsmen. The former coach Darren Lehmann has termed it “ridiculous”, while his successor Justin Langer has been little less kind. Ironically, this summer’s tangle of red and white ball, home and away has coincided with the forming of a “scheduling advisory group” as part of last year’s MoU, meaning the ACA had more say in this summer’s calendar than they did in the past.While relationships between the two bodies had been witness to what Dyer called a “thawing” in the year since the fractious 2017 pay dispute, the release of the cultural review had created another flashpoint, when the ACA unsuccessfully sought reductions in the Newlands scandal bans for David Warner, Steven Smith and Cameron Bancroft the day after the cultural review was released.Since the damaging findings were aired publicly, both the CA chairman David Peever and the most senior board director Mark Taylor have quit, amid rumblings that Dyer may consider doing likewise. Taylor, in particular, had expressed frustration that much of his work over the preceding 12 months, to try to patch up relationships between the board and the players’ association, seemed to have accomplished little.However, Eddings spoke in a more conciliatory fashion, of a day when he met with Dyer, with both leaders in something of an uncertain position. Eddings is yet to be endorsed as anything other than an interim chairman, with the influential state associations of New South Wales and Victoria intimating that they want to see the identities of the new recruits to the board – replacing Peever and Taylor – before endorsing any long-term decision over the chairmanship.”We understand the critical role the ACA plays in representing the players and in driving the success of many of the recommendations made in the Ethics Centre Review,” Eddings said. “Today’s meeting was an important step, not only for CA and ACA, but for Australian cricket. We look forward to more of them in the new year.”Dyer, meanwhile, has one year left of his term as chairman. “There was significant goodwill between the ACA and CA displayed at today’s meeting, given we have much in common, including the objectives of growing and improving Australian cricket,” he said. “The Ethics Centre Review provides the framework for a more collaborative relationship between us, and the ACA is committed to supporting this as a matter of priority.Kevin Roberts, the lead negotiator for CA during last year’s dispute and now the new chief executive, made his own gesture towards seeking change in how his organisation dealt with others through the dismissals of senior executives Pat Howard and Ben Amarfio. On the day he was appointed to replace James Sutherland, Roberts had stated that CA’s relationship with the ACA needed to improve gradually, without being left to fester up until the time of the next pay deal.”We obviously can’t change history. What we can do is work very closely with the ACA on a sustained basis over many years,” Roberts said last month. “To make sure the relationship with the ACA and the players is not defined by negotiations that happen over a few months every five years or so, but the relationship is defined by how we work together, to develop national teams, to support our players and to help them develop as athletes, as competitors and as people.”We’ve got over three-and-a-half year until the next MoU needs to be negotiated and our commitment is to build a stronger relationship in that period. We’ll experience some challenges along the way, but when we work on really sincerely and genuinely building that relationship with the ACA, and continuing to strengthen our relationship with players, cricket will be in a far better space when it comes time to contemplate the next MoU down the track.”The signing of the MoU last year does provide the clear air in which to forge a better partnership, although there remain plenty of individual areas for debate, not least the suggestion by the ACA executive member, player manager and Cricket NSW board director Neil Maxwell that fast bowlers, such as his client Pat Cummins, be entitled to longer-term central contracts in return for avoiding the extra cash available at the IPL.

Bangladesh opener likely to require 10 days to recover from shoulder and toe injuries

Mohammad Isam27-Nov-2018Opener Imrul Kayes is out of Bangladesh’s second Test against West Indies in Dhaka with a shoulder injury. The home side didn’t include any player in his place, making it likely that Shadman Islam will have a Test debut.”The physio report says that Imrul has injuries in his shoulder and toe. He will need 10 days for recovery,” chief selector Minhajul Abedin said.Bangladesh’s game of musical chairs in the opening positions will thus continue; they have already employed four different pairs at the top in 2018. Soumya Sarkar’s twin failures in Chattogram will put him under more pressure, not to mention the added responsibility of likely opening with a newcomer.Squad: Shakib Al Hasan (capt), Soumya Sarker, Mohammad Mithun, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Mustafizur Rahman, Taijul Islam, Nayeem Hasan, Ariful Haque, Khaled Ahmed, Shadman Islam

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Em momento decisivo para a sua carreira, o atacante Marcos Leonardo não foi relacionado para o duelo entre Grêmio e Santos, nesta quarta-feira (09), às 19h15, pelo confronto de ida pelas quartas de final da Libertadores, na arena gremista.

