All posts by n8rngtd.top

Erik ten Hag will be without eight first-team stars against Fenerbahce as Manchester United revealed their travelling squad for Turkey.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Ten Hag with a lengthy absentee list
• Skipper Bruno Fernandes is suspended
• The Dutch manager has named a 20-man list

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  United's squad is stretched thin as they gear up to lock horns against Jose Mourinho's men on Thursday. One of the biggest concerns for the Red Devils is the midfield situation. With Mason Mount, Kobbie Mainoo, Dan Gore, and Toby Collyer all sidelined due to injury, and Bruno Fernandes suspended, United find themselves short of options in the middle of the park. Only Manuel Ugarte, Casemiro, and Christian Eriksen are available as central midfielders, forcing Ten Hag to depend heavily on these three experienced players.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Jonny Evans, who was instrumental in the weekend win against Brentford, has not trained since picking up an injury in that match. Meanwhile, other defenders including Harry Maguire, Tyrell Malacia, Luke Shaw, and Leny Yoro happen to be long-term absentees.

  In light of the injury concerns, teenage defenders Harry Amass and Habeeb Ogunneye have been called up to the squad. Both Amass, 17, and Ogunneye, 18, were named on the bench at the end of last season but have yet to make their senior debuts. With the team’s defence under strain, these young players could have an opportunity to prove their worth on the European stage.

• WHAT ERIK TEN HAG SAID

  Nonetheless, Ten Hag remained buoyant about United's chances and told reporters: "The players who are available have to do the job and they are capable of doing the job. I think we have enough players in the team that are so experienced. Our team is so experienced. We’ve faced such situations more often. I think we’re looking forward, I think it will be a great ambience that’s fuel for the team and it’s a real challenge, it’s a motivation, it’s really good for us."

  The manager also shared an update on Mount and informed: "I think a bit longer [to wait for Mount], that's what we expected. I think he will be back soon."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Although UEFA allows up to 12 substitutes to be named on the bench for Europa League matches, Ten Hag has included only nine in his 20-man squad, which includes the two reserve goalkeepers, Altay Bayindir and Tom Heaton. This decision reflects the thinness of the squad and the limited options available to the United manager due to injuries.

  Full Manchester United Squad for Fenerbahce

  Goalkeepers: Altay Bayindir, Tom Heaton, Andre Onana
  
  Defenders: Harry Amass, Diogo Dalot, Matthijs de Ligt, Victor Lindelof, Lisandro Martinez, Noussair Mazraoui, Habeeb Ogunneye
  
  Midfielders: Casemiro, Christian Eriksen, Manuel Ugarte
  
  Forwards: Amad, Antony, Alejandro Garnacho, Rasmus Hojlund, Marcus Rashford, Ethan Wheatley, Joshua Zirkzee

Dele Alli has shared a touching tribute on social media to the late George Baldock after the ex-Sheffield United star's untimely death aged 31.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Dele Alli pays tribute to Baldock
• Ex-defender found dead last week
• Duo played together at MK Dons

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Baldock was found dead last week at his home in Athens after his wife alerted emergency services after being unable to contact her husband. The ex-Sheffield United star has been mourned by the footballing community, and former Tottenham Hotspur star Dele has now penned an emotional tribute to his former teammate and 'brother'.

Advertisement

• WHAT DELE SAID

  On Instagram, he posted a tribute for Baldock and said: "No words I could type or pictures I could use would ever be enough. May your spirit, ambition, determination and humility live on through those who had the honour of knowing you! I love you brother and will miss you forever! My Thoughts, prayers and heart goes out to your family! Rest in peace Balders."

• TEAM-MATES AT MK DONS

  Baldock and Dele played together at MK Dons for two seasons between 2013 and 2015 and shared the field together 42 times during that time. The two were also on the field when MK Dons famously defeated Manchester United 4-0 in the Carabao Cup.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty
  

  DELE JOINS MK DONS TRIBUTE TO BALDOCK

  Ahead of MK Dons' League Two clash against Port Vale at Stadium MK, Dele joined former club owner and chairman, Pete Winkleman, to pay tribute to Baldock with a minute's silence while holding up a Baldock jersey.

