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This summer, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS will look to bolster their Manchester United side, with a particular focus on the attack.

The perfect stage for the Red Devils to find talent is the current European Championship, with plenty of quality on display.

Two individuals who’ve already excelled at the tournament are Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz, who both scored against Scotland.

With the two attacking midfielders in mind, let’s take a look at a United target who’s somewhat of a hybrid of the duo.

Man Utd’s search for a new attacking star

According to a report from TEAMtalk, Man Utd have 'major interest' in making a move for the talented Xavi Simons.

Simons spent last season on loan at RB Leipzig, but he will return to Paris Saint-Germain after the Euros.

It’s mentioned that United have made contact with Simons’ agency recently, but as of right now, it seems a deal would be a straight loan due to the French team’s refusal of a sale.

Furthermore, Arsenal, Chelsea, and Borussia Dortmund are also keen on his signature, which may become a problem for the Red Devils.

How Simons compares to Musiala and Wirtz

Ever since his days as a youngster at Barcelona, Simons has been tipped to become a world-class player who has the potential to become one of the very best.

His development hasn’t happened quite as quickly as anticipated, but he finally started to show his true quality in the Bundesliga last season.

The 21-year-old started 32 times in the league, mainly operating as a winger who had the freedom to drift inside to find pockets of space.

The Dutchman became the main creative outlet in the side, producing 11 league assists, while also netting on eight occasions himself.

Simons vs Musiala vs Wirtz 23/24 Bundesliga Stats
Stats (per 90)	Simons	Musiala	Wirtz
Goals	0.27	0.51	0.42
Assists	0.37	0.26	0.42
Key passes	2.68	2.15	2.77
Shot-creating actions	5.97	5.44	6.30
Touches	61.64	55.90	85.45
Progressive carries	5.12	5.28	5.24
Progressive passes	6.34	5.13	8.50
Successful take-ons	2.85	4.46	3.00
Via FBref

As you can see from Simons’ Bundesliga stats, it’s no surprise that FBref have classified him as a ‘similar player’ to Musiala and Wirtz over the last year.

Although he doesn't come out on top in any area, Simons has the same unpredictability to his game that enables him to create moments of magic from absolutely nothing, as displayed by his key passes and shot-creating actions.

The former PSV star can score and assist, and he’s the type of player that can win a game on his own, which is exactly what United need given they ended the campaign with a -1 goal difference.

Football scout Jacek Kulig even mentioned that Simons is 'a bit of both' Musiala and Wirtz, with the former being 'more of a dribbler' and the latter being 'more of a creator'. The stats certainly serve as evidence for that comparison.

Simons is the heartbeat of the team, someone who’s involved throughout, whether that be dropping deep to progress the play or receiving between the lines and causing chaos, as shown by his touches, and progressive stats.

The Netherlands ace is the definition of a "superstar,” according to analyst Ben Mattinson, who will do anything to ensure his side is victorious, which is the type of mentality Ratcliffe will desire from his players.

Simons and Bruno Fernandes would be a deadly duo, and it’d be almost guaranteed that the output of Rasmus Hojlund and Marcus Rashford would skyrocket with their service.

Overall, even if United can’t secure a permanent deal just yet, signing Simons on loan would be a huge boost to the side, especially considering he’s putting up numbers similar to Wirtz and Musiala.

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Marcus Rashford doesn’t make the best eleven.

1

By
Tom Lever

Jun 7, 2024

MatériaMais Notícias

O sábado foi de vitórias das divisões de base do Flamengo no Campeonato Carioca. O Sub-17 venceu o Volta Redonda por 2 a 1, com gols de Riquelmy e Euder – veja abaixo. Já o Sub-17 goleou o mesmo adversário por 4 a 0. Os dois jogos foram na Gávea e eram válidas pela quarta rodada da Taça Guanabara.

– Muito feliz por mais uma vitória. Uma partida difícil no começo, mas voltamos no segundo tempo bem e encaixamos os gols – afirmou o atacante Guilherme Gomes, um dos artilheiros do Sub-15. Lorran (2) e Bill completaram o placar.

Pela quinta rodada da Taça Guanabara, o primeiro turno do Estadual, o Sub-17 e o Sub-15 do Flamengo voltam a campo no sábado, dia 11, às 11h e às 9h, respectivamente. O adversário será o Bangu nas partidas, no Estádio da Gávea.

