Only a matter of days ago Arsenal swept PSG aside with a comfortable win inside the Emirates Stadium.

It wasn’t easy, per se, but the confidence with which Mikel Arteta’s men brushed aside one of Europe’s elite clubs 2-0 was impressive.

Therefore, it makes their matches against Leicester City and Southampton which sandwiched that Champions League tie rather more perplexing.

Arsenal were coasting at half-time last week only to be undone by two James Justin goals from nowhere. The Gunners did end up winning the game but they did so in dramatic last-gasp fashion.

Late heroics weren’t needed against Southampton but they were given a scare on Saturday. Cameron Archer opened the scoring against the run of play but the Gunners fought back in deadly style.

Almost single-handedly Kai Havertz decided to grab the game by the scruff of the neck and once his equaliser went in, Arteta rang the changes. Raheem Sterling, Gabriel Jesus and Jorginho were all off. On came Gabriel Martinelli – scorer of Arsenal’s second on the day – Leandro Trossard and new signing Mikel Merino. Boy did they make an impact?

By the time the whistle went at the end of 99 long minutes of play, it was 3-1 as Bukayo Saka capped off a fine individual afternoon. We want to talk about Havertz first, though.

Kai Havertz's performance in numbers

This time last year the German had just been gifted a charity penalty. Let’s be honest, that’s what it was.

Arsenal were in a comfortable position away at Bournemouth and Saka was about to put the ball down on the spotkick. Over came captain Martin Odegaard who whispered in the Englishman’s ear before presenting the opportunity to Havertz. He duly obliged and the £65m signing was finally off and running in Arsenal colours.

Since that moment at the Vitality Stadium, the former Chelsea man has only gone from strength to strength. In fact, he’s now one of the club’s most important players. Gabriel Jesus, who?

Arteta trialled him as a no.8 following the departure of Granit Xhaka but the Germany international offers so much more up top. He’s painted out as a false 9 but he’s now blossoming into an elite centre forward.

Havertz now has seven goals in seven straight home games and as a striker for Arsenal in Premier League action, he has registered 20 goal involvements in 20 games (12 goals and 8 assists), averaging one every 83 minutes.

Against Southampton, he proved exactly why he’s so valuable. The way he took his goal was Robin van Persie-esque. The 25-year-old burst forward, took a few touches to get the ball into a commanding position before hammering it home via the post.

If that didn’t sum up his display then a display of duel-winning right near the end of the contest did. Havertz entered a duel about 25 yards from goal in a central area and hustled and harried the visiting team into ceding possession, eventually winning it on the touchline and setting up another Arsenal attack.

In total, he won seven duels which was perhaps every bit as important as his rasping equaliser on 58 minutes.

Touches

53

Accurate passes

27/32 (84%)

Key passes

1

Accurate crosses

0/2

Shots on target

2

Shots off target

4

Shots blocked

1

Dribbles

2/4

Aerial duels won

3/6

Ground duels won

4/7

Tackles & interceptions

2

It was a phenomenal performance but there was one that caught the eye even further.

Bukayo Saka's performance in numbers

There’s always discourse surrounding Cole Palmer, Phil Foden and Saka. Last weekend it was Palmer’s opportunity to showcase just how much of a threat he is. The Chelsea star did so emphatically, scoring a ridiculous four times against Brighton.

A week later it was Saka who proved why he could be the most special of the trio, picking up two assists and scoring the final goal against Russel Martin’s Saints.

Like Havertz, the 23-year-old put in a remarkable attacking performance and is now proving himself to be one of the game’s elite creators.

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Before last week’s match with the Foxes, no player on record had managed seven shots and seven chances created in a single Premier League game. Well, Saka did so against Leicester and on Saturday when Southampton came to town, he did the same again.

Yes, he may well be on corners, but this weekend both of his assists came from open play. The second was a peach, curling the ball to the back post where Martinelli was left with a simple finish from close range.

For the season, he now has seven assists in seven top-flight games and has created 27 goal-scoring chances, at least four more than any other player.

