All posts by h716a5.icu

Wrexham suffered a major injury blow against Harrogate Town on Tuesday after losing goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo to injury.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Okonkwo injured in first halfTaken off at half-timeFears he's suffered jaw injuryWHAT HAPPENED?

Okonkwo started the game at Harrogate but suffered an early injury in a collision. The goalkeeper received lengthy treatment on the pitch but was initially able to continue. He was subsequently seen taking painkillers, after receiving further medical attention in another stoppage, and did not emerge after the break. Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson opted to send on Mark Howard in his place at half-time.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

There are fears that Okonkwo has suffered a jaw injury which could see him forced onto the sidelines. Wrexham will certainly be hoping that their goalkeeper is not set for a lengthy lay-off. The 22-year-old has become a regular with the Red Dragons this season after arriving on a season-long loan from Premier League giants Arsenal.

DID YOU KNOW?

Wrexham's Okonkowo had the best save percentage for stopping attempts in the whole of League Two heading into the game.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

GettyWHAT NEXT FOR OKONKWO?

Wrexham will be sweating on Okonkwo's fitness ahead of their next match. Parkinson's side continue their FA Cup campaign next time out when they host National League South side Yeovil Town in the second round of the famous competition. If Okonkwo is ruled out then Howard will be expected to take his place between the sticks.

From getting Ronaldo onside to bloodying the nose of Pep and Klopp, these are the key objectives he needs to nail in his first season…

Erik ten Hag's gigantic task of getting the Manchester United juggernaut back on the road is as big as it gets in a footballing sense, and one that proved too big for David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

With Manchester City and Liverpool setting a new standard and pulling further away from the chasing pack, a Premier League title challenge is beyond them, so what will success look like in Ten Hag’s first year in charge?

GOAL has had a look at seven areas that will define the Dutchman's first season at the helm.

(C)Getty ImagesHandling Ronaldo

Ronaldo is absolutely pivotal to United’s hopes.

He has been labelled the problem and the cure – but the benefits of a fully firing Ronaldo outweigh the negatives.

He proved once again last season that he remains a devastating centre forward with 24 goals in all competitions. And after United had to watch on as targets Erling Haaland and Darwin Nunez joined City and Liverpool, they will have to rely on their veteran striker to provide the bulk of their firepower.

But it will be about Ten Hag finding a way to fit the Portuguese into his system while accepting that he will not press in the manner of modern forwards.

United will have to rely on other players picking up the slack in the knowledge that Ronaldo will deliver in front of goal.

It is a delicate balancing act – and one that could be absolutely critical to Ten Hag’s first season.

AdvertisementGettyRevitalise Rashford and Sancho

Jadon Sancho endured an underwhelming start to life at United – going from a key member of Gareth Southgate’s England squad to a major doubt for the World Cup.

He has it all to do to make Qatar – even after FIFA extended the squad lists to 26 players. But his priority is to kick start his United career.

Sancho was supposed to be the iconic winger United fans have been crying out for since Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure in 2009. He could still be that – and it was hardly ideal for him to see the manager who signed him get the sack a few months later.

He had some of his brighter moments under Ralf Rangnick and Ten Hag will need to build on that.

Marcus Rashford is another who needs some love from the new manager.

He is also fighting for his World Cup place and wants Ten Hag to let him establish himself on the left of attack.

He is hopeful he will finally get the sort of man-management and coaching he has lacked since bursting onto the scene six years ago.

If Ten Hag can get the best out of Rashford and Sancho, it would breathe new life into United’s attack.

GettyChampions League qualification

The absolute minimum requirement in his first season is to get United back to the top table of European football.

They have gone from being a club that would qualify for the Champions League on muscle memory alone, to one that has become all too used to missing out.

The problem for Ten Hag is that the battle for the top four maybe at its most fierce this season, with a rejuvenated Tottenham under Antonio Conte, Arsenal making strides and Chelsea a regular fixture.

Throw in West Ham – and maybe even a newly-monied Newcastle and United have a fight on their hands.

It would be hard to make any claim that the season was a success if United miss out on the Champions League for a second year in succession.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

GettyA trophy… any trophy

It is five years since United last picked up some silverware. Five long years of false dawns and empty promises, reboots and reshuffles.

When Mourinho led them to the double of the Carabao Cup and Europa League in 2017, it felt like the good times were set to return.

He guided them to second place the following season and the FA Cup final.

In the meantime United have had to watch on as City and Liverpool have dominated and set new standards.

It has been painful viewing – and while Solskjaer came within a penalty shoot-out of delivering the Europa League, United have been nowhere near close enough to lifting major honours on a regular basis.

Ten Hag is used to picking up silverware – winning three Eredivisie titles and two Dutch Cups in his time at Ajax.

He would join a select group of United managers if he can deliver any trophy at Old Trafford.