O Flamengo está com 100% de aproveitamento nas duas categorias, somando 12 pontos após quatro rodadas e lidera as tabelas do Estadual Sub-17 e Sub-15.

RelacionadasFlamengoPedido por torcedores do Flamengo, David Luiz aprimora técnica e tem gols de falta na carreira; assista!Flamengo04/09/2021FlamengoRodrigo Caio dá mais um passo rumo ao retorno aos jogos do FlamengoFlamengo04/09/2021

Confira os gols da vitória do Mengão Sub-17. #GarotosDoNinho #VamosFlamengo

⚽⚽: Euder e Riquelmy pic.twitter.com/tHnW2Je5ie

— Flamengo (@Flamengo) September 4, 2021

Lorran abre o placar para o Sub-15 do Mengão! #GarotosDoNinho #VamosFlamengo

Flamengo 1×0 Volta Redonda pic.twitter.com/vOhgAixmvc

— Flamengo (@Flamengo) September 4, 2021

Flamengo Sub-15 ampliou com Guilherme Gomes. #VamosFlamengo #GarotosDoNinho

Flamengo 2×0 Volta Redonda pic.twitter.com/pAHzOors0g

— Flamengo (@Flamengo) September 4, 2021

O terceiro dos #GarotosDoNinho foi marcado por Bill, em bela cobrança de falta. #VamosFlamengo

Flamengo 3×0 Volta Redonda pic.twitter.com/HzU2EWZP4r

— Flamengo (@Flamengo) September 4, 2021

Aston Villa are looking to raid their fellow Premier League clubs this summer as they gear up for their first-ever season in the Champions League.

Aston Villa plot transfer raids

After Unai Emery was rewarded with a new contract for guiding Villa to a fourth-placed Premier League finish, which brings with it Champions League football, attentions have turned to recruitment.

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By
Ben Browning

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There are concerns that a sale will have to be made in order to balance their books for financial fair play purposes, with the likes of Douglas Luiz, Jhon Duran and Jacob Ramsey among those who could depart the club before the financial deadline of June 30th.

But that has not stopped potential additions, and the midlands outfit are in the final stages of agreeing a move for Luton Town's Ross Barkley. With the Hatters relegated, their standout star was always likely to be poached and it is thought that a deal worth around £5m is close.

The Villans have also held preliminary talks for Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher, though the Blues are understood to want around £50m to let him leave this summer and that may be a stumbling block for a side already concerned with financial fair play.

Any deal for Gallagher may then hinge on Luiz's future, amid interest from Juventus and Villa open to selling for the right price. The Brazilian enjoyed his best Premier League season in the 2023-24 campaign but may be sacrificed in order to allow the club to continue moving forwards ahead of the new season. Now, the club have been touted as set to make a move for one of his compatriots.

Aston Villa express interest in Fulham star

That comes as the Midlands outfit are credited with an interest in Fulham attacking midfielder Andreas Pereira, according to reports from his homeland.

Globo Esporte, relayed by Sport Witness, claim that Spurs, Newcastle and Villa have all "expressed interest" in the 28-year-old this summer. Though he still has two years left to run on his £50,000 per week deal at Craven Cottage, a stay this summer is seen as "unlikely" and both the player and club reportedly see a parting of ways as the best solution following approaches from the three top flight sides.

Andreas Pereira's 2023-24 season
Appearances	37
Goals	3
Assists	7
Shots on target per 90	0.55
Key passes per 90	2.9
Yellow Cards	6

Pereira enjoyed another strong campaign under Marco Silva, with the ex-Manchester United man grabbing three goals and seven assists in 37 outings to guide the Cottagers well clear of relegation concerns. Undeniably talented, fellow Brazilian Fred was quick to talk up his former teammate when asked about him in 2022, telling the Manchester United media:

“I think he's doing really well at Fulham, he's a great player. Everyone knows how good he is. We played together here for some time, he was at Flamengo in Brazil where he did well, I was following him there.”

“Now he's back here with Fulham and having a great season in the Premier League. Great player, we know his quality"”

Of the three sides interested in Pereira, it is thought that Aston Villa could have an advantage on two fronts, with the Fulham man keen to play in the Champions League next season, while agent Kia Joorabchian has already had dealings with Villa in recent seasons, helping them sign Diego Carlos, Philippe Coutinho and also helping extend Luiz's contract.

