شدد النجم الجزائري، رياض محرز، جناح فريق مانشستر سيتي، على صعوبة مواجهة فريقه السابق، ليستر سيتي في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

مانشستر سيتي يستقبل مساء الأحد، في تمام الساعة الخامسة والنصف مساءً نظيره ليستر، على ملعب “الاتحاد”، بالجولة الثالثة من البريميرليج.

وقال محرز في تصريحات نقلتها شبكة “سبورتس مول” البريطانية: “عندما أنظر للوراء أرى أنّ ما حققته مع ليستر سيتي، لا يُصدق، كل شيء حققناه كمجموعة من اللاعبين وكنادٍ، الأمر كان مُذهلًا، قضيت أوقاتًا جيدة في ليستر”.

وأضاف: “أعتقد أنّ مباراة الغد، ستكون صعبة للغاية، كلا الفريقين كانا جيدين في الموسم الماضي، ولديهما لاعبين جيدين، لا أعرف كيف سنعلب المباراة، ولكنها ستكون صعبة بكل تأكيد”.

أقرأ أيضًا.. محرز: ليفربول كان أفضل من مانشستر سيتي الموسم الماضي.. ونعرف كيفية الفوز بالبريميرليج

وواصل: “ليستر مُنذ أربع أو خمس سنوات، كان فريقًا رائعًا، ستكون مباراة صعبة بشكل لا يُصدق”.

وتابع: “غدًا سنلعب على أرضنا، وعلى الرغم من الغيابات التي لدينا، لكنني أرى الفريق جيدًا حقًا”.

وأتم تصريحاته: “نحن في مانشستر سيتي، لدينا العديد من اللاعبين الشباب وهم يُساعدوننا كثيرًا، لدينا مجموعة استثنائية قادرة على تحقيق شيء جيد يوم الأحد”.

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West Ham may soon have another English legend to sing songs about, as Declan Rice has officially declared his desire to represent England at the international level.

Rice has confirmed he will no longer represent Republic of Ireland at international level, despite earning three caps for the men in green already.

The decision is sure to attract a lot of controversy, at least from one side of the Irish Sea.

Via a statement on his official Twitter account, the 20 year-old told fans on Wednesday that it was an “extremely difficult decision” and thanked the Irish coaching staff for their support.

Former Wigan & Fulham man, Jimmy Bullard recently showed that he’s still got it! Check out the video below…

While it remains to be seen when or even if he will be called into Gareth Southgate’s England squad, it sure feels like only a matter of time.

The versatile youngster showed his hand as a centre back last season, but has really excelled since moving into midfield under Manuel Pellegrini.

England have been crying out for a controlled and physical presence in the midfield who can dominate both athletically and technically, and Rice may have all the tools to do just that.

Make no mistake about it, this could be a hugely beneficial decision for the youngster if he keeps his current rate of improvement.

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West Ham United fell to a shock defeat at the weekend, losing 2-0 to Cardiff City as their ambitions of a top-seven finish sustained a serious blow.

The loss was accompanied by a mediocre performance, too, which will have infuriated manager Manuel Pellegrini.

Goals from Junior Hoilett and Victor Camarasa proved decisive and Pellegrini’s back is likely to be up as West Ham prepare to face Huddersfield Town in a game that could be another banana skin in waiting.

Football FanCast has taken a look at two suggested solutions to ensure the Irons do not slip on it…

Drop Hernandez

Javier Hernandez simply cannot play as a lone striker.

Playing up top on his own against the Bluebirds, Hernandez failed to register a single shot on goal, per WhoScored.

Moreover, he touched the ball just 29 times, the lowest of any Hammers player, and also committed two fouls.

A dive in an attempt to win a penalty was nothing short of a disgrace and it does not make sense for Pellegrini to keep picking him.

Marko Arnautovic is a far better option through the middle and should start against Huddersfield.

Bring back Antonio

Robert Snodgrass always toils admirably for the cause for the Hammers and few can argue with his application.

