Mohamed Salah has been told to forget about winning the Ballon d'Or this year as Sam Allardyce is convinced it will go to Vinicius Junior.
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Salah considered Ballon d'Or contenderAllardyce convinced it will go to Vini JrSays organisers want to avoid Madrid boycottFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Salah's incredible performances for Premier League leaders Liverpool have seen him touted as a candidate to claim the top prize for 2025.
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However, ex-England manager Allardyce believes France Football, the magazine that organises the Ballon d'Or, will be desperate to appease Real Madrid this year. The Spanish giants boycotted the ceremony last year after being told that Manchester City star Rodri was to be crowned the winner instead of Vinicius, an upset the 70-year-old says they will be desperate to avoid this time around.
WHAT ALLARDYCE SAID
Discussing Salah's hopes on the, Allardyce said: "There’s no chance. It’ll be Vinicius Jr because of what Real Madrid did last year. They will be absolutely sh*tting themselves because they won’t turn up again if one of them doesn’t win it, so one of them will win it. You might as well have a bet on it now."
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Salah has an incredible 30 goals and 21 assists from 38 games in all competitions for Liverpool this season and will be out to add more to his record against Newcastle on Wednesday.
Enzo Maresca is now insisting that Chelsea move on from Victor Osimhen and sign a different striker to complement Nicolas Jackson at Stamford Bridge, according to a fresh report.
Chelsea's striker situation unclear
Jackson has enjoyed an excellent start to the season, grabbing six goals in ten Premier League outings so far and a further three assists. His form has been rewarded with a new contract, which ties him to the club until 2031, and his future in west London appears set in stone just 12 months after his arrival from Villarreal.
But beyond the Senegal international, Chelsea’s striker situation is far less clear. David Datro Fofana has been sent out on loan, but has started just two games so far in Turkey, while the signing of Marc Guiu from the Barcelona academy over the summer has had similar results, with the Spaniard not having been in any of Maresca’s last six Premier League squads.
Christopher Nkunku has also been overlooked regularly, with the Frenchman not having started in the top flight since the opening day of the season, and summer signing Joao Felix is yet to start a Premier League game.
The Blues were linked with a move for Napoli star man Victor Osimhen over the summer, only for a deal to fall through and the Nigerian striker to join Galatasaray on loan instead, where he has scored four times in five Turkish Super Lig outings.
Chelsea have reportedly remained in contact over a potential January move, but other options are also under consideration, and Maresca is pushing to sign an alternative.
Maresca wants Spanish star
Now, a fresh report from Spain has claimed that Chelsea boss Maresca is pushing hard to try and get Chelsea to sign new Porto star Samu Omorodion in place of Osimhen. Chelsea were in talks to sign the Spanish U21 international over the summer as part of the deal to sell Conor Gallagher to Atlético Madrid, but the deal fell through, and they moved to sign Felix instead.
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Omorodion still left the Wanda Metropolitano, heading to Porto in a deal worth £12.7m plus potential add-ons, and handing Atleti a mammoth 50% sell on clause for any future deal.
He has hit the ground running in Portugal too, netting seven times in seven outings for Porto as well as four times in three Europa League outings, delivering on the “elite” label placed upon him by Football Analyst Ben Mattinson, who warned on X that he was “far too good” for the Portuguese league.
Omorodion’s Porto career to date
Appearances
11
Goals
11
Assists
0
Minutes per goal/assist
69
Yellow Cards
2
Now, Maresca is ‘insisting’ that Chelsea push to sign him once more as they look to bolster their frontline, but they will have to pay almost seven times what Porto paid to sign him, with the striker having a €100m (£84m) release clause, of which Atletico are due to get half.
It is added that “Samu is very happy with the Portuguese team”, but that should an offer come in, he could see his head turned by the prospect of a new project.
A deal in January seems unlikely, but with Omorodion having slipped through Chelsea’s net once already, they may be keen to avoid a repeat if he continues to perform.
West Ham United’s next fixture could be a decisive one for Julen Lopetegui, as his side take on Everton in the Premier League. The Hammers currently sit 14th in the league on 11 points, winning three times, drawing twice, and losing on five occasions in the opening ten games.