Crystal Palace became one of the most entertaining teams to watch anywhere in the country towards the end of the Premier League season this year, scoring for fun and punishing the 'big six' home and away.

Under new boss Oliver Glasner, the South Londoners looked as if they would have reached the European places if the season hadn't come to an end, and while the Austrian deserves plenty of credit, his ideas were executed by a squad full of brilliant talents.

Players like Adam Wharton, Michael Olise, and Eberechi Eze have been spectacular under the former Eintracht Frankfurt boss, although their impressive performances have led to stories about their potential departure, especially in the latter's case.

That said, if the Eagles do lose the former Queens Park Rangers star this summer, they could quickly replace him with another serious talent, according to recent murmurings.

Crystal Palace transfer news

According to reports from Spain earlier this week, Crystal Palace are one of several clubs interested in signing Arsenal's highly regarded midfielder Emile Smith Rowe.

Alongside Palace, the story names Wolverhampton Wanderers, Aston Villa, Everton and Nottingham Forest as the teams keen to land the Englishman.

While this extra competition is far from ideal, the good news is that the story claims the Hale End graduate is available for as little as €25m, which converts to just £21m.

It might be a challenging transfer to get over the line, but if the South Londoners are set to lose Eze in the summer, they could do a lot worse than replacing him with the Gunners ace.

How Smith Rowe compares to Eze

Now, it's not really possible to compare Smith Rowe to Eze this season, nor is it really fair, as a couple of years' worth of injuries have seen him lose his place in the Arsenal team, meaning he's played just 474 minutes of first-team football this season – in which he's provided two assists – while the Palace man has played 2284 minutes.

However, as the Eagles' dynamic midfielder has enjoyed his best season at Selhurst Park this year, we can compare that to the Gunners ace's best season in red and white, which came back in 2021/22.

During that campaign, the "special talent," as Jamie Carragher described him, scored 11 goals and provided two assists in just 2176 first-team minutes. This means he managed to maintain an average of a goal involvement every 167 minutes, which is genuinely impressive for someone who was 21 years old at the time.

In comparison, the Eagles' Greenwich-born star scored 11 goals and provided six assists in 2284 minutes this season, giving him a slightly better average of a goal involvement every 134 minutes – but he's four years older.

Moreover, they're pretty close again when comparing some of the Croydon-born gem's underlying numbers from that season to Eze's from this year.

For example, while he comes out second best for non-penalty expected goals and assists, actual assists, and progressive passes, he comes out ahead for actual non-penalty goals, goals per shot, goals per shot on target, progressive carries, progressive passes received and passing accuracy, all per 90.

Ultimately, if Glasner is set to lose Eze in the summer, signing Smith Rowe for £21m as a replacement wouldn't be the worst idea. In fact, it might be a rather good one.

He hasn't been able to play a full season of football for some time, but the last time he did, he was a "joy to watch", per Mikel Arteta, and if there is anyone who could bring that joy back out of him, it's the Austrian who has already transformed Selhurst Park this year.

Crystal Palace could sign £51m "monster in the making" to replace Edouard

The impressive prospect could become a leading Premier League striker.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

May 28, 2024

Arsenal are reportedly ready to meet the £51 million asking price for Mikel Arteta's personal top target for a key position, but Edu has been dealt one problem which is holding up a deal.

Arsenal targeting new midfield signing this summer

Uncertainty surrounding the future of Thomas Partey, combined with the fact Mohamed Elneny is on course to leave when his contract expires later next month, has potentially motivated Arsenal to seek out a new man for the engine room.

Arsenal ready bid for £51 million Kompany target as board aim to act fast

The north Londoners are keen to beat Bayern Munich to his signature.

By
Emilio Galantini

May 30, 2024

Partey is looking extremely likely to leave Arsenal this summer, according to reliable media sources, with the Ghanaian's deal set to expire next year and his role diminishing over the last 12 months.