England's preparations for Euro 2024 got off to a rather sluggish start at St James' Park but ultimately Gareth Southgate will be pleased with not just the result but the opportunity he got to witness some new stars on the international stage.

This was a patched-together Three Lions side missing some big faces. Jude Bellingham is still in Madrid celebrating his Champions League win while Bukayo Saka also missed out. There was no room yet for England's Manchester City crop either with Phil Foden not making the squad.

As a result, it saw the likes of Cole Palmer and Eberechi Eze make their first starts for their country. The back four also consisted of Ezri Konsa, Lewis Dunk, Marc Guehi and Kieran Trippier.

We did see some more familiar faces late in the 3-0 win over Bosnia, Harry Kane notably scoring at the end but these matches will be more about learning which of the newer players Southgate can trust.

Well, he certainly found a few new heads to rely on at St James' Park.

England's best players vs Bosnia

Cole Palmer opened the scoring from the penalty spot – his first international goal – before Trent Alexander-Arnold got on the scoresheet with a sweet low volley in the latter stages of the game.

The Liverpool star hasn't always had it easy with his national side. England's depth at right-back has seen the likes of Kyle Walker and Reece James preferred in recent years.

However, with James absent from the provisional Euros squad, this was a fine opportunity for Alexander-Arnold to prove himself.

He started the game in a midfield position, spraying some lovely passes around the park before finishing the game at right-back where he looked phenomenal, darting forward to prove a constant nuisance to the Bosnian defence.

It was high up on the right-hand side that Trent's goal came from, as he proved to the manager that he would be deserving of a starting berth in Germany.

Another to shine was Eze. The creative sensation was in fine form for Crystal Palace last season, scoring 11 goals and supplying six assists in all competitions. Thus, he was rightfully rewarded with a third England cap on Monday night.

Described as 'the standout player during his hour on the pitch' by GOAL's Richard Martin, it was an energetic showing that suggested he should certainly be on the plane.

He wasn't the only Palace star to do himself justice.

Adam Wharton's England debut in numbers

In January an unsuspecting Adam Wharton joined Crystal Palace from Blackburn Rovers in a deal worth £18m.

It was done with minimal fuss, with minimal hype. However, Wharton is now the subject of much discussion having impressed significantly under Oliver Glasner in the back half of the campaign.

Such form meant he was the 'surprise' pick in Southgate's provisional squad for the Euros. Alongside Everton's Jarrad Branthwaite, they were only uncapped players, with both making their debuts from the bench against Bosnia. Wharton more than showed he deserves to be in the final Euros squad.

The midfielder didn't score but his performance was full of composure and confidence, notably completing 100% of his passes.

Brought on in the 62nd minute, the 20-year-old went on to amass 37 touches and supply two key passes. He didn't win a defensive duel but that didn't matter with England assured of victory.

Minutes played

28

Touches

37

Passes

36/36

Key passes

1

Crosses

1/1

Fouls

2

Such a performance earned plenty of praise with former Newcastle midfielder Isaac Hayden hailing his "scary" talent, suggesting the youngster simply "has to be on the plane".

FIFA journalist James Pendleton, meanwhile, summarised Wharton's display with the following words. "His two-footedness and energy levels are such a breath of fresh air and so unique to this England squad."

So, how can you ignore him, Gareth? This was one of the finer England debuts we have witnessed in recent years. It'll be incredibly hard to leave him behind.

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England bowlers struggle after lunch on rain-affected first day