However, his execution against Cardiff left rather a lot to be desired.

Playing on the right wing, the Scotland international did not complete a single dribble, nor did he manage a shot on target.

It is all the more baffling that he completed the 90 minutes when Michail Antonio was sat on the bench.

Antonio was eventually thrown on in the hope of salvaging the game and he should start against Huddersfield.

Not only is he a more effective carrier of the ball he is also quicker, more skilful, and a better finisher.

Bringing him back is something of a no-brainer.

Arsenal have been fairly solid under new manager Unai Emery and, as the Spaniard is approaching his third transfer window with the Gunners, we look to who he can bring in to improve in the weaker areas of his current side.

Indeed, the North London side have certainly looked good in patches, though there is quite clearly a gulf in class when it comes to battling the real big boys. Despite all the talent he has available to him, Emery isn’t blessed with a squad as good as Manchester City’s or Liverpool’s and the project in play at the Emirates obviously needs some big backing if they’re going to close the gap.

With that in mind – considering what we’ve seen so far – here’s a look at two options the club should be considering ahead of the summer window.

Kai Havertz 

Kai Havertz has been one of the many wonderkids in the Bundesliga this season. Providing 9 goals and 4 assists in the league, the young German talent could be a worthy replacement if the eventual exit of Mesut Özil is to finally happen in the summer, as was touted by Calciomercato some time ago.

The 19-year-old attacking midfielder has had many highlights this season, he has managed to bag himself 2 goals in one game on more than one occasion, 2-6 away win at Werder Bremen and a 3-1 home win against Hertha Berlin. as well as proving effective against the smaller German clubs.

This season alone, Havertz has shown that he could be of real use in the Arsenal midfield and with the help of Matteo Guendouzi, they could form a long term alliance and bring a balance of strength and creativity to the middle of Arsenals midfield once again.

Denis Suarez 

Already with the Gunners on loan from Barcelona, it could be argued that they already have a key summer signing wearing the jersey. Since joining in January, the 25-year-old has found it hard to get some real game time under Unai Emery, however with this and given more time, the Spanish midfielder could prove to be one of the signings of the window if given a permanent deal.

Seeing as he is being given time to adjust to the Premier League in the closing months and been shown the way Emery wants his team to play, this is like a 3-month training programme for next season.

Everton are not doing quite as well as many feel they should be this season under Marco Silva, with plenty of their big names failing to live up to expectations as it stands.

The pressure is building on the Toffees manager, who is struggling to get any sort of consistency from his squad, and there glaring gaps of quality in the starting XI which could well need to be addressed when the market opens in the summer.

One are we feel would be ideal to add to is up front, where the lack of a genuine number nine who can grab the goals is proving costly for Everton and Silva.

There are players out there though, and we here at the Tavern feel that signing Brentford striker Neal Maupay would be a smart move for the Merseysiders.

The French forward has been in superb form for the Bees this term, as he once again looks to top the goalscoring charts in the second tier.

Maupay has bags of quality in front of goal, but he is also a team player, something which is demonstrated in the amount of chances he lays on for his Brentford teammates on a weekly basis.

His speed, quick thinking, and lethal finishing mean that adapting to life in the Premier League shouldn’t be a problem for the Frenchman, and if Everton want to give him his chance in the top flight, there’s every chance their faith will be quickly repaid.

Everton fans, what do you think? Good signing? Let us know in the comments!

Manchester United has been home to some of the most famous players in recent times and they could have welcomed another star to their hall of fame had Ronaldinho not snubbed them at the very last minute.

Old Trafford and Sir Alex Ferguson are two of the most infamous sporting symbols in the world; the home of priceless memories, unforgettable games, countless trophies and the very man who orchestrated Manchester United’s unrivalled success for 26 years.

Those who’ve graced the pitch etched into footballing folklore.

