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Trevor Bayliss believes complacency among England’s batsmen cost them in their World Cup match against Sri Lanka.Bayliss, the England coach, believes his side “just took it a little bit easy with the bat” when confronted by a relatively low total and a relatively lower-ranked opponent. England have so far only played one side (South Africa) in the top five of the world rankings and have been beaten by two (Pakistan and Sri Lanka) ranked between sixth and ninth. They play Australia (ranked five), India (ranked two) and New Zealand (ranked three) in their final three qualifying games knowing they may need to win two of those matches to progress.But while Bayliss admitted the team missed the injured Jason Roy, he insisted there would be no risks taken with his recovery and he would not be rushed back for Tuesday’s game against Australia at Lord’s.”What went wrong? Obviously our batting,” Bayliss said. “I thought our bowling was pretty good. It was superb.”But with the bat we weren’t as busy as we normally are. Normally, on a wicket like this one, which wasn’t the easiest to play big shots on, we’re still busy and knocking singles around into the gaps. I don’t think we did that well enough.AFP

“We didn’t build those partnerships. If we’d shown the same urgency at the start of the innings as we did at the end, we would have been in a better place.”I think we just took it a little bit easy with the bat, to be honest. We thought if we just bat a bit of time we’ll put together a partnership. I think we forgot about the process we actually go through to put those partnerships together. That puts you under a bit of pressure towards the back end and that gave Sri Lanka confidence. They certainly bowled well. They hit their lengths and changed their pace.”Of course you miss someone of Jason’s ilk. He’s injured and I’m not exactly sure when he’ll be back, but we’re looking forward to him coming back.”We’re not going to risk him, that’s for sure. We’ll play each game as it comes and get the medical people to let us know whether they think he is right for the next game. If he’s not, well we’ll do the same heading into the next game.”With Roy not expected back until the India game (at Edgbaston on June 30), at least, James Vince looks set to win another opportunity at the top of the order. He has looked in good touch every time he has batted for England this summer but has failed to pass 43 in six international innings. Bayliss remains hopeful, however, that one substantial score can kick-start a career that has, to date, promised more than it has delivered.”It’s not as infuriating [for me] as it is for him,” Bayliss said. “He looks a million dollars, but then he finds a way to get out. Hopefully he’s one of those guys who can put one together and it tips him over the edge and he gets a string of big scores. He’s certainly a good player, but he’s looking to play a longer dig.”WATCH on Hotstar (India only) – England’s wickets against Sri LankaBayliss was also phlegmatic about Moeen Ali’s dismissal, caught on the long-off boundary at a time when England needed less than a run a ball to win the game.”I think he’s obviously disappointed,” Bayliss said. “I’m no more disappointed than he is with that shot. It was not a great time to play that shot after hitting a six the ball before.”But other times he goes out, hits it over the fence and we’d be yelling ‘great shot’. They’re always going to make a mistake if you’re trying things. They have a bit of a joke at times in the dressing room about hitting a single off the next ball and that being good cricket. Some of the guys have hit ‘six, six, six’ and that’s really good cricket.”Despite the setback, Bayliss says the dressing room remains full of belief. And, he believes the quality of the teams which England have to play next will ensure “minds are on the job”.”We know how good we are,” he said. “We didn’t play as well as we’d like in this game and maybe we let one slip, but we have been in this situation before and it hasn’t stopped us coming out and playing well in the next game.”I think the three teams we’ve got coming up are good teams and we know what we’re going to get. We know what we can expect from those three good teams so I think our minds will be on the job.”They will need to be. Australia will sense a chance to push England towards the brink of elimination on Tuesday and life will be no easier in the two matches to follow. While, from a global perspective, there may be some relief that the final group matches do not amount to a glut of dead games, England supporters – starved of World Cup success and knowing this is probably a one-off opportunity – may well have settled for just a little more predictability.

تلقى نيس خسارة في الديربي أمام مارسيليا، ضمن منافسات الجولة الرابعة من بطولة الدوري الفرنسي للدرجة الأولى بملعب فيلدروم.

شهدت المباراة مشاركة أولى لـ محمد عبد المنعم أساسيًا، بعدما ظهر بديلًا مع نيس ضد أنجيه قبل التوقف الدولي.

لم يتمكن منعم من أن يمنع نيل موباي من تسجيل الهدف الأول برأسية سكنت شباك الضيوف في الدقيقة 40.

في الشوط الثاني، وبعد 8 دقائق من بدايته، سجل لويس هينريكي هدفًا رائعًا في مرمى الحارس بولكا، كأحد أفضل أهداف الجولة لصالح مارسيليا.

حاول نيس من خلال يوسوفا موكوكو وتغييرات المدرب فرانك هايس، بدخول بدر الدين بوناني وعلي العبدي.

القائم منع الأول من التسجيل، والثاني طالب بركلة جزاء بسبب جذب جرينوود له داخل منطقة الجزاء، لكن الحكم أشهر في وجهه البطاقة الصفراء.