The Report by Valkerie Baynes05-Aug-2020

Babar Azam drives down the ground•Getty Images

Babar Azam and Shan Masood lifted Pakistan on a day punctuated by shifting fortunes on the field and above it as the first match in the three-Test series against England began.A moment of silence to remember those who have lost their lives in the Covid-19 pandemic before play began under heavy skies put the match in perspective and emphasised the efforts of both countries to stage this contest behind closed doors at Emirates Old Trafford.Having been in England for a month, preparing in the relative anonymity provided by England’s series against West Indies, Pakistan arrived to their first Test since February as questions swirled over their readiness to face an opposition which has three matches’ worth of competition fitness in them.By the time rain brought about an early tea and delayed the evening session by nearly three hours, it was batsmen Azam and Masood who looked to be in a groove against a bowling attack that seemed to have turned rusty at lunch.After his captain, Azhar Ali, won the toss and elected to bat first – opposite number Joe Root said he would have done the same – Pakistan opener Masood withstood a tricky period against Stuart Broad and James Anderson first up, accompanied by Abid Ali in a partnership that was approaching fifty when Jofra Archer entered the attack.Having rounded off his first over with a couple of steepling bouncers which were evaded well by Abid, Archer struck with the first ball of his second over when he bowled Abid with a beauty through the gate and into off stump, thus ending a patient start by Abid and the partnership on 46.After a brief rain interruption, Masood settled, guiding Archer through the bare gully region with smart, soft hands for four.But then Chris Woakes, who had relieved Anderson after five overs, struck with a full delivery that thwacked Azhar Ali on the pad in line and sent him on his way for a six-ball duck, despite his swift call for a review, which only confirmed the lbw decision.That brought Azam to the crease and he showed his class, somehow escaping a testing first delivery from Woakes that narrowly missed the outside edge and off stump and negotiating the ever-challenging Archer.But it was against Anderson after lunch that Azam settled into his stride, finding the boundary three times in as many overs to bring his spell to a swift end.Anderson even became the first bowler to be called for a front-foot no-ball – a rarity for him – by the third umpire in Tests under the new system being trialled during this series when he over-stepped bowling to Azam in the 31st over.Meanwhile, Masood was enjoying almost as good a time against Broad and, by the time Root turned to Archer and the offspin of Dom Bess, the batsmen were in a decent flow. They had put on 78 runs together and, as Azam brought up his half-century off just 70 balls with a punch into the covers off Bess and then passed it with two runs behind square off Archer, the rain hit.By that stage, Masood had moved to 45 not out, Pakistan had recovered from 43 for 2 to 121 for 2 and the players faced a long stay in the dressing rooms.Manchester was eventually bathed in bright sunshine but, by the end of mopping-up operations, play resumed under lights with the dim skies back overhead.Archer, who had bowled one ball before the lengthy stoppage, finished his over with plenty of short stuff, which meant Root was forced to turn back to spin, bringing himself on with Bess.Masood added just one run, having faced 152 balls – more than any other visiting opener in England since 2016 – for his 46 not out before bad light forced play to be abandoned for the day.In the course of his innings, Masood had two lives, both from Jos Buttler off the bowling of Bess. On 45, he survived an edge through to the keeper, and he hadn’t added to his score when, after the rain break, he charged at Bess, attempted to hit the ball to the leg side but missed, only to be saved when the ball bounced out of Buttler’s gloves. At the other end, Azam had moved to an unbeaten 69 off 100 balls in a third-wicket stand of 96.

Liverpool's last lap under Jurgen Klopp has seen a detrimental stumble that has allowed Arsenal and Manchester City to take command in the Premier League title race, with hopes of clinching the trophy minute at this point.

To triumph against the odds would take an incredible nosedive in form from both rivals at the final stage, compounding the recent struggles that have seen Liverpool crash out of the FA Cup and the Europa League.

And while the Carabao Cup was clinched back in February, there is an unavoidable, unshakeable sense of poignancy, of regret, surrounding what teased to be a stunning ending, fitting of the dynasty that the 56-year-old created on Merseyside.

Still, Liverpool have rebuilt following the dismal efforts of the 2022/23 campaign and perhaps it's apt timing for Klopp to stand down, relinquish the reins and allow the club to enter its next phase.

Arne Slot is the man to succeed the German, and he will find the complex situation around Mohamed Salah at the forefront of his concerns when he touches down in Liverpool this summer.

Mohamed Salah's recent form

Last summer, with Liverpool losing their place among Europe's elite, Saudi side Al-Ittihad sought to secure a flagship signing by bringing Salah to the Middle East, though their eye-watering £150m advance was rejected by FSG last August.

Salah, who was respectful throughout the process, remained at Liverpool and proved exactly why keeping him in the squad was such a pivotal success, having plundered 24 goals and 13 assists across 41 appearances for the Reds this season.

The Egyptian star ranks among the top 5% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 1% for assists and touches in the attacking penalty area and the top 21% for progressive passes per 90, as per FBref.

He's been the linchpin of a largely excellent campaign, though this recent decline in form has been concurrent with his side's acute nosedive, with Liverpool's wastefulness in front of goal the crux of the slump.