In intriguing circumstances, it seems as though Arsenal may have just unearthed the heir to Mesut Ozil’s crown.

Saka certainly has a bit more energy and drive to his play but Ozil, lest we forget, is one of the best playmakers of the 21st century.

In Arsenal colours, the German registered a whopping 75 assists in 254 games, 19 of which came in the same 2015/16 season as he came ever so close to matching Thierry Henry’s record for a Premier League campaign of 20.

Saka could well be in contention to match or beat that come the end of the term. He certainly will do if he continues at his current rate.

It’s crazy to think that the England international only registered nine in the entire league campaign last time out. At the age of just 23, the Arsenal star is getting even better. Scary times indeed for Premier League left-backs.

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West Ham United need to give more under Julen Lopetegui. There have been glimpses of success throughout the opening month of the campaign but four points from 12 possible leaves plenty to be desired.

This is not the worst thing in the world, however, with a host of exciting summer signings not yet earning roles from the outset in the Premier League, among those: Crysencio Summerville, Carlos Soler, Jean-Clair Todibo and the injured Niclas Fullkrug.

Danny Ings scored a last-gasp equaliser against Fulham last weekend, at least, but with Chelsea making the trip to the London Stadium, Julen Lopetegui would be wise to consider something of an overhaul.

Michail Antonio, particularly, has flattered to deceive up front, but he’s not the only one that needs to be put on the bench. Tomas Soucek, too, cannot start.

Tomas Soucek's start to the season

Soucek, aged 29, has been a stalwart for West Ham over the past several years, signing from Slavia Prague in 2020 for £15m. The towering Czech has scored 33 goals and supplied 11 assists across 212 appearances, winning the Conference League and offering a goalscoring dimension from the middle of the park.

But he’s not been at the races thus far this season, even if he scored a crucial goal in West Ham’s 2-0 victory over Crystal Palace in August.

Writing in their post-match player ratings following the 1-1 draw against Fulham, Claret & Hugh branded the 29-year-old with a 3/10 score, stating: ‘Played far more in attack than in midfield but was a hindrance when trying to link play. Hoofed a shot high wide and handsome.’

With the likes of Lucas Paqueta, newly-signed Soler and Andy Irving on the bench, it might be time to make a change, with Soucek being hooked at the interval last time out and doing little to show that he can perform with coherence under Lopetegui’s wing.

Minutes played

45′

Goals

0

Assists

0

Shots (on target)

2 (0)

Accurate passes

4/7 (57%)

Key passes

0

Dribbles (completed)

1 (0)

Tackles

0

Interceptions

0

Clearances

1

Total duels (won)

6 (1)

It matters little at this point, with the transfer window over two weeks shut, but West Ham might come to rue the decision to let Flynn Downes leave.

Why West Ham let Flynn Downes leave

Southampton signed Downes from West Ham in a deal worth £18m after enjoying the midfielder’s talents on loan last season. He played a key part in Russell Martin’s side’s ascension to the Premier League.

It’s a little over two years since West Ham welcomed the boyhood Iron to the fold, completing a £12m transfer after several years of success with Swansea City.

Oh sure, he didn’t exactly set east London alight across the 2022/23 campaign, but David Moyes didn’t give the ace much of an opportunity, indeed starting him only seven times in the Premier League.

As per FBref, Downes ranked among the top 4% of central midfielders in the Championship last season for passes attempted per 90 and the top 1% for pass completion. He was, again, instrumental to Saints’ return to the top flight.

Martin is quite the fan, waxing worship on his metronomic midfielder last season: “Flynn has been monstrous. Physically he is a beast and he has so much composure on the ball. His teammates really appreciate the role that he has because it’s so tough being that guy.

“He is huge for us. He has really stepped up and been brilliant. He gives the team an edge and keeps the ball ticking over. He has aggression driving the ball forward. The next step for him is to impact games that way.”