Everton are currently sitting 16th in the Premier League, acquiring nine points from their opening fixtures. The Hammers lost in this fixture last season, with Everton beating them 1-0 at home before West Ham replied with a 3-1 win at Goodison Park.
West Ham take on the Toffees this weekend at the London Stadium, and a loss could be enough to get Lopetegui the sack after his poor start to the new campaign, despite being heavily backed in the transfer market this summer.
Lopetegui's reign so far
The 58-year-old has had an array of jobs around Spain, Portugal and England now, most notably managing Real Madrid, Porto, Sevilla, Wolves, and the Spanish National team, all before his appointment as West Ham boss.
Lopetegui’s longest reign came in his time at Sevilla, taking charge of 170 matches and averaging a points-per-match ratio of 1.85.
In this time, the Spaniard managed to win the UEFA Europa League in the 2019/20 season, beating Inter Milan 3-2 in the final.
Rayo Vallecano
2
0.50
RM Castilla
38
1.66
Spain U20
11
2.45
Spain U19
18
2.44
Spain U21
19
2.89
FC Porto
78
2.24
Spain
20
2.40
Real Madrid
14
1.43
Sevilla
170
1.85
Wolves
27
1.30
The Spanish manager’s biggest failure was his job at Real Madrid, only managing 14 games in charge before he was replaced by Santiago Solari. Real Madrid went on to finish third in La Liga that season (2018/19), never truly recovering from their poor start under Lopetegui.
But the possession-based coach ended up at West Ham after a successful spell with Sevilla, and a good short stint with Wolves, where he managed to average +50% possession with a bottom-half side in the Premier League, which was seemingly a big reason Lopetegui got the job for the Hammers.
Despite improving West Ham’s possession numbers, going from an average of 40.5% last season to an average of 44.9% this season (a rise of 4.4%), the overall level of performance has been poor, and a loss against Everton at the weekend could be enough to tip the scales, and see Lopetegui sacked after just a few months in charge.
Potential replacements are already being linked, and one man who could be on West Ham’s radar, would be following suit with the most recent Premier League appointment, Ruben Amorim of Manchester United, in trading Portugal for England.
Notably linked with the Irons over the summer, he’s now heading in the direction of Old Trafford.
Manager Focus
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West Ham could hire manager from Portugal
According to reports from talkSPORT, West Ham are likely to make contact with Portuguese manager, Sergio Conceicao, if they do decide to sack Lopetegui.
The ex-Porto boss has been described as “fantastic” by journalist Jerry Mancini, who further labelled him a “first-class manager”.
Galeno in action for FC Porto in the Champions League
The 49-year-old has managed Olhanense, Coimbra, SC Braga, Vitoria Guimaraes, FC Nantes, and, of course, FC Porto. Conceicao spent seven years in charge of Porto, managing 368 games, and averaging 2.29 points per game.
Conceicao often deploys a 4-2-3-1, with his wingers playing high and wide, his full-backs contributing on both sides of the ball, a more protective double pivot in central midfield, with a creative number ten, who can float and link play between the lines.
In their most recent season (2023/24), Porto averaged 63.6% possession, the highest in Liga Portugal, ahead of Benfica and league winners, Sporting.
This is a great sign for West Ham, as they would still be getting the type of manager they wanted to build towards a more possession-heavy side, who controls the tempo of a game.
This change could be a welcome one for West Ham fans, as not only would it freshen things up, and bring a better overall vibe around the club, but a few existing stars could thrive better in Conceicao’s system, which could see them return to top form.
Which players would benefit from Conceicao's appointment
The first big one who could benefit is attacking midfielder, Lucas Paqueta. The 27-year-old has made 12 appearances for Lopetegui so far this season, scoring two goals, but yet to provide an assist in his 787 minutes played.
The creative passing of Paqueta is one of, if not his best attributes, and getting the best out of him is likely to have a positive correlation with the success of the team.