Indeed, the £350k-per-week forward has scored just one goal across his past six Premier League outings, failing to assist a teammate and winning only two matches.

The 31-year-old still has much to offer at the apex of the great game and pointers suggest that he feels remaining at Liverpool, where he has bagged 298 goal contributions from 346 fixtures, notably winning the Premier League and the Champions League, is the best place for his remarkable career.

However, Salah's imperfections have been accentuated following the recent dip, the fatal blip, and now there is a palpable sense that Slot may not view Salah as the fulcrum of his Liverpool attack when the Dutch manager gets to work on English shores.

Slot and his tactical brand have a semblance to that of his Anfield predecessor, Klopp, but there will of course be changes and his thrash-metal style could see the prolific Egyptian lose that unwavering starting berth that has already cracked, a fissure stemming from his decline and seeing Klopp bench him twice in the past four top-flight outings – erupting in a heated touchline row.

Should Salah remain at the club, as is expected at this point, it's unlikely that a high-profile, high-cost replacement will be targeted this summer, but Dominik Szoboszlai could find himself undergoing a tactical alteration…

Why Slot must unleash Szoboszlai at right wing

Few would question that Klopp knew what he was doing when he fashioned Szoboszlai into a deeper-lying midfield position than he might be accustomed to, signing the Hungarian gem from RB Leipzig for £60m last summer.

Turbo-powered, elegant and enterprising, Szoboszlai proved to be a colossal upgrade on Henderson in the centre of the park, even being declared as an "artist" by talent scout Jacek Kulig for his early exploits in the Premier League.

But injuries and an unrelenting schedule have taken their toll on the 23-year-old, who has been one of the most noticeable strugglers throughout the recent period of inconsistency in Liverpool's campaign, starting only one of the Reds' last three league games.

Still, as per Sofascore, over the duration of the Premier League season, the £120k-per-week dynamo has completed 87% of his passes, averaging 1.7 key passes and 5.6 ball recoveries per game.

But this has all been as an operator in the heart of the midfield, a position that is not his natural placement but necessary to charge Klopp's team – the recreation of players such as Gini Wijnaldum in the past further proves this point.

Slot plays with a 4-2-3-1 formation and, as such, will probably not use Szoboszlai at the base of the engine room, where Alexis Mac Allister would thrive alongside a specialist No. 6.

Dominik Szoboszlai: 22/23 Stats by Position
Position	Apps	Goals	Assists
Right winger	24	8	5
Right midfield	8	0	7
Left winger	7	2	1
Attacking midfield	3	0	0
Central midfield	3	0	0
Stats via Transfermarkt

Hailed as a "generational talent" by journalist Marcel Moeller during his career in Germany, Szoboszlai might just find that in a new system, playing a role that better suits his skill set, he rises to a position of prominence and sustains it under the guidance of Slot.

Last year, with Leipzig, he principally played on the right wing, reaping the lion's share of his direct goal contributions through such means. Salah will hope to hold down his long-time Liverpool position but Slot's football demands energy, movement and multi-functionality.

Salah is averaging 0.8 dribbles per game in the Premier League this season, winning 35%, as opposed to 2.2 per fixture during his historic 2017/18 term, succeeding with 63% of his forward forays. Szoboszlai, clearly, offers more energy than that declining aspect of the Egyptian game.

Ranking among the top 1% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for shots taken, the top 4% for progressive carries and the top 5% for touches in the attacking penalty area per 90, the 6 foot 1 player is patently pushing toward his favoured role in and around the final third.

He might not have the elite goalscoring ability of Salah, but this style of play could suit the new regime just perfectly, with Trent Alexander-Arnold spraying passes into the danger area that his Hungarian counterpart can latch onto with penetrative pace and power.

Who knows, perhaps Salah might find himself shaping into a new, more central position, where he can maintain his sharpening playmaking ability – no Premier League player has created more big chances than he this term (21) – and benefit from the robust creative qualities of Szoboszlai.

One thing's for certain, Slot has much to chew on when he arrives at Anfield, tasked with leading Liverpool to more glory after the brightest period in generations.