طالع أيضًا.. مدرب منتخب مصر السابق لـ”بطولات”: محمد عبد المنعم يستطيع اللعب في الدوري الإنجليزي

محمد عبد المنعم كان يحمل دفاعات نيس في الشوط الثاني وحده، خاصة بعد خروج دانتي وتغيير طريقة اللعب، وقدم مستوى مقبولًا في المشاركة الأولى أساسيًا.

لعب مارسيليا بـ 10 لاعبين منذ الدقيقة 74، بعد طرد داريك كورنيلويس بسبب إهدار الوقت بحصوله على الإنذار الثاني.

لم يستغل نيس النقص العددي، ليتلقى الهزيمة الثانية هذا الموسم، ويبقى في المركز التاسع برصيد 4 نقاط، بينما مارسيليا يعتلي صدارة الترتيب مؤقتًا بـ 10 نقاط. أهداف مباراة نيس ومارسيليا اليوم في الدوري الفرنسي

A floodlight failure with the home team 135 for 2 brought an early end to the game after Sri Lanka had been bowled out for 225

The Report by Andrew Fidel Fernando16-Mar-2019

Aiden Markram raises his bat to acknowledge the applause•Getty Images

It was perhaps a merciful ending, though an utterly frustrating one for spectators at Newlands. South Africa were on course for another big victory, with 91 runs to get – eight wickets and 132 balls remaining – when the floodlights failed. The teams went off the ground and the crowd hoped that the electricians and engineers could rectify the problems, but 90 minutes after play stopped, the umpires had had enough. Play was called off – the lights situation not having improved. South Africa were 41 runs ahead on the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern calculations, and as such, completed a 5-0 sweep of the series.Sri Lanka, perhaps, will be the happier of the two teams about the lights malfunction. Their bowlers did not seem capable of halting South Africa’s advance, though they did at times slow the opposition’s scoring rate. Aiden Markram and Rassie van der Dussen, meanwhile, will be miffed that valuable time in the middle has been denied them. The two had put on a 57-run partnership for the third wicket, with Markram batting particularly well on 67 off 75 balls.JP Duminy, who is retiring after the World Cup, was also deprived of a farewell one-day innings at his home ground.It was with the ball that South Africa won the match, however. Sri Lanka produced yet another insipid top order performance, slipping to 141 for 7 in the 41st over, before a 61-run eighth-wicket stand between Priyamal Perera and Isuru Udana added a sheen of respectability to the innings, pushing them up to 225 all out.But despite the decent finish, Sri Lanka’s total was still modest, given the good batting conditions. South Africa’s attack, hunting as a pack, had been persistent and disciplined – Imran Tahir and Kagiso Rabada picking up five wickets between them. Many of Sri Lanka’s wounds, however, had been self-inflicted as well. Kusal Mendis, who top-scored with 56, was run out for the second time in the series, after a serious miscommunicaton with Priyamal. Angelo Perera and Dhananjaya de Silva departed to soft dismissals as well.Rabada had South Africa’s best figures, taking 3 for 50 – two of those wickets coming in his final over, when Udana, then Priyamal, holed out attempting big legside shots. Through the course of the innings, Rabada had bowled with excellent pace, even if the Newlands track did not offer much movement. Tahir, meanwhile, was as indomitable as usual, taking 2 for 33 in his last ODI on home soil – the sharp-spinning legbreak taking the outside edge of both Oshada Fernando and Angelo Perera’s bats.The Sri Lanka innings had all its usual pitfalls, almost as if they were following some sort of formula for failure. The first wicket fell in the fourth over – Avishka Fernando edging Lungi Ngidi to third slip. Upul Tharanga departed next over, nicking off to Rabada. Oshada Fernando and Mendis attempted to rebuild the innings – slowly – putting on 49 off 83 balls. Once Oshada was out, Mendis tried again with Angelo Perera – playing his first international in almost three years – as they put on 62 for the fourth wicket. But at no point were Sri Lanka able to build a partnership that really put South Africa under threat. After Angelo was out to Tahir, Mendis, Thisara Perera and Dhananjaya de Silva all lost their wickets in quick succession, and Sri Lanka seemed headed for a score of less than 200Priyamal and Udana began their own partnership with caution, not venturing a boundary for 19 balls, before finally Udana walloped a Rabada bouncer through midwicket for four. Through the death overs, the pair were adventurous, hitting three more fours and a six, before Udana was caught at deep midwicket by Tahir, who judged the high chance well. Anrich Nortje finished off the innings, taking 2 for 35.Lasith Malinga bowled well with the new ball, dismissing Quinton de Kock for 6 (the first time he’s fallen for less than fifty this series), while keeping the other batsmen’s scoring in check. But all South Africa had to do was wait out his spell and score off the remaining bowlers, so modest was the target.Markram should have been out on 14, had Oshada Fernando held on to a low chance to his left at short cover, but as it happened, the batsman survived and hit several sumptuous offside boundaries. He passed 50 for only the second time in his ODI career and had just moved to his highest one day score when the teams went off the field. Van der Dussen was on 28 not out.

West Ham United have been enjoying a rather up-and-down campaign so far this season, with impressive wins over Manchester United and Arsenal as well as humbling defeats away to Liverpool and Fulham.