In Conceicao’s system, Paqueta would play as the floating number ten, able to link play between the lines and find himself in pockets of space where he can affect the game, as opposed to having to come deeper to aid build-up in Lopetegui’s system.
From last season, Paqueta’s progressive carries, progressive passes, key passes, and shot-creating actions are all down, and by unleashing him in a more natural and free role, he could take West Ham’s level back up a notch.
Another player who could benefit from the appointment is 18-year-old midfielder, Lewis Orford, as Conceicao would want to add more mobility in the middle of the park, with a good blend of on-ball qualities in order to release Paqueta further forwards.
Alongside the other defensive midfield options such as Edson Alvarez, Guido Rodriguez, and Tomas Soucek, it is likely Conceicao would want a more mobile duel winner, and the height, mobility, and press resistance of Orford could be a brilliant profile to bring into the fray for the Portuguese coach.
Overall, the 49-year-old would be a very astute appointment for the Hammers, bringing in an experienced manager, who has implemented possession football at previous clubs, and has the character to match.
West Ham could replace Lopetegui with "genius" who played for the Irons
Lopetegui could be replaced at West Ham by “tactical genius” who was in the academy
Aston Villa were victorious against Fulham this weekend, beating them 3-1 at Craven Cottage. It was an eventful game, entailing four goals, two red cards, and a missed penalty.
Fulham took the lead after just five minutes, with Raúl Jiménez scoring his fourth Premier League goal of the season. Morgan Rogers quickly equalised, scoring in the ninth minute to make it 1-1. Then, after just 27 minutes, Fulham had the chance to make it 2-1, with Andreas Pereira missing a penalty (saved by Emiliano Martínez).
Villa struck next, making it 2-1 in the 59th minute, Ollie Watkins netting his 5th of the season, before Joachim Andersen received his marching orders for a “last man” foul in the 64th minute, leaving Fulham with 10 men. In the 69th minute, Issa Diop scored an own-goal, making it 3-1 to Aston Villa.
Jaden Philogene was then sent off in the final minutes of the game, despite only coming on in the 61st minute, after receiving two yellow cards in the 88th and 93rd minute. Villa now sit fourth in the Premier League on 17 points, and a large part of that is the excellent form of Youri Tielemans.
Youri Tielemans' performance
The 27-year-old has started the season in fine form, now making ten appearances, scoring one goal, providing three assists, and totaling 891 minutes played. The Belgian has formed a brilliant partnership in midfield with international teammate, and new signing, Amadou Onana, providing Unai Emery’s side with brilliant balance.
And Tielemans shone once again, making 62/68 passes (91% completion), four key passes, 4/5 long balls, getting his assist, and winning 5/8 of his ground duels, showing his ability to contribute on both sides of the ball.
Youri Tielemans against Fulham
Stat
Tielemans
Minutes
90
Assists
1
Touches
92
Accurate Passes
62/68
Key Passes
4
Crosses
3/10
Long Balls
4/5
Dribbles Completed
1/1
Ground Duels Won
5/8
Aerial Duels Won
1/1
Tackles
2
Stats taken from Sofascore
The form of the Belgian duo is keeping some talented names out of Emery’s first XI, with Ross Barkley, Boubacar Kamara, and even John McGinn on the bench against Fulham. Whilst Barkley and Kamara are slightly more likely to be affected by the form of that double pivot, McGinn can play a number of positions, so the fact he is missing out is down to the form of another Villa star, in the shape of Rogers.
Morgan Rogers' performance
Rogers was given an 8/10 match rating by BirminghamMail for his performance against Fulham, which included his 2nd goal of the season.
The 22-year-old has made ten appearances for Villa in all competitions this campaign, scoring two goals, and providing two assists so far.
The English attacking midfielder took three shots in the game, scoring a goal, providing one key pass, and completing his only attempted dribble (100% success rate) during the game.
Rogers’ persistence to make things happen in the final third for Villa, driving them forward, and looking to create for himself and others, has been a breath of fresh air this season for the fans, which is why he was just as good as Tielemans on Saturday.