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The final that was due to be played in Wollongong at the end of the month has been cancelled

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Mar-2020New South Wales have been named the Sheffield Shield champions after the final was cancelled during the coronavirus pandemic.In a move that had been likely for some days following the abandonment of the final round of matches, Cricket Australia confirmed the decision on Tuesday as they also “strongly recommended” that cricket at all levels was cancelled while they also closing their offices.New South Wales were well out in front during the regular season of the Sheffield Shield having already secured hosting rights for the final with six wins in nine matches before the abrupt end to the season. Victoria, the defending champions, were in second spot with Queensland also pushing hard to contest the final which would have been played in Wollongong.Speaking in Melbourne on Tuesday, Cricket Australia chief executive said that New South Wales’ considerable lead in the table had made their decision easier.”When we were assessing it relative to the Shield final there were a number of questions, where do we play the final, if we don’t play the final, is the final postponed, do you not declare a winner,” he said. “I think it was perhaps helpful while we had after round nine five of the six states still in contention to win the Shield, which was fantastic, we did have New South Wales 12 points clear at the top of the table, so credit to New South Wales and to be open that probably made our decision-making a little easier, given that they had such a gap on the field.”Regarding CA’s recommendation that all cricket be stopped, Roberts said. “I’m conscious that around the country a lot of cricket clubs existed in the 1800s, well before Cricket Australia was formed. Over that very long period of time they’ve been led by really capable voluntary administrators who are leaders in their communities. We’ve got a role to be informed from the likes of the government and other experts and to then provide advice and recommendations, but it’s the role of those leaders, who we trust and have trusted in some cases for well over 100 years, to make the best decisions for their communities based on their advice just as we’re seeking to do for cricket more broadly.”All Cricket Australia staff will now work remotely until further notice. While the major impact of the coronavirus pandemic has hit at the end of the Australian season – forcing the scrubbing of the last two Chappell-Hadlee ODIs when New Zealand had to return home due to tightened travel restrictions which also meant the postponement of Australia’s T20I tour – it would appear that this will not be a short-term situation. CA’s next big decisions will involve involvement of their players at the IPL should the tournament go ahead then the tours of Bangladesh in June and England in July.”By effectively cancelling the remainder of our season, Cricket Australia is playing its part in protecting fans, players, staff, volunteers and match officials during this unprecedented global health issue,” Roberts said in an earlier statement. “As organisations around the world rally to slow the spread of the coronavirus, it’s important that we also provide decisive leadership. We hope that by taking these actions now – in addition to those announced in recent days – we can contribute to ‘flattening the curve’ of coronavirus and society returning to normal as quickly as possible.

Chelsea's hopes of qualifying for Europe for next season were dealt another blow as they were hammered 5-0 by rivals Arsenal at The Emirates on Tuesday night.

The Blues, who lost in the semi-finals of the FA Cup on Saturday, had the chance to move level on points with Newcastle United in sixth place with a win in North London.

Instead, Mauricio Pochettino's side were swept aside with ease by Mikel Arteta's men, including a brace from former Chelsea man Kai Havertz, and remain in ninth with six matches left to play in the Premier League.

One player who must now be sold by Todd Boehly in the summer after his display against Arsenal, and the general standard of his performances this season, is centre-back Benoit Badiashile.

Benoit Badiashile was worse than Axel Disasi against Arsenal

Whilst neither player covered themselves in glory, Badiashile was the worst of the two centre-backs for Chelsea, as Axel Disasi outperformed him.

Firstly, GOAL reporter Tom Maston handed the left-footed defender a dismal match rating of 2/10, citing his 'abysmal' play in possession and slow reactions to close down opposition attackers, whilst Disasi earned a score of 4/10.

Former Manchester United and England star Rio Ferdinand claimed that Arsenal "destroyed" Badiashile in his post-match analysis for TNT Sports.

Minutes played

90

90

Duel success rate

57% (4/7)

100% (4/4)

Pass accuracy

90%

99%

Error led to shot or goal

1

0

As you can see in the table above, Disasi was far more reliable in possession, did not make any direct errors that led to shots or goals, and was dominant in physical duels, whilst his defensive partner fell short in those metrics.

Badiashile did not cover himself in glory for either of Havertz's goals, with the ball going in behind him for the first and the defender giving him far too much space to find the corner for the second, and allowed Ben White to drift off the back of him for his first.

Why Todd Boehly must cash in on Benoit Badiashile

Italian giants AC Milan were linked with an interest in the French titan earlier this month, and Boehly must take advantage of any potential suitors and sell him this summer.