He made just 14 league appearances last season, which is far below his tally of outings the season prior. The 30-year-old appears on the way out of Arteta's plans, four years after he joined from Atletico Madrid in a £45 million deal.

Arsenal have been linked with a host of potential replacements for Partey, including Newcastle United star Bruno Guimaraes. The Brazilian currently has an active £100 million release clause in his Magpies contract, and it has even been reported that Edu is ready to sell Reiss Nelson, Emile Smith Rowe and Eddie Nketiah to fund a move for Guimaraes this summer.

Another name to be mentioned is Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi, with the Spaniard impressing in La Liga yet again last season.

Arsenal ready to pay Zubimendi clause but issue stalls deal

As per HITC, sharing an update on their pursuit, a complication is holding up Arsenal's move for him.

Arsenal are ready to pay Zubimendi's £51 million release clause, and it is believed they think he's the perfect fit. The 25-year-old is also Arteta's personal top midfield target, but they may soon have to move on, as the player has shown little sign he's willing to make the move to Hale End.

His hesitancy over a Premier League move is the only obstacle holding up this potential deal, and as such, Edu is prepared to move on to other targets like Guimaraes. A transfer hasn't been ruled out, but it is looking unlikely as things stand, which is a shame considering esteemed media like Fabrizio Romano have called him the "perfect" signing.

“We’ve had a lot of stories about Arsenal and different midfielders in recent times, with big names like Douglas Luiz, Amadou Onana and Martin Zubimendi linked with the Gunners,” Romano said.

“So, which of those players would be the best fit for Mikel Arteta’s side? My personal feeling is that Zubimendi would be fantastic, even if Onana and Douglas have the advantage of both already knowing the Premier League. Zubimendi is fantastic player, he can help with his vision, quality and intelligence on the ball – he’s the perfect midfielder.

“Still, it’s important to say that he’s very happy at Real Sociedad, only focused on his club and he already rejected chances to leave in the recent years as he always wanted to stay there."

Van Dijk says he is relishing Liverpool's daunting fixture list and wants his team to compete for the Premier League "until the final day".

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Liverpool top of the Premier League
• Daunting fixture schedule looms large
• Van Dijk relishes challenge

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Ahead of facing the likes of Chelsea, RB Leipzig, Arsenal, Brighton, Bayer Leverkusen, and Aston Villa over the next month, Liverpool captain Van Dijk has spoken about this "tough" run of matches. The 33-year-old is looking forward to these challenges ahead and says his team are focusing on competing for the Premier League crown.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT VIRGIL VAN DIJK SAID

  He said, via the Daily Mail: "We want to improve, we want to challenge, we want to compete until the final day and win and be successful. That's what we're focusing on – not what other expectations are. We've got a lot of points until now but we want to have a lot more. We know how tough the fixture list will be after the international break but why not enjoy it? I'm really looking forward to that and hopefully everyone involved with Liverpool is as well."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The Reds sit top of the table, with new manager Arne Slot overseeing six wins from seven matches. But, this run of upcoming fixtures will be a real test of his team's credentials as they try and compete on multiple fronts for the biggest trophies. It is early days, but Slot is doing a good job of carrying the Liverpool torch after Jurgen Klopp's hugely successful era.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT NEXT?

  When the upcoming international break comes to an end, Van Dijk's Liverpool return to Premier League action on October 20 at home to Chelsea, before travelling to RB Leizpig in the Champions League three days later.

Former Tottenham Hotspur star and pundit Jamie O'Hara has claimed that Chelsea's Cole Palmer is 'levels above' Arsenal star Bukayo Saka.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• 'Palmer and Yamal levels above Saka' – O'Hara
• Former midfielder claims Saka 'isn't world class'
• Says Palmer is the 'best player in the world'

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Palmer has arguably been the best player in the Premier League this season alongside Erling Haaland as the England star has scored six goals and provided four assists in six Premier League matches. However, Palmer's form has not been isolated to this season, as he scored 25 goals in all competitions.