That said, there have been more positives than negatives this year, with David Moyes' men currently sitting in sixth place in the Premier League and into the next round of the Europa League.

All this has been achieved without their former captain and club talisman, Declan Rice, who left in the summer for a record £105m, and while the players bought in to replace him have done well, the latest midfielder linked with the Irons could be the perfect partner for James Ward-Prowse and replicate Rice's time at the club – Morten Frendrup.

West Ham could make January move for "underrated" ace, Moyes is a real fan

The Hammers boss wants new additions.

ByEmilio Galantini Jan 4, 2024 West Ham United transfer news – Morten Frendrup

According to Italian outlet TuttoJuve, several Premier League teams are currently interested in Genoa's exciting young midfielder Frendrup, including West Ham.

The report also reveals that Crystal Palace are one of the interested parties and that the English teams could offer around €10m – about £9m – this transfer window.

The 22-year-old Danish midfielder has been plying his trade with Genoa since joining in January 2022. While he initially struggled for game time, he has since made himself undroppable, making 37 Serie B appearances last season and 18 in Serie A this year.

He has started the majority of games in either a central midfield or defensive midfield position, which, combined with his performances, has seen him dubbed a "midfield destroyer" by football talent scout Jacek Kulig.

Morten Frendrup could be the perfect midfield partner for James Ward-Prowse

Ward-Prowse has started every one of West Ham's Premier League games this season, either as an attacking midfielder or a central midfielder and, with nine goal involvements to his name, he has been one of the best players in the league.

So, were the Hammers to invest in an up-and-coming midfield talent such as Frendrup, he would likely come in to compliment the former Southampton captain, something that his skillset seems perfectly set up to do.

The 22-year-old's biggest strengths lie in his defensive abilities, mopping up attacks just in front of his defence and allowing his teammates to get forward and attack the opposition, in a sense, precisely what Rice used to do at the London Stadium.

In fact, the "midfield machine", as described by Jacek Kulig, has been making and winning more tackles than the Englishman in league play this season. According to FBref, the young Dane has been making four tackles per 90 and winning 2.06, while the Arsenal man has been making 2.16 per 90 and winning just 1.24.

So he is more defensively active than the former Irons captain, but how do his underlying numbers stack up to the two men Moyes' often starts in the defensive midfield positions, Edson Alvarez and Tomas Soucek?

Well, rather surprisingly, the Tuse-born gem comes out on top in the majority of important metrics including tackles, tackles won, ball recoveries and even progressive passes and carries.

Stat per 90

Frendrup

Alvarez

Soucek

Tackles

4.00

2.68

1.24

Tackles Won

2.06

1.34

0.88

Tackles + Interceptions

5.22

3.96

2.41

Errors Leading to Goals

0.06

0.00

0.00

Progressive Passes

3.61

2.75

2.53

Progressive Carries

1.06

0.54

0.29

Ball Recoveries

6.67

5.84

4.53

All Stats via FBref for the 2023/24 Domestic Season

The one area in which the two West Ham men have him beat is in errors leading to goals this season, although that could be down to his younger age and relative inexperience.

Ultimately, buying younger players from outside the Premier League will always be a slight gamble, but this seems like a gamble worth taking, especially as Frendrup could keep his place in the team for a decade or more if things go well.

All eyes are on the MCG pitch which has led to both teams making changes to the XIs for the Boxing Day Test

Andrew McGlashan24-Dec-201811:02

Dasgupta: Opening with Rohit could revive his Test career

Big PictureThe MCG Boxing Day Test is always an eagerly anticipated occasion, but this year it feels like there is an added edge. The series is poised at 1-1; the stump mics have been turned up; Australia are finding their voice again; Virat Kohli isn’t taking a backward step and there is grass on a Melbourne pitch. It has the makings of a Christmas cracker.If India can bounce back from their Perth defeat and register victory they will have retained the Border-Gavaskar trophy. If Australia take the honours again it will mark a significant upturn in their fortunes at the end of a year of turmoil and no little disgrace. And if it’s a draw let’s hope it’s a thriller and not like last year.The pitches in this series have provoked much discussion and Melbourne’s 22 yards has been at the forefront of everyone’s attention for days. Last year the surface was marked “poor” by the ICC after the drab Ashes stalemate and this Test, under the management of a new curator, feels like a significant moment as an iconic ground tries to repair its reputation.These two teams have shown that when there is some help on offer for the bowlers they can produce compelling cricket which makes for a wonderful spectacle. The contest between bat and ball has been excellent in Tests throughout 2018 and it would be nice to think it will end that way.The unknown qualities of the pitch – despite the evidence of this season’s Sheffield Shield matches – left both sides with thinking to do over their XIs. India won’t admit it, but fielding four quicks in Perth was a mistake – another one in a year of selection blunders – but it doesn’t have to prove terminal for their hopes in this series. They started 2018 hoping to create an overseas legacy for themselves and this match will go a long way to deciding if that happens.Form guide(last five completed matches)
Australia WLLDL
India LWWWL4:58