The 23-year-old dud, who has been an unused substitute in two of the last three matches, has only been handed nine league starts by Pochettino this season, which does not suggest that the Argentine boss trusts him to play regularly at the back.

He has made one error that led to a shot, one that led to a goal, and given away one penalty in those nine starts – one major error every three starts on average.

Badiashile has been at Chelsea for over a year, since his move from Monaco in January of last year, and is yet to prove that he has what it takes to be a top performer in the Premier League.

Therefore, the 2/10 flop, who was just 'destroyed' by Arsenal, should be brutally sold – if Milan act upon their interest – by Boehly to make way for a, hopefully, higher-quality replacement in the summer transfer window,

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Liverpool were a day late and a dollar short against Atalanta in the Europa League on Thursday night but can ill-afford to brood over the chastening Anfield defeat, with Crystal Palace travelling to Merseyside for a Premier League showdown this afternoon.

While Liverpool have been restored as title contenders this season following sweeping summer changes to right the lofty wrongs of the 2022/23 campaign, a never-say-die, tenacious attitude has superimposed over residual defensive fragilities.

The Reds have kept just five clean sheets across 22 matches in all competitions in 2024 and have been undone in recent fixtures against Atalanta and Manchester United after inexcusable lapses and mistakes.

This error-strewn streak must now reach its end, lest Liverpool's thrilling finale to the Jurgen Klopp era peter out with bitter disappointment.

Crystal Palace, sitting in 15th place in the league, have not beaten Klopp's Liverpool in 13 attempts but will be eager to capitalise on complacency, especially with several first-team host members still unavailable.

Liverpool team news

Diogo Jota, at least, is in line for a start after returning from the bench against Atalanta on Thursday. The clinical Portugal forward had been sidelined for 12 games after injuring his knee against Brentford in February.

And while Trent Alexander-Arnold is also nearing a return from injury, he is unlikely to find his name on the starting team sheet after spending the lion's share of the calendar year recovering from an issue – though he may well be named as a substitute.

The same could be said for first-choice shot-stopper Alisson Becker, who might be involved but is likely to return to the grass next week.

Stefan Bajcetic returned to action on Friday as Liverpool defeated Manchester United in a U21 fixture, but Thiago Alcantara and Joel Matip remain long-term absentees.

Liverpool must unleash Diogo Jota

An element of circumspection will be needed with Jota, but after entering the play in the late stage of the Europa League in midweek Klopp might be convinced to unleash his prolific striker.

As per FBref, Jota ranks among the top 1% of forwards across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals scored and tackles, the top 16% for shot-creating actions, the top 5% for progressive carries and the top 3% for touches in the attacking box per 90.

Mohamed Salah

36

23

0.80

112

Darwin Nunez

46

18

0.58

154

Diogo Jota

29

14

0.79

113

Cody Gakpo

46

14

0.51

177

Luis Diaz

43

13

0.39

232

Hailed as a “pressing monster” by assistant manager Pep Lijnders, the 27-year-old is one of the most potent attacking outlets in the Premier League and has scored nine goals from just 13 starting appearances in the top flight this season.

Mohamed Salah is marginally ahead of Jota in prolificness this season but he offers a very different skill set to his Egyptian counterpart and must be unleashed as the central focal point against Palace, sending Darwin Nunez to the bench.

Nunez, while influential and improved this season, has ebbed back toward the wasteful, wayward shooting of the 2022/23 campaign, his first in Liverpool after signing from Benfica in a club-record £85m deal, and has missed a catalogue of recent chances that may well have changed the current narrative quite drastically.

The Uruguayan actually has the worst conversion rate of any player to have been presented with 20+ chances in 2023/24 – as per WhoScored – and Jota could provide the Midas touch needed to steer the season back on course against Palace.

Fitness withstanding, Jota is a crucial inclusion at Anfield, with Harvey Elliott also demanding a return to the outset in the Premier League.

Harvey Elliott's season in numbers

Elliott has only just turned 21 but the versatile midfielder is truly one of the finest prospects around, having been a creative option for Liverpool throughout the course of the campaign and compensating for the host of injuries that had threatened Klopp's team in recent months.

Praised for his "special talent" by The Athletic's James Pearce, Elliott has scored three goals and supplied seven assists for his club this term but has only started six Premier League matches, though he may well be in line for a start today.