Do West Ham miss him? Perhaps they do. Lopetegui has not actually lifted the Irons away from the counter-attacking tag that they wore on their chest under Moyes, going from a 41% possession average last year to 43% this year according to FBref.

Soucek is not going to influence that in a positive manner. He’s an impactful player and can make a big impact across the months to come, but he’s not bringing it all together.

Now, Southampton might have endured a torrid time so far this season, having been defeated in all four of their Premier League matches so far, but Downes can hold his head high as one of the better performers.

Matches (starts)

4 (3)

4 (4)

Goals

1

0

Assists

0

0

Touches*

21.0

83.3

Shots (on target)*

2.8 (0.3)

0.5 (0.0)

Pass completion

66%

93%

Key passes

0.8

1.8

Dribbles (success rate)

0.0 (0%)

0.3 (20%)

Ball recoveries

1.5

3.8

Tackles + interceptions

1.6

4.8

Ground duels (won)

1.5 (38%)

4.3 (43%)

As you can see, Downes has the ball-playing acumen to make a real difference for Lopetegui’s team. Lopetegui’s advent in east London was anticipated to raise the bar in regard to possession and general ball retention, thus breeding more control and new ways to inflict damage on opponents.

This hasn’t quite been inculcated as hoped. It’s not just the lack of time on the ball but a consequent absence of creativity that has formed the crux of the indifferent start. Downes is no Paqueta, but his deeper-lying, control-centred style has seen 1.8 key passes placed per game this term and could open up channels from which more attack-minded teammates could use to exploit.

It’s early into the new era but Lopetegui has plenty to ponder. Defeat against Chelsea this weekend would cast a solemn blanket over the London Stadium and its denizens.

The Spanish tactician is sure to tinker away – he must do, in truth – but he might just come to regret that Downes is not a part of the squad. He’s a Hammers man, through and through, and it’s a shame that he wasn’t able to realise the full flight of his quality with his boyhood club.

He might have been the difference maker.

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MatériaMais Notícias

Em 2021, a pandemia de Covid-19 prejudicou o desenvolvimento dos atletas das categorias de base dos clubes brasileiros. Além da suspensão da Copa São Paulo de Futebol Júnior em janeiro, as competições sul-americanas masculina e feminina Sub-15, Sub-17 e Sub-20 também foram canceladas pela Conmebol em agosto.

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Diante dessas mudanças no calendário, a FIFA teve de cancelar os Mundiais masculino e feminino e remarcou os torneios para 2023. Essa modificação da entidade afetou não só os clubes, que perderam a oportunidade de valorizar e colocar ainda mais na vitrine os seus jogadores, mas também os próprios atletas. Com a alteração na data do Mundial, muitos dos jogadores convocados nesta temporada ficarão de fora da próxima edição do torneio porque estarão com a idade acima do exigido.

O Gerente Executivo da base do Internacional, Gustavo Grossi, entende que as competições sul-americanas são importantes para colaborar com a bagagem de experiência dos atletas.

– Alguns não tiveram a vivência de atuar em nível internacional no ano passado em decorrência da pandemia. Se levarmos em consideração apenas o aspecto esportivo, há tempo de recuperar a questão física, técnica e tática, mas a experiência, para além do âmbito nacional em diferentes competições e com jogadores de outras seleções, é algo que não tem volta – completa.

Os torneios de seleções funcionam para os clubes como uma oportunidade de mostrar os talentos, que foram convocados, para o cenário mundial do futebol. Segundo um balanço divulgado pela FIFA, nos últimos 10 anos, o Brasil bateu recorde e teve mais de 15 mil jogadores envolvidos em transferências internacionais e movimentaram R$ 36,9 bilhões.

Importância da Copinha

No país, a Copa São Paulo de Futebol Júnior é considerada a maior competição de base. Em 2019, na última edição do torneio, 128 equipes disputaram e mais de 2.000 atletas foram relacionados.