Our batsmen need to step up as a unit – Kohli

In the spotlightAfter an unconvincing performance in Adelaide, Aaron Finch shaped up much better under testing conditions in Perth. However, the nasty blow he took on the finger in the second innings curtailed his knock and on return he gloved his first delivery down the leg side. He has looked comfortable in the nets leading into the third Test – which would be his first Boxing Day in the baggy green – but that dodgy digit is certainly a target for the India quick bowlers. Unless the pitch is really slow and low, and everyone hopes that isn’t the case, Finch will surely get some short deliveries early on.India’s selections away from home this year, especially in England and Australia, have been the subject of significant criticism. Ravi Shastri said all that is being ignored – on this tour because they were in a different hemisphere – but while some calls may have been 50-50 others, such as those made in Perth, were more clear errors. There are a number of issues to resolve for Melbourne and their XI will also bring much scrutiny.Team newsMitchell Marsh has been recalled at the expense of Peter Handscomb, whose technique has been worked over by the India quick bowlers, but it’s also the overs Marsh can provide which have been factored in on a surface that could yet change character.Australia 1 Aaron Finch, 2 Marcus Harris, 3 Usman Khawaja, 4 Shaun Marsh, 5 Travis Head, 6 Mitchell Marsh, 7 Tim Paine (capt. & wk), 8 Pat Cummins, 9 Mitchell Starc, 10 Nathan Lyon, 11 Josh HazlewoodIndia have dropped both their openers – 97 runs between them in eight innings – for the Boxing Day Test. Mayank Agarwal is set to get his debut with Hanuma Vihari moving up the order from his No. 6 station. R Ashwin has not recovered fully, which means Ravindra Jadeja has come in as part of the four-man attack. Rohit Sharma, though, is back to fitness, slotting in at No. 6. India have resisted the temptation to bring Hardik Pandya right back in.India 1 Mayank Agarwal, 2 Hanuma Vihari, 3 Cheteshwar Pujara, 4 Virat Kohli (capt.), 5 Ajinkya Rahane, 6 Rohit Sharma, 7 Rishabh Pant (wk), 8 Ravindra Jadeja, 9 Mohammed Shami, 10 Ishant Sharma, 11 Jasprit BumrahPitch and conditionsRated “poor” last year, the pitch has been the topic of much conversation. Having tried various lengths of grass in the Sheffield Shield, it appears more rather than less will be left on in an attempt to give the surface some life. Could it even be green enough to encourage a team to bowl first? The weather may play a part in how the surface develops with hot, sunny conditions forecast for at least the first four days.Stats and Trivia Mitchell Starc needs four wickets to reach 200 in Tests Nathan Lyon already holds the record for the most wickets taken by an Australian spinner in a series against India on home soil (23 in 2014) but with 16 already from two Tests this time he could go past that. Virat Kohli has scored five Test hundreds in 2018, equalling his tally from 2017 as his best year. A century in Melbourne would put him alone in second place for the most in a year by an India batsman behind Sachin Tendulkar’s seven in 2010 India have two previous victories in Melbourne: in 1977, then won by 222 runs against a side ravaged by World Series Cricket and in 1981 when the margin was 59 runs as Australia were skittled for 83 chasing 143Quotes”I believe in confidence, there’s no doubt. Confidence, like respect, is something you have to earn. We haven’t had much success…to win one, it’s nice to get rewarded for the work the boys are doing. There were some really good signs in Perth.”

Manchester United’s UEFA Champions League dream looks all but over, after being held to a 3-3 draw in Istanbul. It was a must-win game for Erik ten Hag and he will be scratching his head as to how his team didn’t walk away with a vital three points.

The Red Devils took a two-goal lead twice in the game, but as shown already this season in Europe, if they concede one, the floodgates open, players seem to panic, and the basics of the game are discarded.

To score three goals in all three of their European away games this season and only collect one point is ridiculous, which could lead to Ten Hag re-thinking which personnel deserves their spot in the starting XI.

Victor Lindelof’s stats vs Galatasaray

The player under the spotlight for the wrong reasons is Sweden’s Victor Lindelof. The defender’s performance on Wednesday evening earned him a 6/10 rating by the Manchester Evening News, with the occasion and hostile atmosphere swallowing him up.

According to Sofascore, Lindelof alarmingly had ten fewer touches than Andre Onana, with the goalkeeper used more in the build-up than the centre half. He gave the ball away eight times, despite playing mainly safe passes throughout the ninety minutes.

Furthermore, the defender was dribbled past in the first half which led to a goal-scoring opportunity for the hosts. A positive for the Sweden international is that he won all five of his aerial duels, although Mauro Icardi and Dries Mertens didn’t contest with much urgency.

Although impossible to display by statistics, Lindelof’s lack of physicality, athleticism and aggressiveness makes him far too easy to play against.

Andre Onana drew attention away from how poor 6/10 Man Utd man was v Gala

This 6/10 man let Manchester United down alongside Andre Onana in the side’s 3-3 draw with Galatasaray.

ByAdam Scully Nov 30, 2023

He is often caught out of position by entering ground duels that he is not going to win, which leaves gaps in dangerous areas for the opponent to exploit as he lacks recovery speed to retreat in time. This was clear to see against Galatasaray, with the number two having a 0% ground duel win rate.