In the Premier League, as per Sofascore, the England U21 star has completed 88% of his passes, though his displays in the Europa League, where he has played with the greatest frequency, probably serve as a better gauge of his level.

Across nine fixtures on the continent, Elliott has racked up four assists, completed 85% of his passes, averaged 1.6 key passes, 1.4 tackles and 4.1 ball recoveries per game while succeeding with 71% of his dribbles.

Klopp noted that Wataru Endo looked fatigued against Atalanta so it's likely that Alexis Mac Allister will shift into a deeper-lying central role, opening space for Elliott to move into his favoured midfield role after playing on the wing on Thursday, hitting the bar twice but receiving only a 5/10 match rating from the Liverpool Echo's Ian Doyle as he struggled to make an impact.

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This is surely one of the biggest and most costly misfires under Klopp’s leadership.

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Still, this is hardly his fault and he was one of the better performers on an abject evening, albeit subbed off for Salah at halftime.

Why Liverpool must unleash Harvey Elliott

Rested and raring to go, Elliott is stylistically similar to Dominik Szoboszlai – according to FBref's Player Comparison model – and given the Hungarian's recent struggles Elliott must indeed be handed a starting berth.

The £40k-per-week ace ranks among the top 1% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 3% for shot-creating actions, the top 4% for progressive passes and the top 3% for successful take-ons per 90.

Moreover, he's developing a sharp goalscoring sense that Palace keenly felt in the reverse fixture back in December, having performed so well to rebuff Klopp's squad only for substitute Elliott to fire an awesome effort into the back of the net in the dying embers.

He's rarely unleashed from the opening in the Premier League but Elliott is growing into quite the midfielder and he could make a marked impact on Liverpool's fight for three points this afternoon, providing his frontal teammates with creative support, adding a dimension to the centre of the park at a time of great importance for Liverpool's campaign.

Leeds United play host to Stoke City in the Championship at Elland Road on Tuesday as they go in search of a first win in three competitive matches.

The Whites were held to a 1-1 draw by Huddersfield away from home last time out in the second tier, which came after a 3-2 defeat to Chelsea in the FA Cup. The weekend's result allowed Ipswich Town to move above them in the table and into second place, but despite dropping out of the automatic promotion places, for now, the 49ers are reportedly keen to tie down one of their vital figures to a new deal.

Daniel Farke contract update

According to Football Insider, the club will make giving head coach Daniel Farke an improved contract a priority move at the end of the 2023/24 campaign. Reporter Wayne Veysey claims that the former Norwich City tactician has made a top impression on the board, who are now plotting a major summer agreement.

He is set for a "huge" pay rise as the 49ers will present him with a bumper new contract should Leeds be promoted back to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

However, the outlet adds that the Yorkshire-based outfit could offer Farke, whose current deal expires in the summer of 2027, fresh terms even if they fail to go up, which shows how impressive he has been to those running the club this term.

How good has Farke been this season?

Having been relegated from the top-flight last term, Leeds gutted their squad of high-earners as the likes of Marc Roca, Tyler Adams, Rodrigo, Rasmus Kristensen, Jack Harrison, and Robin Koch, among others, moved on either permanently or on loan.

Despite the huge turnover in the squad and the switch from Premier League to Championship football, Farke quickly put together a winning machine at Elland Road. Leeds have won 22 of their 35 league matches during the 2023/24 campaign to date, and sit two points off the automatic promotion places as it stands.

This shows that the German head coach, who won two Championship titles with Norwich, has been effective in deploying a side that can consistently win games at that level.

Farke has also showcased his ability to bring through and develop young talent as both Archie Gray and Mateo Joseph have emerged as first-team options, with perhaps the only criticism fans have to do with his use of substitutions.

Appearances

33

Starts

31

Tackles per game

2.3

Interceptions per game

0.7

Duel success rate

53%

As you can see in the table above, 17-year-old Gray has nailed down a place as a regular starter for Leeds in a promotion-push season, despite his age and inexperience heading into the campaign.

He has been linked with Premier League giants Liverpool and is reportedly valued at up to £50m, which is thanks to Farke's faith in the young whiz, who may not have been given an opportunity under other managers who favour experience.

Overall, tying the head coach down to a new contract would be a shrewd move as his results on the pitch and development of young talent suggest that he could be a fantastic manager for the club for many more years to come, regardless of what division they find themselves in this summer.