If the form of Tielemans and Rogers, who scored his first goal of the campaign against Ipswich in the clip above, can continue, along with many others such as Watkins, Jhon Duran, and Martinez, Villa could be in good stead to challenge for the top four again.
Mikel Arteta has revealed that an injured William Saliba is set for further tests after Arsenal's draw with Aston Villa.
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Gunners were held by Aston Villa
Saliba was missed in defence
Defender will undergo further tests soon
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WHAT HAPPENED?
The Gunners raced to a 2-0 lead at the Emirates but two second-half strikes from Youri Tielemans and Ollie Watkins forced them to share the spoils. Saliba has been a consistent performer this campaign but Arteta could not name him in the matchday squad as the defender picked up an injury during Wednesday’s win over Tottenham. Instead, Jurrien Timber slotted in at the heart of defence alongside Gabriel.
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Before the Villa clash, Arsenal revealed that the Brazilian has a "minor issue" while explaining the sudden absence of Saliba. However, Arteta had something different to say about the defender after the Villa draw.
WHAT ARTETA SAID
When Arteta was asked about Saliba's condition, he said: "No, not yet. I think tomorrow we will have more information, we will have another test on him and we will be more clear about that."
The Spaniard admitted that it is a concerning situation and added: "Yeah, for sure, especially with the numbers that we have in the squad and looking at our bench – very worried.”
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WHAT NEXT FOR ARSENAL?
Arsenal are now six points behind leaders Liverpool in the Premier League standings and will be back in action against Wolves in the English top-flight on January 25. However, before that, they have a Champions League clash against Dinamo Zagreb to contend with on Wednesday evening.
Glasgow Rangers will be hoping to return to winning ways as they resume their Premiership campaign this afternoon with a trip to Tannadice.
Dundee United are the opponents, with Philippe Clement facing the club for the first time since taking charge of the Ibrox side last October.
Ridvan Yilmaz, Rabbi Matondo and Danilo are the absentees for the clash in Dundee, while the Belgian could give a couple of his summer signings their debuts, allowing him to mix things up a bit.
One player who should be given the nod is Vaclav Cerny, who shone for the Czech Republic during the international break.
Vaclav Cerny must start against Dundee United
The winger has already scored once for the Light Blues, while chipping in with two assists, proving that he can thrive in Scottish football with ease.
Clement needed someone of his quality out wide to bolster his team and the player has done well so far.
Against Ukraine in the Nations League, Cerny not only grabbed an assist, but he also created one big chance, made a key pass and succeeded with two dribble attempts (100% success rate) in what was a vital win.
This will surely have boosted his confidence even further as he returns to domestic duty with the Ibrox giants.
Vaclav Cerny’s stats vs Ukraine
Goals
0
Assists
1
Key passes
2
Big chances created
1
Dribble attempts (successful)
2 (2)
Total duels (won)
5 (3)
Via Sofascore
Clement must unleash the Czech star from the very start if he wishes to break down the United defence.
Summer signing Nedim Bajrami did not feature against Celtic, but he should be given the chance to showcase his talents this afternoon, especially next to Cerny.
Nedim Bajrami could shine against Dundee United
Rangers Journal founder Kai Watson profiled Bajrami amid the links to the attacking midfielder at the end of August, saying: “A technically gifted, intelligent footballer than can play in multiple positions with plenty of Serie A experience.”
Exactly the type of player Clement requires for the problematic number ten role. Bajrami scored against Italy at Euro 2024 and while he didn’t get on the scoresheet too often for his club last term in Serie A – two goals and two assists – he succeeded with 57% of his dribbles, creating three big chances while averaging 0.8 key passes per game.
These statistics prove that he was effective in the final third in one of the toughest leagues on the continent, demonstrating his attacking prowess at times.
Now, imagine him and Cerny attacking the United backline in full flow. They could certainly give the rest of the players a boost and hopefully allow the club to secure all three points without making the game much of a struggle.
If they do perform well, the pair could become regulars in the first team over the next few months. Clement not only needs points on the board, but some decent performances to go with it.