The player who could replace Victor Lindelof

When on the field, Raphael Varane is typically extremely reliable, however, his availability has been a huge issue, with the French defender prone to injuries. Since joining United in 2021, Varane has endured eight different injuries, with the latest occurring towards the end of August.

Ten Hag looks to be carefully managing the fitness of the 30-year-old, yet he may be forced into starting him more frequently than he would probably like to at this stage.

2023/24

Unknown

27 days

2022/23

Foot

24 days

2022/23

Leg

23 days

2022/23

Ankle sprain

5 days

2021/22

Muscular problems

18 days

2021/22

Covid

8 days

2021/22

Abdominal problems

4 days

2021/22

Hamstring

50 days

2021/22

Groin

15 days

Data via Transfermarkt.

Unfortunately, Varane hasn’t played enough minutes in the Premier League to have a scout report on FBref this season, but we can still compare his Champions League report to Lindelof’s.

It is instantly obvious that Varane is a much more dominant defender, losing 0% of his challenges and making 1.41 tackles per game, whereas the 29-year-old is yet to make a successful tackle in four appearances. The former Real Madrid player is also superior at reading the game and being proactive out of possession, making 1.06 interceptions per game, compared to Lindelof’s 0.3.

Furthermore, from an in-possession perspective, there isn’t a massive upside to starting Lindelof over Varane either, with the Swede boasting sub-par statistics in touches and carries according to FBref.

Manchester United legend, Rio Ferdinand, has also previously labelled Varane a ‘calming influence’ and his experience of playing in enormous matches may just have got United over the line yesterday. Lindelof, on the other hand, had been labelled a "liability" on too many occasions.

Overall, if it wasn’t for Varane’s lack of reliability he would be starting, but this piece further highlights the need for centre-back reinforcement in the transfer window.

Since Farhad Moshiri bought into Everton in 2016, there have certainly been more misses than hits in the transfer market, with the club spending huge wads of cash on players who never really settled at the Premier League outfit.

The likes of Gylfi Sigurdsson, Yannick Bolasie, Morgan Schneiderlin and Jean-Phillippe Gbamin, just to name a few, have all been some of the Toffees' most expensive signings of all time, yet none of them still remain at the club.

However, there isn't a fine line between being a success and a failure. Some of Everton's acquisitions over the past seven years performed at a solid level during their stints in Merseyside and didn't set the world alight but weren't the root of the side's problems either.

One of the players who fits into this category left during the summer and has been having a torrid time at his new club.

Yerry Mina's stats at Everton

Yerry Mina became Everton's sixth most expensive player of all time and the fifth most expensive signing of the Moshiri era when he moved to Goodison Park for £28.5m back in 2018. The Toffees reportedly even fought off late interest from Manchester United to secure the centre-back from Barcelona on transfer deadline day.

The Colombia international went on to make 99 appearances in all competitions for Everton during his five years at the club and bagged nine goals in total which is quite an impressive number for a central defender despite the team's struggles on the pitch. Former Everton defender Michael Ball even claimed that Mina was a "monster" when on form for the Toffees.

Unfortunately, Mina came to the club during a difficult spell and throughout his time in Merseyside, the Colombian played under five different permanent managers. The coach he featured the most under was Carlo Ancelotti, playing 43 times during the Italian's stint in charge and his game-time massively diminished after the legendary coach left in 2021.

Marco Silva

31

Carlo Ancelotti

43

Rafa Benitez

8

Frank Lampard

9

Sean Dyche

4

Stats via Transfermarkt

Mina played less under Rafa Benitez, Frank Lampard and Sean Dyche combined than he did under Marco Silva or Ancelotti and eventually left in the recent summer transfer window on a free.

Yerry Mina's stats at Fiorentina

The former La Liga champion moved to Fiorentina once his contract with Everton expired. The Florence-based club had reached two finals last season and finished in eighth place, earning a spot in the Europa Conference League once more. However, Mina's time at the Artemio Franchi Stadium has been a disaster so far.

In all competitions, the 29-year-old has made just two appearances for La Viola, while having been on the pitch for merely two minutes in total. Mina came on for one minute in Fiorentina's recent games against Juventus and Bologna prior to the international break, having spent the rest of the season sidelined with a muscle injury.

Mina's campaign has been even worse since leaving Everton than his ex-teammate Mason Holgate. The latter joined relegated Championship outfit Southampton during the summer but has featured for only 290 minutes in a Saints shirt over the course of five different games. He hasn't been a regular but has been a key part of a squad currently fourth in the second tier as they bid to compete among England's elite once more.

During Mina's time at Goodison Park, Holgate played 107 games in all competitions for Everton, more than the Colombian, and was shoehorned all over the backline due to his versatility, even playing in the midfield at one point. However, like his former colleague, the 27-year-old made four appearances under Dyche and parted during the summer, albeit on loan.

While playing for Everton may have seemed like a nightmare at times, both men have suffered desperately for minutes since leaving the club and now could have to live with the regret of doing so.

One day, Liverpool will have to contend with the departure of Mohamed Salah. It is a thought that strikes fear into the hearts of those on Merseyside – the red half, at least.