O jovem, de 17 anos, está sem agenciamento e deve decidir o novo responsável pela sua carreira nos próximos dias. O LANCE! apurou que Marcos foi alvo de sondagens recentes de clubes da Espanha, França e Itália. O Santos ainda não foi comunicado formalmente sobre os interesses, e a definição do novo empresário pode ajudar no avanço das conversas.

Marcos Leonardo tem contrato com o Peixe até outubro de 2022 e a sua multa rescisória chega a 100 milhões de euros (R$ 615 mi), contudo o jogador deseja permanecer no Alvinegro, onde sonha em deixar o clube pelo menos com títulos conquistados. Por outro lado, o duelo contra o Tricolor Gaúcho é o terceiro consecutivo que o atacante não é relacionado.

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Enquanto está sem agente, pessoas da família de Marcos estão a frente das questões que envolvem a revelação santista e aguardam a definição do novo empresário do atacante para se reunir com a diretoria santista para discutir o futuro do jogador.

Marcos Leonardo foi promovido ao time principal do Peixe neste ano e já tem dois gols marcados, um pelo Brasileirão e outro pela Libertadores. O atacante tem 12 jogos pelo Santos, mas a maioria entrando no decorrer das partidas, portanto totaliza 268 minutos em campo e uma média de 0,66 gols a cada 90 minutos.

The CPL is set to undergo two major changes in its playing conditions this year. Slow over rates – a cause for delayed matches – will be dealt with severely, as teams failing to bowl their overs within the allotted time frame will be given a net run rate penalty, affecting their chances of progressing in the league.The stipulated time to complete 20 overs in the CPL is 85 minutes, plus any additional time the umpires deem fit due to delays in play. Should a team fall short by one over, a deduction of 0.05 from their net run rate will be the resultant penalty. For every additional over the team falls short of completing, they will face a penalty deduction of 0.10 from their net run rate.The other amendment in playing rules is the introduction of a coin toss to decide which team bats first in the event of a Super Over. Earlier, the team that batted second in a tied match would automatically be the one to bat first in the Super Over.”We work hard each year to ensure that playing conditions are making the competition as fair as possible while also keeping the spectators and viewers at home entertained. We feel both of these changes will help with both of these goals,” Michael Hall, the tournament operations director for CPL, said.The CPL commences on August 8, with trophy holders Trinbago Knight Riders taking on St Lucia Stars in Port-of-Spain. The final will be played on September 16 at the Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba, Trinidad.

Liverpool have endured a difficult few days to say the least, and Jurgen Klopp has now learned the extent of an injury setback to one of his key stars.

Who do Liverpool have out injured?

The Reds have made a good start to the season, despite last Saturday's painful 2-1 defeat away to Tottenham in the Premier League. Everything seemed to go against them in north London, including a scandalous VAR decision against Luis Diaz, and Joel Matip's late own goal proved costly.

While there is plenty to be positive about at the moment, with a title challenge looking possible, Liverpool do have some injury concerns, as has continually seemed to be the case in recent times. Thiago hasn't featured at all yet this season, while Trent Alexander-Arnold and Ibrahima Konate have also missed a chunk of action with muscle problems, and Cody Gakpo didn't make it out for the second half at Spurs over the weekend.

A key update has now emerged regarding one of those Liverpool heroes, however, and it sounds like a few weeks on the sidelines at least.

Which Liverpool player could return for huge game?

According to The Athletic's James Pearce, Gakpo's injury is not as serious as first feared, meaning he could now return for the Merseyside derby clash at home to Everton after the international break.