Three points, a clean sheet and some scintillating football is all the Ibrox faithful are asking for this afternoon, and Bajrami and Cerny could be key to providing that with their terrific talents at the top end of the pitch.
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Hoping to finally bolster their defensive options, Newcastle United chiefs reportedly believe that a new centre-back target with no weaker foot can replace the ageing Fabian Schar.
Newcastle transfer news
Of course, Newcastle’s need for a central defender is no secret. The Magpies spent their summer in pursuit of Marc Guehi, only to miss out on the Crystal Palace defender and fail to turn towards an alternative option.
Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi.
Now without Sven Botman and Jamaal Lascelles due to injury, Eddie Howe has been left with Dan Burn and Emil Krafth to turn into makeshift centre-backs alongside Schar. Whilst it didn’t look as though that would catch up to the Newcastle boss just yet, Newcastle’s 3-1 defeat at the hands of Fulham exposed their problems for all to see in the Premier League.
Results such as the one at Craven Cottage make the January transfer window and next summer even more important. Those at St James’ Park endured a disastrous summer to forget last time out, but could now use 2025 to make up for lost time, starting with the addition of a central defender.
According to Graeme Bailey for HITC, Newcastle now believe that Richard King can replace Fabian Schar in the long-term, with his two-footed ability allowing him to slot in on both the left and right side of Howe’s backline. King currently plays for Jamaican outfit Cavalier, but is expected to be plying his trade in one of Europe’s top leagues very soon.
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However, it seems as though the Magpies aren’t the only side interested, with West Ham United reportedly leading the race for the 18-cap Jamaican’s signature and Aston Villa also eyeing a move.
Standing at 6 foot 1, King can also play as a defensive midfielder and as a full-back in what would instantly ease Howe’s squad depth woes. That said, Newcastle will have to act fast if they are to secure the centre-back against plenty of interested parties.
"Composed" King would add much-needed depth for Newcastle
Just 22 years old and yet to test himself at the elite level, King wouldn’t necessarily start for Howe’s side right away, especially when Botman returns, but what he would crucially add is depth within the Magpies’ backline – depth that they’ve otherwise lacked for over a year. By signing the Jamaican, Newcastle would be able to finally bring an end to Burn’s centre-back run, allowing him to return to his favoured full-back role in the process.
What’s more, given that Schar is now 32 years old, there’s a high chance that King would be the man to replace the Swiss international if he did complete a move to St James’ Park in 2025.
Jamaican football expert Rayon Nelson certainly believes that King is capable of performing at a higher level, saying via HITC: “You can see there is a talent He doesn’t look like a player who will slide in and be reckless, but he’s a talent. Richard King plays football in a composed manner.
“Richard King, who has won titles at the age of 22, looks like he can hit a different level. Ball control, making the simple passes, getting out of some tight spots, I think he has the potential to do so.
“Yes, there are some areas of his game that need to be developed. Let’s say, confidence and so forth. But I don’t see him as a player who can always be average. I see him as a player who can hit a different level.”
Everton have made contact with a European side over a potential move for a versatile midfielder, according to a new report.
The Toffees have been very busy in this summer's transfer window, but it hasn’t helped the club get off to a good start in the Premier League, as they were brushed aside by Brighton & Hove Albion on the opening weekend. Sean Dyche’s side are back in action this Saturday as they travel to London to face Tottenham Hotspur.
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It was always going to be a busy summer for the Toffees, as the board and Dyche would have been keen to avoid a repeat of the last two seasons and get away from being involved in a relegation fight. The club secured safety towards the end of last season, but the club and supporters will be wanting more from their side this season, and therefore, Dyche has made changes he thinks will improve his side.
The club has so far brought in five new players in this transfer window. Jack Harrison returns from Leeds United, and he has been joined by Tim Iroegbunam from Aston Villa, Iliman Ndiaye from Marseille, Jake O’Brien from Lyon, and Jesper Lindstrom from Napoli.