For the blue side, and indeed far beyond, the Egyptian machine has plagued Premier League defences for many years, since signing from Roma in a £34m transfer back in 2017.

Salah, aged 31, has scored 196 goals and supplied 83 assists from 320 appearances for Jurgen Klopp's side; he has been the offensive catalyst and enjoyed a starring role across an illustrious period in the Reds' history, instrumental in the conquering of the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup – not an exhaustive list.

Liverpool warded off advances from Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad in the summer, who are believed to have presented a £150m package for the 32-year-old, but with Salah out of contract in 2025, he will not remain on Anfield grass forever.

While the defensive and central thirds require immediate attention, Klopp could be tempted to spend big on a new attacking outlet when the time comes, and if reports are to be believed, that addition could be Jamal Musiala.

Liverpool transfer news – Jamal Musiala

According to Sport1, Liverpool are very much among the contenders for Musiala's services as the Bayern Munich star continues to sit at an impasse with the Bundesliga champions regarding a contractual renewal.

More recently, Sport Bild – via ESPN – have reported that Spanish giants Real Madrid have also joined the race and will prioritise the 20-year-old's signing next summer should efforts to sign Kylian Mbappe prove fruitless.

Reports from October have suggested that Liverpool will have to cough up €100m (£87m) to secure Musiala's signature, and while this is an eye-watering figure, they may not find the opportunity to find such an extraordinary talent still malleable enough to be shaped to Klopp's creation.

Jamal Musiala's style of play

Having been a starring member of Chelsea's youth academy throughout his formative years, Musiala opted to return to his homeland in 2019 after the Stamford Bridge side failed to match Die Roten's offer.

How they must rue that call; Musiala has now plundered 35 goals and 26 assists from 138 professional outings, clinching 32 direct contributions from 47 games last year.

At the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, for Germany, Musiala was one of the only bright sparks as his nation languished to a group phase exit, with the gem, who has been hailed as a "future Ballon d'Or winner" by teammate Alphonso Davies, completing 12 dribbles in one match against Costa Rica (the most ever from a teenager in a single game at the tournament).

This year, he has only started five league matches so far – a large reason behind the growing sense that he might be unsettled – but has scored four goals and supplied three assists across all competitions – serving a goal against Manchester United in the Champions League.

Strengths

Weaknesses

Dribbling

Crossing

Through balls

Tackling

Long shots

Key passes

Finishing

*Sourced via WhoScored

A remarkable prospect, Musiala ranks among the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for pass completion and successful take-ons, the top 7% for assists and the top 15% for shot-creating actions per 90, as per FBref.

The £87k-per-week gem boasts skills that would slot into Klopp's Liverpool system like a dovetail joint, and should it come down to it, the Reds simply must prioritise signing the Bavarian machine over his countryman Florian Wirtz, who has been sensational for Bayer Leverkusen this season.

How Jamal Musiala compares to Florian Wirtz

Wirtz has scored six goals and supplied nine assists from 15 matches across all competitions this season as Xabi Alonso's Leverkusen perch atop the Bundesliga table, having been dubbed an "elite talent" by scout Jacek Kulig.

Destined for a career at the very top, Wirtz has made 2.5 key passes per game in the German top-flight this term; Sofascore highlights his tendency to linger around the left channel, influencing play from the touchline and weaving inside to create chances and strike on goal himself.

There are compelling cases to be made that a club such as Liverpool should focus on signing either one of these stunning midfielders, but Liverpool would find Musiala of greater value to Klopp's project, with Wirtz also attracting the side's attention, according to the Star – via the Daily Mail.

(stats per 90)

Goals

Assists

Shots

Pass %

Prog. passes

Prog. carries

STA

SCA

Jamal Musiala

0.31

0.34

1.76

86%

5.54

4.20

4.05

4.78

Florian Wirtz

0.30

0.53

2.41

79%

7.06

3.99

3.63

5.96

*Statistics sourced via FBref

As the table delineates, the players are of a similar ilk if differing slightly in their approach on the pitch. Wirtz is more creative and influences play from deep, as highlighted by his superior shot-creating actions (SCA), but Musiala is a more adept dribbler, driving the ball forward and bypassing hapless defenders with successful take-ons (STA).

Make no mistake, either one of these prodigious Germany starlets would be an incredible addition to the Anfield side, and there is little dispute that Wirtz is one of the finest, most dynamic playmaking talents of his generation. It might just be that Musiala is more suited to the role that Klopp would hope for him to play.

The Bayern player, who has been heralded as a "potential world beater" by a recruitment figure central to transfer speculation surrounding his name, is a dribbler at his core and could be the perfect foil for Liverpool stars such as Dominik Szoboszlai and Trent Alexander-Arnold, whose creative ingenuity would blend sumptuously with Musiala, as he weaves through the half-spaces.

The figures that might be involved in a transfer could be astronomical, but the Liverpool chiefs have already demonstrated their willingness to spend big after capturing Darwin Nunez for a club-record fee totalling £85m.