Lúcio Rodrigues, Gerente das Categorias de Base do Juventude, ressalta que a Copinha é um torneio relevante para a formação dos atletas:

– Com o retorno da competição em 2022, vamos minimizar um pouco esta perda, pois a organização abre para atletas de 2001 a 2006, possibilitando assim que algumas categorias não sejam mais prejudicadas ainda.

O executivo ainda destaca a oportunidade de garimpar opções em outras equipes:

– Nosso Departamento de Análise de Mercado acompanhará todos os jogos possíveis, pois sabemos da grandeza da competição e como ela serve de vitrine.

Being the super club they are, Manchester United have been blessed with countless sensational footballers over the years.

The likes of Éric Cantona, Roy Keane, Rio Ferdinand, Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney have all graced the Theatre of Dreams in the last thirty years, and depending on who you ask, they could add another handful of names to that illustrious list.

However, like any club, the Red Devils have also signed their fair share of flops over the years, with perhaps the most extreme example in recent years being Donny van de Beek.

Moreover, what makes that signing even worse is that, just a few months later, the club were pushing to sign a future superstar but ultimately backed off, potentially believing they already had a player good enough in the Dutchman.

Van de Beek's United nightmare

In the summer of 2020, United agreed a £35m deal with Dutch giants Ajax for their incredibly impressive young midfielder Donny van de Beek, who just the summer prior had helped the Amsterdam side to a Champions League semi-final and had agreed personal terms for a move to Real Madrid.

Unfortunately for all involved, while it looked like a brilliant deal at the time, it now looks like one of the worst transfers the Red Devils have agreed to in recent history.

For example, in the four seasons he was contracted with the club, the Dutchman made just 62 appearances, scored two goals, provided two assists, went on two short-term loan moves, and spent a whopping 375 days sidelined with injury.

Van de Beek’s United career
Appearances	62
Goals	2
Assists	2
Goal Involvements per Match	0.06
All Stats via Transfermarkt

To top it all off, the 27-year-old was also earning £120k-per-week for most of his stay at the club and was sold for just £400k to Girona this summer, meaning it was a disastrous move on the pitch and the spreadsheets.

Overall, while United have signed worse footballers in the past, few transfers have worked out quite as poorly as Van de Beek’s did.

This makes it all the more maddening that the club then passed on a youngster who could have been the perfect upgrade in the January after he signed.

United's pursuit of Moises Caicedo

Yes, the youngster who could have replaced Van de Beek in the team had United stuck to their guns and signed him back in January 2021 is Ecuadorian international Moises Caicedo, who completed his £115m move to Chelsea last summer, becoming the most expensive transfer in the competition’s history in the process.

However, before he joined the Blues and Brighton & Hove Albion, the Santo Domingo-born star was on the Red Devils’ radar and could have been another addition to the young and exciting squad Ole Gunnar Solskjær was trying to build at that time.

The Norwegian icon confirmed the club’s interest in the Chelsea midfielder in an interview with the Athletic last year, revealing that a fear of the youngster’s inexperience prevented the deal from proceeding.

However, a report from the Manchester Evening News at the time claimed that United pulled out of the deal due to too many intermediaries making the negotiations ‘messy,’ which could explain why Fabrizio Romano claimed the potential €5m – £4m – fee was not seen as a stumbling block in December 2020.

Ultimately, whether it was a concern about his perceived lack of experience or the involvement of too many hands in the deal, United decided against signing Caicedo for a minuscule fee in January 2021 and were left with Van de Beek as their shiny new midfielder that season, which has to go down as a massive transfer mistake.

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Leeds United are already planning to strengthen in one particular area in the January transfer window, according to a recruitment expert.

Despite a tricky couple of weeks at the beginning of the season, the Whites have turned their form around and have headed into this international break in a strong position in the Championship table.

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The international break has probably come at the right time for the Yorkshire side, as they’ve suffered a lot of injuries already in this campaign, and this break gives them time to see if any can return.

Daniel Farke has already confirmed that Daniel James could be back available for their game against Sheffield United. The winger has been on the sidelines since August, but he now looks to be closing in on a return. This is a welcome boost, as fellow winger Manor Solomon has also suffered with an injury and has subsequently missed international duty with Israel and instead stayed at Thorp Arch to continue his recovery.