Jack Harrison
Leeds United
Tim Iroegbunam
Aston Villa
Iliman Ndiaye
Marseille
Jesper Lindstrom
Napoli
Jake O'Brien
Lyon
It appears as though their business isn’t stopping there, as it was reported on Tuesday that the Merseyside club is in talks over bringing goalkeeper Asmir Begovic back to the club. Sky Sports reporter Mark McAdam stated that Everton are in talks with the Bosnia and Herzegovina international over a return to the club, and Fabrizio Romano has since said that a deal has been agreed.
Begovic spent last season with Championship side Queens Park Rangers, where he played 46 times for the Rs in all competitions, keeping 13 clean sheets in 45 league games. The 37-year-old has previous experience at Goodison Park, as he joined the club on a free transfer in 2021 after leaving AFC Bournemouth, and he spent two seasons at the club. During that time, Begovic played 10 times for the club, conceding 17 goals and keeping four clean sheets.
Everton make contact to sign versatile midfielder
Now, according to journalist Fabrice Hawkins, Everton have enquired about the possible conditions of a deal to sign midfielder Junior Dina Ebimbe. The 23-year-old joined Eintracht Frankfurt on a permanent deal last summer from French side PSG, but spent the campaign before that on loan at the Bundesliga side.
Hawkins states in this update that the Toffees are in talks with the German side, as Frankfurt are said to be willing to let Dina Ebimbe leave the club. However, while discussions are taking place between the two clubs, Hawkins adds that Everton have not held talks with the player or his representatives yet.
Dina Ebimbe has played 73 times for the Bundesliga side, scoring 13 goals and recording six assists. He played 31 times in the Bundesliga last season and a further eight games in the European Conference League. The midfielder, who can play in central midfield as well as out wide, has a contract that runs until the summer of 2027 at Eintracht Frankfurt.
With the transfer window now in full swing, it looks like a Premier League club is prepared to spend big in order to tempt a Sunderland star away from the Stadium of Light this summer.
Sunderland enjoy steady summer so far
After last season saw Sunderland finish 16th in the Championship table, much of the Black Cats' faithful felt that their side needed a serious rebuild during the transfer window. The early passages of the summer have seen Sunderland start their business by bringing in a couple of experienced players.
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The first to arrive on Wearside was goalkeeper Simon Moore who joined the Black Cats on a free transfer from fellow second tier outfit Coventry City. The 34-year-old has penned a two-year deal at the Stadium of Light with an option for a further twelve months.
The arrival of Moore was quickly followed by that of Alan Browne who in a similar fashion joined on a free transfer from Preston North End. Rounding off the Black Cats’ recent spree of free transfers is Ian Poveda, who arrives in Wearside after his current deal expired at Leeds United.
Whilst the news of incomings will be a cause for excitement among the Sunderland faithful, the Wearside outfit could see some high-profile exits this summer. Both Jack Clarke and Jobe Bellingham have caught the eye of Premier League clubs in recent weeks with the duo's future at the club currently hanging in the balance.
With top flight clubs not shy of shopping at the Stadium of Light, it appears that one of the Premier League new-boys are preapred to spend big to sign a Black Cat this summer.
Leicester eye deal to sign Ekwah
As reported by Sport Witness, a recent report in the African media has claimed that Leicester City are in the picture to sign Sunderland’s Pierre Ekwah this summer. The outlet states that the Foxes' scouts have contacted Ekwah's camp to find out more information about the 22-year-old ahead of a potential bid.
Despite there being no mention of the exact fee that Leicester are willing to pay, the report claims that Sunderland could make a lot of money from the sale. Based on this information, it would be safe to assume that the Foxes are willing to spend big to get the deal done this summer.
Sunderland midfielder Pierre Ekwah.
Ekwah first arrived on Wearside in a move from West Ham United back in January 2023. During his time at the Stadium of Light, the Frenchman, who also has Ghanaian citizenship, has made 60 appearances for the Black Cats, finding the back of the net on five occasions.
Speaking on the midfielder's talents, former Sunderland boss Tony Mowbray waxed lyrical about the player telling the press: "That part of his game is really coming along, and I keep telling him that if he can develop that physical aspect of his game then what a footballer we've got because he can do amazing things with his feet.
"He's so clever with his feet, you can see how fast his feet are, and he can see pictures."