When Salah does bow out, it will be important to secure a shiny new signature of someone who could compensate for his exit; directly replacing such a prolific phenomenon would be difficult, true, but investing in a new kind of attacking threat would be an astute move.

Musiala could be the talismanic figure to ensure Liverpool remain challenging for the biggest honours over the coming years, and if an opportunity arises, then Klopp must pounce.

MatériaMais Notícias

De “supertime’, com comando definido e exaltada força mental para superar desafios e candidato a todos títulos, o Flamengo, em um intervalo de meses, tornou-se uma equipe frágil, exposta à goleadas e eliminações precoces, mas que, apesar dos percalços, está na briga pelo título do Campeonato Brasileiro. Mais do que falhas individuais e coletivas dentro do gramado, o contexto vivido pelo clube e no qual ele está inserido explica a queda no desempenho e nos insucessos recentes, após o mágico ano de 2019 e também o início de 2020.

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De maneira mais imediata, pode-se colocar a responsabilidade (ou culpa) das eliminações precoces na Copa do Brasil, diante do São Paulo, e na Libertadores, para o Racing, ou das goleadas sofridas no Brasileirão, para o Atlético-MG e Atlético-GO, por exemplo, apenas nos jogadores – que erraram, de fato, tanto no ataque quanto na defesa – ou nas decisões tomadas pelos treinadores – seja Domènec Torrent ou Rogério Ceni. Por outro lado, uma visão mais ampla permite enxergar os fatores extra-campo que contribuíram para o Flamengo ter os resultados recentes, tanto os que partiram do clube quanto os externos.

A derrocada rubro-negra em relação a 2019 tem, como “pontapé inicial”, a saída de Jorge Jesus em julho, semanas após renovar seu vínculo com o clube até junho de 2021. O técnico não foi o único a trocar o Flamengo pela Europa: foi o caso de Rafinha e Pablo Marí, casos que exemplificam o desafio que é tornar-se hegemônico na América do Sul enquanto clubes de menor expressão da Europa ainda permanecem mais atrativos aos olhos dos atletas e técnicos.

Dentro deste cenário, no qual o clube da Gávea foi forçado a fazer uma troca no comando técnico da equipe – uma exceção à regra do futebol brasileiro, no qual as diretorias demitem e contratam treinadores com extrema naturalidade -, o Flamengo apostou em Domènec Torrent. A quebra de filosofia em relação ao antecessor fez com que o catalão fosse descartado após três meses, e a dias de decisões da Libertadores e da Copa do Brasil. O resultado foi este: Rogério Ceni, há 22 dias no cargo, soma duas eliminações e uma vitória em seis jogos.

As opções de Rogério Ceni, Dome Torrent ou qualquer que seja o técnico podem – e devem – ser questionadas. Contudo, em um calendário espremido pela pandemia do coronavírus, e que não permitem aos treinadores tempo de treinar com o grupo, eles não podem ser os responsáveis pelos insucessos.

As tomadas de decisão da diretoria – que está a par de todos detalhes da rotina do futebol desde janeiro de 2019 -, por exemplo, têm mais “peso” nos recentes resultados. Os reforços contratados para 2020, com a exceção de Pedro, não deram o retorno esperado. O departamento médico, referência em 2019, foi reformulado, sob coordenação do Dr. Márcio Tannure, e vem tendo problemas com as frequentes lesões e longos períodos de recuperação dos atletas. Pilar da defesa, Rodrigo Caio ficou afastado por 70 dias após retornar lesionado da Seleção Brasileira, caso similar ao de Pedro e também do uruguaio Arrascaeta.

O aspecto psicológico do time – elogiado na “Era Jesus”, na qual o time não se desesperava mesmo diante de cenários adversos – também “desmoronou”. A presença de um profissional para tratar este fator já foi descartada pelo vice-presidente de futebol Marcos Braz, que disse não ver necessidade para tal no elenco profissional. Rogério Ceni, por sua vez, destacou o “lado mental” como “o maior problema do Flamengo” no dia 19, após a queda na Copa do Brasil.

O Flamengo afastou Alberto Figueiras do departamento de futebol no primeiro trimestre de 2019, e, desde então, o elenco profissional não tem um psicólogo à disposição no dia a dia do Ninho do Urubu. Entre junho de 2019 e junho de 2020, com a chegada de Jorge Jesus e sua comissão técnica, Evandro Motta (mental coach que acompanha o Mister há anos) foi o responsável por trabalhar o lado mental da equipe do Mister, mas não é formado em psicologia.

É nos resultados obtidos na passagem do Mister que Braz respalda a ideia de que não é necessário a presença de um profissional no dia a dia do Ninho do Urubu. Mas, diante de todo este contexto, é possível entender que o sucesso alcançado pelo time de Jorge Jesus é a exceção da regra no futebol brasileiro. Os títulos da Libertadores e Brasileirão conquistados no mesmo ano (aliás, no mesmo fim de semana), os recordes e campanhas históricas comprovam isso.

It’s been far from an easy ride at Everton over the past few years, as Sean Dyche continues to attempt to combat the on-pitch issues that have previously threatened the club with relegation.