So, it always comes as a shock, or maybe even a reality check, that a player could reject his chance to pull on the famous red shirt…

Ronaldinho – 2003

It would be a difficult task to find a footballer lover who didn’t know who Ronaldinho was growing up.

Now imagine Ronaldinho at Manchester United.

A match made in heaven. But one that sadly never materialised.

By his own admission, the Brazilian was only 48 hours away from signing for Manchester United before Barcelona and friend Sandro Rosell offered him the opportunity to play for Barcelona instead.

“It almost happened. It was a matter of 48 hours, but Sandro Rosell had told me way before I got the offer: “If I become Barca president, will you come?” I said yes,” he told FourFourTwo.

Rosell succeeded as president and the rest was history.

In a way, Manchester United fans can’t be too critical of his decision, or how things ended up for either party.

The club experienced major success under Sir Alex without the help of Ronaldinho, winning five major trophies, including the Champions League, in the six seasons he spent at Barcelona.

We also can’t forget the fact that a Cristiano Ronaldo entered the scene that very same year, who became a legend at Old Trafford in his own right.

On the other hand, the footballing world won when Ronaldinho transferred to Barcelona. Not only did we get to watch one of the finest footballers in the world, but we also saw a relatively unknown talent in Lionel Messi emerge under the guidance of the Brazilian to ultimately become one of the greatest of all time.

Ronaldinho – the one that got away.

يدرس نادي بايرن ميونخ فكرة التعاقد مع جناح الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي أتلتيكو مدريد، توماس ليمار، قبل انتهاء فترة الانتقالات الصيفية الحالية.

ويرغب بطل دوري أبطال أوروبا لعام 2020 في تدعيم صفوف الفريق الألماني، بعد الخسارة الكبيرة التي تلقاها الفريق بالجولة الماضية من بطولة الدوري أمام هوفنهايم بنتيجة 4-1.

وطلب مدرب بايرن ميونخ، هانزي فليك، من الإدارة الحصول على بعض الصفقات الجديدة من أجل تقوية صفوف البافاري للمنافسة على الألقاب في الموسم الحالي بعد رحيل فيليب كوتينيو وإيفان بيريسيتش وألفارو أودريوزولا وفيليب كوتينيو بعد انتهاء إعاراتهم.

اقرأ أيضًا.. رومينيجه يختار أفضل صفقتين جلبهما لـ بايرن ميونخ

ووضع بايرن ميونخ عينه على ليمار من أجل تدعيم مركز الجناح الأيسر، وهي ليست المرة الأولى التي يهتم فيها بضم الفرنسي، حيث سبق وحاول في العامين الماضيين ضمه ولكن فشل.

ستحاول إدارة النادي الألماني مرة أخرى مستغلة عدم نجاح ليمار مع مدربه دييجو سيميوني، واستبعاده المتواصل من المباريات في الفترة الأخيرة لإقناع أتلتيكو مدريد بفكرة التخلي عنه.

ويريد أتلتيكو مدريد بيع ليمار وليس إعارته، وهو ما أبلغ به بايرن ميونخ في الأيام الماضية ولذلك يدرس الأخير التقدم بعرض رسمي لحسم الصفقة لصالحه قبل 5 أكتوبر المقبل.

رحيل ليمار عن أتلتيكو مدريد سيمنح النادي الإسباني فرصة لتخفيض الرواتب بين اللاعبين من أجل التعاقدات الجديدة المتوقعة مثل إدينسون كافاني أو أركاديوش ميليك (نابولي) أو راؤول دي توماس (إسبانيول) أو ماكسي جوميز (فالنسيا) لتدعيم الهجوم.

In the first half of this Premier League season, Chelsea were pretty solid under Maurizio Sarri.

For most of it, only Liverpool had a better defensive record, putting into perspective how well things were going for the Blues at the back.

Rather, it was the team’s attack that was costing the west London club with Alvaro Morata epitomising how poor it had been.

However, after thrashings to Bournemouth and Manchester City among other terrible displays, it is clear defence is now the big problem area at Chelsea.