Away from injuries, Leeds headed into this break under a bit of a cloud, as goalkeeper Illan Meslier made a costly mistake, which meant Leeds had to settle for a 2-2 draw away at Sunderland last week instead of a victory. That blunder has put him under the spotlight, but Farke is planning to stick with Meslier when they face the Blades next week.

However, his long-term future may be in doubt, as a recruitment expert states that the Whites and the 49ers Enterprises are looking for a replacement.

Recruitment expert says Leeds are eyeing Meslier replacement

Former Manchester United chief scout Mick Brown has told Football Insider that Leeds United are planning on signing a new goalkeeper in the January transfer window. This comes after Meslier’s costly mistake against the Black Cats last Friday, as previously mentioned.

Brown used to work at Old Trafford, and while he is out of the game, he still remains well-connected, and he has stated that concerns over Meslier have led the club to look at signing a replacement. The former chief scout believes signing a new goalkeeper would help Leeds have a settled team and therefore find more consistency in results.

Brown said: “I’m told they’ll certainly be looking at their options. Meslier represents, to me, what Leeds United have become. I think they’re totally inconsistent.

“They’re all over the place at times, got left-backs playing centre-forward and all of this, and it leads to some really frustrating results for them. Part of that is the defence having a goalkeeper behind them who gives them confidence.

Illan Meslier’s Leeds stats

Apps

184

Goals conceded

263

Clean sheets

56

“They need somebody who comes to claim crosses and makes saves you don’t expect of them. But if, all of a sudden, he’s throwing one into his own net, it just leads to more nerves and inconsistency within the team and the back line. Leeds have been like that for four or five years now and that’s why they didn’t get promoted last season.

“That incident with Meslier – you’d never see that coming, but it happens. That’s Leeds at the moment. If it wasn’t him, it would be somebody else making a silly mistake. But that’s why they’re definitely going to be considering their options, because having that solid and consistent goalkeeper would do them a world of good.”

Jamie Carragher has claimed that Manchester City were lucky to only concede four goals against Paris Saint-Germain in their 4-2 Champions League loss.

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Manchester City lose 4-2 against Paris Saint-GermainCarragher says City lucky to only concede fourMan City could miss out on the knockout stages altogetherFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱(C)Getty ImagesWHAT HAPPENED?

Manchester City's surprising slump in form this season has continued as the 2022-23 Champions League winners fell to a 4-2 defeat against Paris Saint-Germain despite taking a two-goal lead early in the second half. Pep Guardiola's side went ahead through goals from Jack Grealish and Erling Haaland before Les Parisiens scored three in 23 minutes to hit back. Goncalo Ramos then sealed a memorable win in stoppage time.

AdvertisementTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Manchester City may have taken a two-goal lead but, Paris Saint-Germain had dominated the defending Premier League champions all over the field in the second half. CBS Sports pundit and Liverpool legend Carragher has now claimed that Guardiola's side were "lucky" to only concede four goals as they were "absolutely bullied" by the Ligue 1 leaders.

Getty Images SportWHAT CARRAGHER SAID

Speaking on CBS Sports, Carragher said: "It was like two completely different games of football. The first half felt like a testimonial and second half felt like one of the best halves of football we've seen in the Champions League group stage. As soon as PSG made the substitutions, brought Dembele on especially, it felt like… Thierry mentioned before the game it felt a bit strange the team Luis Enrique had started with.

"It felt like their best team was on at the end, and Manchester City, as we know from the Premier League and at times in this Champions League group stage, they can't cope when the intensity of a game is too much for them, the physicality.

"They got absolutely bullied in that second half and it was men against boys. They were lucky it was only four in the end. It could have been worse."

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WHAT NEXT FOR MAN CITY?

After the loss, Manchester City sit 25th in the Champions League league table and now stare down the possibility of missing out on the knockout stages altogether. They will face off against Club Brugge next week in the last matchday in search of a win as any other result would see them knocked out of the competition.