Advertisement

• Getty
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  O'Hara has now brought up a comparison between Palmer and Arsenal's Saka which has been a very common debate between Premier League and Three Lions fans. The former Wolves and Spurs midfielder has now claimed that players like Barcelona's Lamine Yamal and Palmer play at a much higher level than Saka and also claimed that the Gunners star "isn't world class".

• WHAT O'HARA SAID

  Speaking to Grosvenor Sport, O'Hara said: "Bukayo Saka isn't world class. He’s a great player in a very good team, but I look at guys like Cole Palmer and Lamine Yamal, who in my opinion are world-class players. They're a level above Saka – it's as simple as that.

  "Yamal looks set to be the star man at Barcelona for the coming years and you know they’ll win trophies with him; so I’d have him over Saka for starters. Palmer also looks like the best player in the Premier League, which means you can argue that he is the best player in the world.

  "I might be getting carried away there, but Palmer looks like he can do anything on a football pitch, nothing fazes him at all. As I said, Saka is a great player, but Palmer is another level."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR SAKA AND PALMER?

  The England duo will now meet up at Three Lions camp next week as England prepare for Nations League clashes with Greece and Finland. Before that though both Saka and Palmer will have to help their club sides deal with Southampton and Nottingham Forest, respectively.

Harry Kane has told Bayern Munich team-mate Jamal Musiala how to become a “frightening player”, with the youngster already thriving.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Promising forward starring for German giants
• Considered to be the hottest of prospects
• Allianz Arena team-mate is a big fan

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  At just 21 years of age, Musiala already has over 160 appearances for Bayern to his name and 36 senior international caps with Germany. He has been in the running for prestigious Kopa Trophy and Golden Boy awards, while widely being considered as one of the hottest prospects in world football.

Advertisement

• Getty
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Musiala has already been among the goals in the 2024-25 campaign, with his second effort of the season recorded inside the opening 60 seconds of a 6-1 demolition job at Holstein Kiel – a game that saw prolific England frontman Kane net a hat-trick.

• WHAT KANE SAID

  Kane told afterwards of the potential still to be unlocked in Musiala’s game: “He’s an amazing player. I’ve said before that he’s got unbelievable talent. If he keeps adding goals and assists to his game, then he’s going to be a really frightening player. Really happy with him. We’re going to need him for the rest of the season, for sure.”

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty
  

  WHAT NEXT?

  Musiala is looking to land a fourth Bundesliga title with Bayern, while also chasing down Champions League honours – which would help Kane to break his much-publicised trophy duck. It remains to be seen where his long-term future will lie, with talk of Premier League interest surfacing amid reports of agreeing a new contract at the Allianz Arena becoming “difficult”.

Arsenal stars Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard could inadvertently thwart the club's chances of signing a £60 million forward who the club really like.

Edu and Arteta planning to sign new attackers for Arsenal

The North Londoners, in their bid to win a first Premier League title in 20 years, have been imperious going forward, despite not having an out and out goalscorer leading the line.

£43 million star certain to move as Arsenal enter pole position for deal

The Gunners are “very impressed” by his ability.

By
Emilio Galantini

May 8, 2024

Indeed, no other team have racked up more goals in the top flight than Mikel Arteta's men so far this season, with strikes coming from all across the attacking areas courtesy of top scorers Saka (16), Kai Havertz (12) and Leandro Trossard (11).

However, it is still widely believed that Arsenal are planning to bring in an important new striker this summer, and reliable journalist Charles Watts has also claimed they could look to bring in yet another winger as well.

The Gunners are targeting number nines in big names like Napoli star Victor Osimhen and Sporting CP's Viktor Gyokeres. The latter has been in scintillating form over 2023/2024, scoring 41 goals in all competitions, and it is believed Arsenal are in pole position to sign Gyokeres for Arteta.

In terms of wingers who Arsenal could have their eyes on, Crystal Palace star Michael Olise is thought to be one of them.