And while Sarri will be quick to point out that defending starts from the front and is done collectively, it is hard to look past David Luiz’s awful contribution in this mess.

Yet the 31-year-old is set to be handed a new contract (Evening Standard) in a development that could now have consequences for Andreas Christensen.

Christensen has barely featured in this Premier League campaign even with Luiz struggling for form, and that does not look like it is about to change now or in the near future following the news about his Brazilian team-mate.

Transfer ban or no transfer ban, Sarri seems set on having Luiz at the heart of his defence indefinitely, leaving Christensen in a difficult predicament.

Chelsea fans, does Luiz deserve his spot in the starting XI ahead of Christensen? Join the discussion by commenting below.

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Celtic fans will be absolutely fuming at club legend Davie Provan, who has slammed fans for criticising Brendan Rodgers.

Celtic were left stunned by the timing of Rodgers’ departure, bringing in Neil Lennon on a temporary basis to replace the now Leicester boss.

While most fans accept that the Premier League is the greatest height a footballer or manager can reach, the manner of the boss’ departure left a sour taste in a lot of mouths.

Provan, who made 206 league appearances for Celtic, scoring 28 goals and winning four league titles, has now hit back at Rodgers’ critics, insisting that the 46 year-old made the right decision.

Provan’s reasoning for his verdict though, is downright absurd.

Former Wigan & Fulham man, Jimmy Bullard recently showed that he’s still got it! Check out the video below…

What’s he said?

Speaking in his column for The Scottish Sun, Provan said: “Those accusing Rodgers of betrayal need to wise up. He’s taken a better-paid job in a stronger league while escaping Glasgow’s sectarian cesspool at the same time.”

Later in the column he discussed crowd violence: “Already, Gerrard must survey our football landscape and wonder why he’s here.

“Yeah, the English game has its share of bonehead supporters, but nothing like the coin-throwing, foul-mouthed sectarian mob currently killing our game.

“You wouldn’t dream of taking your wife or kids into their company.

“And if Rodgers has spoken warmly of his time in Scotland, he must be relieved he’s rejoined civilisation at Leicester.”

Completely out of touch with reality

To be frank, the 62 year-old is about as far away from the mark as you possibly could be.

In fact, for a man so connected with Parkhead, he seems to have completely missed the point of why Bhoys fans are unhappy with the former boss.

No one will begrudge a relatively young manager the chance to perform on the biggest stage, but to leave on the brink of a league title and potentially even a “treble treble” shows cowardice.

On top of that, to suggest that crowd violence is a Scotland problem rather than a football problem is truly bizarre, as if Jack Grealish and Chris Smalling weren’t attacked on English football pitches this very weekend.

All in all, Provan has managed to completely miss why fans are angry with Rodgers while simultaneously branding all Scottish football fans responsible for the actions of a few idiotic rule-breakers. His comments are completely nonsensical.

Kyle Lafferty has had a bit of a tough time on his return to Ibrox this season. The 31-year-old striker had bagged just four goals before yesterday, with his most recent goal coming against Cowdenbeath in the Scottish Cup in January, and before that his most recent Scottish Premier League goal coming all the way back in late September.

There has been no doubting that Alfredo Morelos is Steven Gerrard’s number one choice up front, and the January signing of Jermain Defoe has only pished Lafferty further down the pecking order. However, when the Northern Irishman came on and scored yesterday it would have given him the much-needed confidence boost that he’s been needing for a while.

The Bluenoses will hope he can put together some kind of run of form now and if he can kick on and grab some goals between now and the end of the season then it will be a welcomed bonus that would relieve some of the goalscoring burden that is so often put on Morelos. However, it won’t be easy to string together goalscoring form, and if it is to happen then the big man will need more than cameo appearances from the bench.

You can read the Gers’ reaction to Lafferty’s strike here:

The Bluenoses loved seeing their big man score and will hope there are few more to come from Lafferty this season.