Dutch journalist Rik Elfrink had recently suggested a longer absence could be on the cards, but it appears a return is likely at the end of this month:

"Liverpool attacker Cody Gakpo is set to be sidelined until after the international break. The Netherlands international had to be substituted prior to the second half of Saturday’s contentious 2-1 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur due to discomfort in his knee and left the stadium wearing a brace.

"If his recovery goes to plan, there’s hope that he will be available after the international break with Liverpool entertaining Everton on October 21."

Despite the obvious setback, you could see this as good news for Liverpool, with Gakpo's injury looking like a potentially serious one when he hobbled off at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, making the injury worse when he scored the equaliser just before half-time.

Having been seen in a knee brace after the match, there were worries that the Dutchman could be out for a number of months, let alone weeks, but those fears appear to have been allayed.

Not having Gakpo available for this Sunday's trip to Brighton will be a big enough blow however, in what represents a real test for Klopp's men. The 24-year-old is such a clever player, knitting the attack together impressively and linking with the likes of Mohamed Salah and Diaz.

Klopp himself has lauded his attacker as an "outstanding" player, clearly valuing him greatly, and while he may not be as explosive as Darwin Nunez, or as good a finisher as Diogo Jota, there is a subtlety to his game that doesn't always receive the praise it deserves.

Only having him missing for a couple of weeks is decent news, but next weekend's trip to the South coast just got that bit more difficult.

Mary Earps was left in stitches by Ella Toone’s lobster-themed presents, sent to the Manchester United forward in reference to a hotel prank.

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• Earps got Toone a lobster costume and leopard heels
• The forward showed off themed presents
• Earps couldn't contain joy at such unique gifts

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Lobsters, Earps and Toone – the three appear to be an inseparable combination. It all started during Euro 2022 when the Manchester United forward was forced to dress up in an inflatable lobster costume along with a pair of leopard-print heels as part of a hilarious prank. On that occasion, Toone could hardly walk and kept falling when her heels got stuck on the decking of the hotel.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Earps showcased how this story has obviously gone viral, with her Instagram story showing how Toone had received a lobster-themed gift hamper from an unknown sender. The set included a coffee cup, bag and a pair of socks – of course, all of which carried the lobster emblem!

  @1maryearps Instagram

• WHAT EARPS SAID

  Earps shared a picture of Toone with the presents in her Instagram story and wrote: "This makes me so happy 🤣🤣🤣🤣🦞🦞 Whoever did this. 10/10 for effort 🤣".

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  WHAT NEXT?

  The duo can afford a hearty laugh after a clinical performance against Brighton in the Women's FA Cup on Saturday that saw United emerge triumphant by a 4-0 scoreline. They will return to WSL action next Sunday against Bristol City.

Ex-Leeds United loanee Jermaine Pennant believes his former club should make a double signing this summer if they are promoted to the Premier League.

Leeds flying on track for promotion

As we enter the business end of the season, Leeds are in a very strong position to achieve their aim of promotion from the Championship, given that they are currently sitting seven points above third-placed Burnley.

The Whites have won four games on the spin in the second tier, and they strengthened their chances of ending their two-year absence from the Premier League with a dramatic 2-1 victory against promotion rivals Sunderland last time out.

A Wilson Isidor effort gave the Black Cats the lead just after the half-an-hour mark, but substitute Pascal Struijk was the hero in the second half, with the 25-year-old bagging a late equaliser before netting a stoppage-time winner to secure all three points at Elland Road.

The job is far from done, but Leeds chiefs are likely to have one eye on signings for the summer transfer window, and they may be particularly keen to tie down two loanees, who have played a key role in their push for promotion this season.

When asked whether he thinks Tottenham Hotspur’s Manor Solomon and AFC Bournemouth’s Joe Rothwell should be signed on a permanent basis, Pennant, who spent a season at Elland road in 2003-04 told Football FanCast: “100 per cent. Especially when you come into the Premier League, you need as much talent as you can. They’re two great players who have helped Leeds immensely.