Whilst Sunderland will no doubt eager to keep Ekwah at the club this summer, the Foxes may be able to force their hand with an offer that is simply too good to turn down.
The Brazilian was the home side's biggest threat but he couldn't do it alone as their grip on first place loosened
Hansi Flick will have some strong words for his Barcelona players after their miserable performance in a surprise 2-1 loss at home to Las Palmas on Saturday. The Catalan side have taken just one point from their last three La Liga matches, giving Real Madrid, who are four points behind with two games in hand, a big helping hand in the title race.
Relegation candidates Las Palmas made clear they would be a huge threat right from the beginning as they exploited Barca's high back-line, but they squandered their early opportunities and the hosts soon took hold of the game. Flick's side were lacking a cutting edge, as they managed to work the ball into dangerous spaces but seemed too cumbersome to blast it home.
They came close to stealing the lead with the best chance of the first-half in stoppage time when Raphinha was unleashed from the halfway line. He left Las Palmas' defenders flapping around, but his effort hit the bar.
The second-half started much like the first, except this time Las Palmas were able to right their earlier wrongs as they charged forward on the counter-attack before Sandro Ramirez lashed beyond Inaki Pena.
By the 56th minute, Flick had made five substitutions – one due to injury – to change the tempo of Barca's attack and five minutes later his side were level when Pedri found Raphinha for the Brazilian to lash in from outside the box.
Just as it appeared Barca had the game under control, Las Palmas burst forward when Javi Munoz's fantastic pass bounced behind the defence for Fabio Silva to run onto and apply the finish. Try as they might, Barca simply couldn't find the second equaliser.
They came close with a fine Raphinha free-kick and a shot from Lewandowski deep in stoppage time, but ex-Barca goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen and the yellow wall in front of him were strong enough to keep them out.
GOAL rates Barcelona's players from Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys…
AFP
Goalkeeper & Defence
Inaki Pena (6/10):
Pulled off one good save but was beaten by two fine goals.
Jules Kounde (5/10):
Just looked slow and off the pace of the game.
Pau Cubarsi (7/10):
Strong presence in the air at both ends of the pitch.
Inigo Martinez (6/10):
A stable presence alongside Cubarsi despite the changes around him.
Alejandro Balde (N/A):
Looked shaky early on as Las Palmas targeted his side, but he had to be stretchered off after 25 minutes with an injury.
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Midfield
Gavi (6/10):
Won the ball on a few occasions and had some decent passes but went off early in the second half.
Pedri (7/10):
Excellent movement through the middle and found Raphinha for the equaliser.
Pablo Torre (4/10):
Too many misplaced passes and didn't add enough. Replaced by Yamal at half-time.
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Attack
Raphinha (8/10):
Barca's biggest threat as they struggled to open up the defence. Picked the perfect spot to send the ball into the bottom corner and hit the woodwork later.
Robert Lewandowski (5/10):
Had no space to work with and tried his best to link up but mostly gave the ball away. Had a great chance to equalise in the dying minutes but was blocked.
Fermin Lopez (4/10):
A really rough performance, starting with a swipe at fresh air as he attempted a shot. His decision-making was poor, too, and he took too much time on the ball. Subbed before the hour mark.
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Subs & Manager
Gerard Martin (5/10):
Couldn't provide enough going forward after replacing Balde and had a tough time defensively due to Las Palmas' pace.
Lamine Yamal (6/10):
Helped provide more of a threat on the right but Las Palmas' tight defence made it tough for him.
Ferran Torres (6/10):
Provided an obvious lift to the Barca attack with his quick actions.
Frenkie de Jong (6/10):
Stabilised the way his team moved the ball up field and dug in to frequently win possession, too.
Hector Fort (4/10):
An abysmal attempt to stop Silva as Las Palmas went 2-1 up.
Pau Victor (N/A):
Stoppage-time addition.
Hansi Flick (4/10):
His team had 70 per cent possession and 24 attempts in total but they simply couldn't cut through their feisty opponents. Too many players were subpar and others cut completely out of the game.