The France youth international, barring his injury absences, has been a star player for Oliver Glasner and his predecessor. Scoring nine goals and assisting four others over 17 league appearances, he's displayed real cutting edge, and this has alerted Arsenal chiefs.

Arsenal really like Olise but Odegaard and Saka could thwart deal

According to Football Transfers, Arsenal are big fans of Olise but Saka and Odegaard could actually thwart a deal. This is because the prospect of regular game time for the 22-year-old is diminished, thanks to the latter pair cementing their roles in similar positions to Olise.

The Eagles star wants to join a team playing Champions League football next term but also wants to start week in week out, with Aston Villa now confident they can beat both Arteta and Man United in the race for Olise – who is rumoured to command a £60 million price tag.

“In the first-half we didn’t get enough out of him, and we couldn’t bring him into the game as much as we wanted," said former Palace boss Roy Hodgson when discussing Olise's future after a terrific 5-1 win away to Leeds last season.

“In the first-half he was a figure on the right but he wasn’t creating chances or showing aggression in his play. In the second-half he got it all right in both defence and attack and he showed what a wonderful player he is.

“I have seen him for 10 days less than I have seen the others. What I make of him is that I think he is an enormous talent – he has got a great possibility to have a wonderful career and a wonderful future. We can only hope we at Crystal Palace can give him that platform.”

A young Manchester United fan was hailed by the Red Devils faithful for "motivating" Marcus Rashford to end his goal drought against Southampton.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Man Utd cruised to a 3-0 victory
• Rashford scored the second of the afternoon
• Kept his promise to a fan after finding the net

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The 26-year-old forward had struggled to find the back of the net in the new campaign but a message from a young fan named Grayson seemed to be just the encouragement he needed. Rashford’s subsequent performance in United’s 3-0 victory over Southampton on Saturday saw him deliver a much-needed goal, with the player dedicating the strike to the 10-year-old fan.

Advertisement

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  On Thursday, September 12, Rashford shared a moving Instagram post in which he revealed the special video message he received from Grayson, a lifelong Manchester United fan. In the video, Grayson excitedly showed Rashford his bedroom, which was decked out in United memorabilia, including a photo taken with Rashford during a visit to Old Trafford.

  “Hi Marcus, my name is Grayson and I’m a huge fan of yours,” the young supporter began in the clip. "This is my bed cover, my number is 10 just like yours. This is my blanket with the United badge, this is the bear that I've had since I was born – it has a Manchester shirt on and Manchester United shorts."

  In response to Grayson’s touching message, Rashford posted an Instagram story promising to dedicate his next goal to the young fan. He wrote, "Thank you, Grayson! The next goal that I score is dedicated to you [red heart emoji]." It didn’t take long for Rashford to fulfil that promise, as he found the net during Manchester United’s clash with Southampton just a couple of days later.

• WHAT THE FANS ARE SAYING

  The United faithful was overjoyed to see Rashford once again among the goals and they thanked Grayson for his message.

  A United fan, @EssKayDevil, wrote: "Shout out Grayson Rashford said that one was for you."

  Whereas, @jessiedza, wrote: "Grayson when I catch you. Rashford is back because of you. #SOUMUN #ManU."

  Meanwhile, @Chaoshead_, wrote: "Grayson impact on Rashford…"

  @UtdRish said: "Take that Grayson! You lovely kid, thanks for motivating Rashford!!! Get In!!! Things we love to see."

  @TheTechTalkie found the coincidence funny enough and wrote: "Rashford score. Young Grayson is the lucky charm."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Rashford’s dedication to improving his performance has been evident. After being ignored for the England squad by interim manager Lee Carsley, following Gareth Southgate’s resignation after Euro 2024, Rashford used the time to continue working on his fitness and sharpness. Rather than taking time off, the United forward was spotted training at two non-league football grounds, Ashton United and West Didsbury & Chorlton. Footage of Rashford’s intense training sessions circulated on social media, showcasing the forward’s determination to return to top form.

The players from Tottenham Hotspur’s iconic side of 2018/19, in which they reached the Champions League final under Mauricio Pochettino, are all slowly beginning to leave the club.