The allrounder smashed an unbeaten 48 off 24 balls to deny the Kings in a last-ball thriller

Peter Della Penna15-Sep-2021

Dominic Drakes finished unbeaten on 48 off 24 balls, his highest T20 score•CPL T20 via Getty Images

The experienced old pros of Chris Gayle, Evin Lewis and Dwayne Bravo may have helped propel St Kitts & Nevis Patriots into the 2021 CPL final, but it was the young guns – Dominic Drakes, Joshua Da Silva, Fabian Allen and Sherfane Rutherford – who got them over the line as the tournament host franchise chased down a target of 160 off the final ball to beat St Lucia Kings by three wickets for their first CPL title. Drakes shone brightest when it mattered most, striking an unbeaten 48 off 24 including the winning runs off the final ball.The Patriots looked like they may have frittered away the final at 95 for 5 in the 14th over when Bravo fell to David Wiese. But Drakes produced an audacious death-hitting display to rally the Patriots in the last five overs. With 55 needed off 30 balls, Drakes pumped Wiese back over his head for six, then went inside-out over extra cover off Wahab Riaz to end the 17th, bringing the equation down to 31 off 18.Kesrick Williams then made a costly error to start the 18th, bowling his first ball completely off the pitch for it to be ruled a no-ball, and Allen flicked the free hit past short fine leg for four. Allen fell to start the 19th, pulling Wahab to deep midwicket, but Drakes crossed with the ball in the air and delivered a hammer blow next ball with the shot of the day, spanking a short ball over the cover ropes again for six.Starting the final over on strike with nine to win against Williams, it came down to five off two balls before Drakes powered another sizzling drive flat over extra-cover for a one-bounce four to level the scores. Williams speared in a yorker on the legs off the final ball of the match but Drakes was able to flick it away to short fine leg and scamper a tight single to clinch the championship.Keemo Paul’s 21-ball 39 gave the Kings a fighting total to defend•CPL T20/ Getty Images

The win was set up by a tidy bowling effort by the Patriots after the Kings had chosen to bat first at the toss. Rahkeem Cornwall (43 off 32 balls) and Roston Chase (43 off 40 balls) did well to help rebuild the innings after Andre Fletcher and Mark Deyal both fell cheaply in the powerplay. But Chase appeared to grow frustrated at being unable to capitalize on quick singles and twos while partnered with Cornwall at the crease. After Cornwall fell to Allen off the first ball after drinks to start the 11th, Chase was unable to kick on with either Wiese or Tim David, who both fell cheaply to spin. When Chase was bowled by Naseem Shah to end the 18th at 128 for 6, it looked like the Patriots would have an easy chase on their hands.But Keemo Paul breathed life back into the match with an inspired cameo, clubbing three sixes off Drakes to start the 19th, and then another off Naseem in the final over to give Kings a late boost and a fighting chance. They continued that fight early in the second innings as Chase bowled Gayle with an arm ball for a duck before Wahab snuffed out the red-hot bat of Lewis with a short-ball trap to deep midwicket for 6.But Da Silva and Rutherford rebuilt the chase with 37 and 25 respectively, building a bridge for the entry of Drakes. At a tournament which has traditionally had lopsided finals over the years with the result decided well before the final over, Drakes produced far and away the most thrilling CPL ending of all. From one win and a last-place finish in 2020, Patriots also capped arguably the most remarkable one-season turnaround in CPL history with their maiden championship.

Liverpool’s rip-roaring start to the season bears testament to Arne Slot’s tactical approach, encouraging this highly talented squad to foster their qualities and make title-winning improvements.

Without a doubt, the nine wins claimed from ten matches would not have been possible had Ryan Gravenberch not glided into his new role at number six, praised for his “sensational” performances by pundit Steve Nicol.