“When you get players who have got you promoted, you want to keep that core and then invest around that for players who can adapt and play in the Premier League.

“So 100 per cent they need to sign players like that, it’s only gonna benefit them if they can.”

Leeds now keen on signing "infectious" player in summer transfer window

Leeds and Farke already have their eyes on one or two players they would like to sign if they reach the Premier League.

ByBrett Worthington Feb 17, 2025 Solomon and Rothwell must be signed permanently

Solomon has been a vital player for Daniel Farke this season, and the winger has been particularly impressive since the turn of the year, picking up four goals and four assists in his last eight matches.

At 25-years-old, the Israel international is only likely to improve, and he has previously put in some impressive performances in the top flight, bagging four goals in 19 top-tier games for Fulham, so there are indications he would be able to make the step-up.

Rothwell has also been integral to Leeds’ success, making 30 appearances and assisting both goals in the dramatic victory against Sunderland, with TEAMtalk’s James Marshment lauding the Bournemouth loanee as a “driving force” in Farke’s midfield.

Given the midfielder’s Premier League experience is limited, having only played a bit-part role for the Cherries, the 30-year-old may not be a regular starter next season, but his performances this season suggest he could be a good squad player at the very least.

An update has emerged on Celtic and their attempts to bolster the playing squad before the summer transfer window deadline passes on Friday.

What's the latest Celtic transfer news?

According to Football Scotland, the Hoops have Southampton central defender Lyanco on their shortlist of options to bring in to improve their options at the back.

The report claims that the Brazilian enforcer has been dropped from the Championship outfit's squad ahead of a possible move away from St. Mary's before the window slams shut.

Brendan Rodgers was directly asked about a swoop for the former Torino brute and stated that he is hoping to have an update on that particular pursuit over the next few days.

How good is Lyanco?

Despite Southampton's relegation from the Premier League, Lyanco showcased some promising qualities in and out of possession throughout 21 league appearances during 2022/23 campaign.

The 26-year-old titan has the potential to be a strong, experienced, addition to Rodgers' squad and his arrival could allow the Northern Irish head coach to ruthlessly ditch Liam Scales before the end of the window.

He has been touted with a possible return to Aberdeen, potentially on a permanent basis, this summer after his loan spell with the club last season.

Signing Lyanco could then free up the Irish defender to move on as the Hoops would have adequate cover in place with Gustaf Lagerbielke, Stephen Welsh, Cameron Carter-Vickers, and Maik Nawrocki, which could make it difficult for the former Shamrock Rovers ace to find minutes on the pitch.

The Southampton defender made 3.36 tackles and interceptions per 90 for the Saints in the Premier League last season, whilst Scales made 2.9 tackles and interceptions per game across 31 Scottish Premiership matches for Aberdeen. This suggests that the 6 foot 2 ace could win possession back more frequently for the side with his defensive interventions.

Celtic's backline could be less prone to making big mistakes with the £18k-per-week battler as he only made two errors leading to a shot or goal for the opposition and did not concede a single penalty last term. Scales, however, made two blunders leading to shots for the other team and gave away three penalties in that time, as per Sofascore.

Lyanco also ranked within the top 3% of his Premier League positional peers for successful take-ons per 90 (0.61).

Whereas, the Dons loanee completed 0.2 dribbles per match, which suggests that the Brazilian colossus could offer more in possession in terms of being able to drive forward with the ball to bypass an opposition press.

The ex-Serie A tank, who made 59 appearances in the Italian top-flight, could progress Celtic up the pitch by taking on attackers to then create space for the midfielders and attackers to work their magic at the top end of the pitch, rather than stagnating the build-up by being safe on the ball.

Therefore, Lyanco, who was hailed as a "fantastic" character by his former Saints boss Ralph Hasenhuttl, could be an upgrade on Scales in and out of possession and that is why Rodgers could ruthlessly bin the 25-year-old warrior after completing a swoop for the Southampton centre-back.