Fans had to wait until matchweek four to see the Toffees net their first goals of the 2023/24 campaign, and matchweek six to see their side claim their first three points of the season, after a dreadful start to the campaign.

Last term, almost identical to the year prior, Everton were forced to have their fate decided on the final game of the Premier League season, as they flirted with demotion to the Championship due to poor form and lack of inspiration.

Change in personnel within the squad and from a managerial aspect has delayed any type of progression for the Merseyside outfit, however with three wins in their previous four games, there is hope that Dyche’s side can finally build some form.

With a squad replenished in the summer transfer window, there are vacancies there for new heroes to emerge at Goodison, with those that brought joy before, now just a memory.

One name that was a constant source of hope for the Toffees amid their relegation battle of the 2021/22 campaign was Richarlison, who departed the club that summer after cementing himself as a fan favourite on Merseyside.

While it was a painful goodbye to the Brazilian, hindsight has shown that the Blues got a strong deal in the sale of the forward, despite having to let go of his influence on the squad.

When did Everton sign Richarlison?

In the summer of 2018, Everton announced the signing of the highly-rated Richarlison from Watford, paying £40m for the striker who was 21 at the time of his move.

The Brazilian arrived at Vicarage Road the year before, and made a statement in his debut campaign in Europe by having a hand in ten Premier League goals, scoring five and assisting five to capture the eye of the Blues.

Marco Silva, the former Hornets boss who guided Richarlison at Vicarage Road, was the Everton manager responsible for bringing the forward to Goodison in 2018, where he praised him as an acquisition that was “very good technically” at the point of his arrival.

How much did Richarlison earn at Everton?

In making the move to Merseyside, Richarlison subsequently more than doubled his salary, improving his £1.3m-per-year wage at Watford to £4.6m at Everton, equating to a weekly wage of £90k, via Capology.

It was clear from the off how highly the Blues regarded the young marksman, as they handed him a wage that ranked him joint-fourth of the club’s highest-earners in the 2018/19 season.

The faith shown by the Toffees was quickly repaid by Richarlison, as he almost instantly made a name for himself, scoring two goals on his league debut in August 2018, where he was lauded as an “animal” by journalist Liam Canning.

How many goals did Richarlison score?

At the end of his first season, the Brazilian had found himself on the score sheet 14 times in all competitions, netting 13 in the Premier League to get fans excited about what was yet to come.

The following campaign, Richarlison replicated his scoring tally in the league with another 13 in the 2019/20 season, as well as scoring two goals in the Carabao Cup that year.

Along with Dominic Calvert-Lewin, the versatile forward was repaying the price the Blues had paid to bring him to the club at 21, ending his stay on Merseyside with 53 goals and 14 assists in 152 appearances in all competitions.

Excluding the 2020/21 campaign, the £40m man never failed to score under ten goals in the Premier League while at Everton, with his lowest tally being the seven he claimed that season.

In his final term, amid the struggles going on at Goodison, the Brazil international had a hand in 15 goals in the league, scoring ten and assisting five, maintaining form in the wilted side that caught the attention of other clubs in the top flight.

How much did Everton sell Richarlison for?

They say all good things must come to an end, and that was the narrative that played out for Richarlison at Everton, as he bid farewell to the club after four years in the summer of 2022.

Tottenham Hotspur were the side that opted to splash the cash to sign the then 25-year-old, paying £60m for his services after their opening offer of £40m was rejected by the Blues.

As relayed by Sky Sports at the time, Everton were hoping for more for their talisman, but made the decision to sanction the move in order to hand manager Frank Lampard additional funds to orchestrate change in the transfer window to take forward.

By selling the 48-cap Brazil international, the Toffees generated a profit of £20m from the £40m they paid for him in 2018, highlighting the grasped opportunity for them to optimise their finances in what was a difficult time for the club.

In hindsight, the deal was an integral and successful one, as the now 26-year-old has seen his market value crash, and his form follow, suggesting that he played his best football at Goodison.

How much is Richarlison worth now?

To say that Lampard cashed in on Richarlison at the perfect time is an understatement, as his current market value sits at just €36.3m (£31m), £29m less than the price that he was sold for just a year ago, as per Football Transfers.

Richarlison's Premier League scoring record

Season

Club

Apps

Goals

2017/18

Watford

38

5

2018/19

Everton

35

13

2019/20

Everton

36

13

2020/21

Everton

34

7

2021/22

Everton

30

10

2022/23

Spurs

27

1

2023/24 TBC

Spurs

8

1

Figures via Transfermarkt

The dip in the forward’s form is answered solely by his abysmal displays in the final third during his first season at Spurs, another indication that Everton offloading him at the ideal time.

In the 2022/23 campaign, the 6 foot hotshot scored once in 27 appearances, scoring his only goal of the entire Premier League season in April after a period of stagnancy relating to the element he was signed to thrive in.

There remains hope that the former Toffees sensation can rediscover his confidence in front of goal, with signs there that this season may be more encouraging as he matched last campaign’s league tally on match week five of this term.

Regardless of whether Richarlison can salvage the form he showcased at Goodison, Everton struck gold by selling the striker for £60m, especially when seeing how dramatically his value has dropped in the year following his departure.