Gravenberch's start to the season

Gravenberch has long been regarded as a multi-functional midfield talent but he’s starting to showcase a real skill in the deep-sitting area of the engine room, with Slot won over by his young countryman’s properties, demonstrating great promise in his positional awareness and play-breaking.

The failed attempt to sign Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad is but a distant and hazy mishap at this stage, even if the Spaniard would have dovetailed right into the new Anfield system. Let bygones be bygones and all that.

Liverpool have saved a pretty penny in fashioning Gravenberch, whose maiden year in England was solidly unspectacular, into a first-class number six. There’s plenty of football yet to play this term but the signs, Liverpool fans, are promising indeed.

Matches (starts)

26 (12)

7 (7)

Goals

1

0

Assists

0

0

Touches*

28.8

81.4

Shots (on target)*

0.9 (0.3)

0.4 (0.3)

Pass completion

83%

89%

Key passes*

0.6

0.6

Dribbles completed*

1.0

1.0

Ball recoveries*

2.8

6.0

Tackles + interceptions*

1.5

3.8

Total duels (won)*

2.8 (47%)

5.9 (64%)

He sort of carried a range of skills that hadn’t been properly executed throughout his Bayern and early Anfield days, but Slot’s fused them into a whole and he looks right in his wheelhouse in this new brand.

The Dutchman has been Merseyside’s finest breakout star of the season, for sure, and he’s set to see his current market value of £34m, as per Transfermarkt, skyrocket in the years to come.

There’s another Liverpool ace pushing toward the prime of their career in Giorgi Mamardashvili who could be Slot’s hero next season, and he hasn’t even moved to the city yet.

Mamardashvili could be Liverpool's next breakout star

FSG might not be everybody’s cup of tea but they do operate with a commendable degree of prudence, current contractual quandaries notwithstanding.

Liverpool boast one of the finest goalkeepers of his generation in Alisson Becker, but the 31-year-old has missed many matches across the past several campaigns and his brilliant backup, Caoimhin Kelleher, is desperate to make his name as a number one. The Irishman will be gone at some stage, likely next year.

That’s why Michael Edwards and Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes acted this summer to sign Valencia goalkeeper Mamardashvili, 24, who was loaned back to the La Liga club for the duration of the current term.

Rising to performances with the Georgian national team this summer, Mamardashvili established himself as a goalkeeper capable of starring for one of Europe’s elite, and thus Liverpool acted swiftly to sign him for a £25m fee, plus £4m in add-ons.

Described as “an absolute monster” between the sticks by Spanish journalist Paco Polit, Liverpool look like they’ve scored a real coup with this one: Mamardashvili has the blend of physicality, shot-stopping athleticism and authority to speak of a prosperous Premier League career under Slot’s guidance.

As per FBref, the 6 foot 6 titan ranks among the top 7% of goalkeepers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for post-shot expected goals minus goals allowed.

Now, this is a confusing metric, so let’s put it another way: Mamardashvili’s ability to prevent goals in situations when a save seems improbable has already established him as one of the hottest prospects in the game, showcased marvellously during Georgia’s exceptional Euro 2024 campaign, with the 24-year-old was awarded the tournament’s Best Goalkeeper award.

Liverpool are only going to go from strength to strength with this goalkeeper eventually replacing Alisson. Football talent scout Jacek Kulig has even praised him as “one of the best shot-stoppers in Europe”, and though his distribution leaves something to be desired, it’s important to remember that Mamardashvili is young and below the average prime of a goalkeeper.

Even so, he’s already regarded as a top talent, with Transfermarkt actually recording the Georgian’s price tag at £37m, suggesting that Liverpool struck a bargain in bringing him over to Merseyside, allowing him to nurture his talents further with Valencia before hopping over to the Premier League.

To emphasise how exciting this acquisition is for the Reds, let’s hark back to Gravenberch. As discussed earlier, the Netherlands international, who is still only 22, is valued at £34m, which is actually in line with the fee that was paid to Bayern Munich for his services just over one year ago.

It’s exciting to think that Liverpool have a player at a similar stage of their career in Mamardashvili who could add to the Gravenberch revolution that Slot is orchestrating.