Talisman striker Harry Kane was one of the most recent players from that famous side to leave the club. The England captain joined Bayern Munich last summer, for a fee of £86.4m, where he has scored 43 goals in 43 games so far.

The likes of Christian Eriksen, now at Manchester United via Inter and Brentford, Dele Alli who is now an Everton player, and Kieran Trippier, who is now at Newcastle, have all left in recent years. Meanwhile, legendary centre-back duo Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghan now play at Royal Antwerp and Anderlecht respectively.

Just a couple of the members of that Spurs squad remain at the club today, including Son Heung-min. The legendary attacker has scored 161 goals and has 83 assists in 403 games for the Lilywhites.

However, the other player from that squad who still remains in the first team today, has struggled for minutes under Ange Postecoglou this season, and a tough performance against Arsenal in last weekend’s North London derby has led to people calling for him to be dropped.

Ben Davies' stats vs Arsenal

The player in question here is Welshman Ben Davies, who had a tough afternoon at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last weekend against his side’s biggest rivals. There is no doubt Davies is a modern-day Spurs stalwart, having played 330 games for the club, scoring nine and assisting 23.

However, his opportunities this season have been few and far between. Davies has featured in just 19 games in all competitions for Postecoglou’s side, with 17 of those coming in the Premier League.

Davies is one of the highest earners at Spurs, who have a fairly low wage expenditure compared to the other ‘big 6’ sides. He is the tenth-highest earner at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, on £80k-per-week, according to Capology.

Against Arsenal, Davies was directly up against Bukayo Saka, and he had a tough afternoon, ultimately handed a poor 4/10 rating courtesy of FFC's player ratings.

As per Sofascore, the 31-year-old won just six out of his 11 ground duels, and one out of three aerial duels. Not only that, he lost possession ten times and was dribbled past on two occasions.

It was certainly not an easy game for Davies who let Saka cut in all too easily for Arsenal's second goal of the game. The Wales international slotted into the side to replace the injured Destiny Udogie, who will miss the rest of the season and the Euros.

Spurs 2-3 Arsenal: Player ratings & match recap

Arsenal took on Spurs at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday.

By
Matt Dawson

Apr 28, 2024

Who might replace Davies in the starting XI

Former Spurs player Jamie O’Hara believes that his former side need to “get rid” of Davies because “he’s not good enough”. Indeed, this is a harsh statement, given he has played 330 games for the club.

With that being said, wanting him dropped for the game against Chelsea on Thursday is justifiable, given he will be coming up against Cole Palmer, one of the best players in the Premier League this season. Palmer has 20 goals and nine assists in 29 games in the league. If he struggled with Saka then another left-footer of the Chelsea star's calibre won't end well.

Should Postecoglou decide to drop Davies from the starting lineup, there is one leading candidate to replace him; Emerson Royal. The Brazilian is normally a right-back, but five of his 21 appearances in all competitions this season have come from left-back, instead.

The 25-year-old has scored once this season and is yet to register an assist. He is a good defender, averaging 4.59 tackles and interceptions per 90 minutes as per Fbref. That places him in the top 6%. Not only that, Emerson averages 6.56 ball recoveries per 90 minutes, ranking him in the top 5%.

An alternative option to Emerson could be to bring January signing Radu Dragusin into the side and push Mickey van de Ven out to left-back. The 23-year-old is naturally a centre-back but has played on that side 15 times in his career, although not since joining Spurs last summer.

Postecoglou certainly has some decisions to make this week regarding the starting left-back against Chelsea.

He may well decide to stick with Davies and show faith in the player, go with Emerson or even the less experienced choice of bringing Dragusin into the team and pushing Van de Ven out to left-back. Either way, the man tasked with the job will have a tough night ahead, against Palmer, one of the deadliest players in the top flight.

Spurs can ease Udogie blow by unleashing their “best academy defender”

This would be a shrewd move from Ange Postecoglou.

By
Angus Sinclair

Apr 23, 2024