The Reds have so much to look forward to over the coming years, and though the fateful day when Alisson lays down his gloves will be poignant, it’s thrilling to think that the worthiest of successors has already been clinched.

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A “massive” Manchester United player is now expected to be out injured for a number of weeks, according to a fresh claim from journalist Fabrizio Romano.

Man Utd dogged by injury problems

The Red Devils have made such a disappointing start to the season, with the pressure on manager Erik ten Hag understandably huge, considering his side are languishing in 14th place in the Premier League.

In fairness to the Dutchman, he hasn’t always been helped by injury problems to various players, however, with United having to make do without a number of key figures throughout the campaign to date, not least long-term absentee Luke Shaw at left-back.

The likes of Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho are injury victims currently, with both withdrawing from their respective England and Argentina duties during the current international break. Meanwhile, exactly the same now applies to right-back Noussair Mazraoui, who won’t be representing Morocco over the next week or so because of a fitness issue.

Man Utd suffer fresh injury blow

Taking to X, Romano relayed the news that Harry Maguire will be out injured for Manchester United for a number of “weeks”, sharing the player’s comments:

Maguire may not be the long-term answer at the heart of United’s defence, considering he is now 31 years of age and not without his critics, but having him unavailable is still another undoubted blow for Ten Hag.

The Englishman hasn’t let the Red Devils down in recent weeks, scoring the vital equaliser away to Porto, as well as being picked ahead of Matthijs de Ligt and Lisandro Martinez against Aston Villa last weekend, and his manager at Old Trafford said of him last year:

“[Maguire] was playing a massive, massive game. A very good performance. He showed leadership and in and out of possession he was very good, so I’m very pleased with that performance from Harry.”

Maguire may remain behind De Ligt and Martinez in the pecking order when everyone is fit and firing, but there is a reason why Ten Hag opted for him over them at Villa, feeling his experience and character would be important in a must-not-lose clash.

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While a lack of quality and pace can arguably be aimed at the £190,000-a-week defender, his passion for United cannot be questioned, and supporters appreciate the effort he has put in ever since joining. For that reason, not having him as an option after the internationals is far from ideal, during a period in which mental fortitude is vitally important, both for the players and the manager.

فجر المدير الفني لمنتخب كرواتيا السابق، سلافين بيليتش، مفاجأة من العيار الثقيل بشأن جناح الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي ليفربول، محمد صلاح، ومستقبله مع الريدز.

وينتهي عقد محمد صلاح مع ليفربول بنهاية الموسم الحالي، لكن حتى الآن، لا يوجد أي اتفاق بين الطرفين للاستمرار لسنوات أكثر رغم تألق الفرعون المصري.

ودرب بيليتش العديد من الأندية خلال مسيرته الكروية مثل وست بروميتش ألبيون بجانب تجارب في الدوري السعودي مثل اتحاد جدة وأخيرًا الفتح قبل الرحيل عنه.

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وتحدث الكرواتي في تصريحات نقلتها صحيفة “موندو ديبورتيفو” الكتالونية، وقال: “محمد صلاح هو أفضل مهاجم وجناح ورقم 10 في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز”.

واستمر: “لقد حدث بالتأكيد تغيير هذا الموسم مع آرني سلوت، فبعد أن كنت في السعودية العام الماضي، كنت أعلم أنه لم يكن سعيدًا مع يورجن كلوب وتوقعنا رحيله”.

وواصل تصريحاته: “السعودية بأكملها كانت مستعدة لقدوم محمد صلاح وكان ليصبح نجم الدوري، بالنسبة للجميع، كانت الصفقة محسومة وكان محمد صلاح سيوقع لصالح اتحاد جدة”.

وأتم: “لكنني لم أتفاجأ من عدم رحيله، وإذا رحل اعتقد أنه سيكون إلى السعودية لأنني لا أستطيع أن أتخيله في نادٍ آخر في الدوري الإنجليزي بخلاف ليفربول”.