Everything you need to know about the Gunners' pre-season ahead of the 2023-24 campaign.

Arsenal have returned to the United States this summer as they prepare for the 2023-24 season and their long-awaited return to the Champions League. Mikel Arteta's side enjoyed an excellent pre-season campaign across the Atlantic last year, one that many at the club felt was the catalyst for their superb start to the 2022-23 season.

They are back in America with some high profile fixtures already scheduled. Here, GOAL brings you everything you need to know about Arsenal's pre-season tour, including how to buy tickets, where to watch games, squad details and more.

Check out Arsenal's new kits for 2023-24!

GettyArsenal pre-season 2023 fixtures & results

Date Game Kick-off time Venue

July 8Arsenal 1-1 WatfordNALondon Colney training base, LondonJuly 13Nurnberg 1-1 Arsenal6pm BST / 1pm ETMax-Morlock-Stadion, NuremburgJuly 20 (19 in US)MLS All-Stars 0-5 Arsenal1:30am BST / 8:30pm ETAudi Field, Washington DCJuly 22Arsenal 0 (3)-2 (5) Manchester United10pm BST / 5pm ETMetLife Stadium, New YorkJuly 27Arsenal 5-3 Barcelona03:30 BST / 22:30 ET SoFi Stadium, Los AngelesAugust 2Arsenal 1(5)-1(4) Monaco6pm BST / 1pm ETEmirates Stadium, LondonAugust 6Arsenal 1(4)-1(1) Manchester City4pm BST/ 11am ETWembley Stadium, London

Arsenal kicked off their 2023 pre-season on July 8 with a behind-closed-doors friendly at their London Colney training base, playing out a 1-1 draw against Championship outfit Watford.

The North London giants followed it with another 1-1 stalemate, this time against 2. Nurnberg in their first official friendly of the summer as part of a brief training camp in Germany.

They landed in the stateside for their tour of the United States, which they began with a smashing 5-0 victory against the MLS All-Stars on July 19.

However, a couple of days later, Premier League rivals Manchester United downed the Gunners 2-0 at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. But regardless of the result, the match went to a penalty shootout, with United once again coming out on top 5-3.

The Premier League runners-up bounced back from their disappointing loss to Man United to beat Barcelona 5-3 in at SoFi Stadium, the home of owner Stan Kroenke's LA Rams, in Los Angeles, before wrapping up their pre-season campaign by beating Monaco from 12 yards to win the Emirates Cup after the game finished 1-1 in normal time.

The Gunners then lifted the first silverware of the 2023-24 season in the form of Community Shield at the Wembley Stadium.

Mikel Arteta's men were seemingly down and out after Cole Palmer's sublime opener handed treble winners Man City the advantage with under 15 minutes of regular time left on the clock, but they equalised through Leandro Trossard in the 11th minute of second-half injury time, and came out on top 4-1 in the subsequent penalty shootout.

AdvertisementGettyArsenal pre-season 2023 tickets

Fans wishing to attend the pre-season tour friendly games will be able to buy tickets through the official Arsenal website and Ticketmaster, subject to availability.

Manchester United vs Arsenal ticketsArsenal vs MLS All-Star ticketsComplete guide to getting Arsenal ticketsGettyHow to watch & stream Arsenal 2023-24 pre-season tour

Fans will be able to live stream four games of Arsenal's pre-season schedule live on Arsenal.com and the Arsenal app.

These include matches against Nurnberg, Manchester United, Barcelona and Monaco, which will be available on a pay-per-view basis, costing £4.99 each for UK viewers, and will include matchday coverage and analysis.

Alternatively, a pre-season voucher is priced at £15.99 for all four games. There are several restrictions to Arsenal.com coverage, though. The Gunners' opener against Nurnberg will not be available for audience in Germany, while the clash versus Ligue 1 outfit Monaco will be unavailable to viewers in France.

To watch the clash versus the MLS All-Stars, Arsenal supporters will require an Apple TV MLS Season Pass. For information regarding how and where to buy tickets for this game click here.

The Community Shield encounter with reigning Premier League champions and treble winners Manchester City will be shown live for free on ITV1, and available to live stream via ITVX.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

GettyArsenal 2023-24 pre-season tour squad

Arsenal announced their 27-man squad for their pre-season tour in the United States, with seven notable absentees.

Despite having been linked with Saudi Pro League clubs, Thomas Partey, is part of the Gunners' squad in the US. Emile Smith Rowe was handed an extended break after starring for England in their Under-21 European Championship triumph earlier this summer.

Nicolas Pepe, Nuno Tavares, Cedric Soares, and Albert Sambi Lokonga, who all left Arsenal on loan last season, have also stayed behind and will continue to train away from the senior squad. Reiss Nelson, who recently signed a new long-term contract with Arsenal, has also not travelled to the United States due to injury.

Arsenal have moved quickly to bring in new signings this summer so they could travel with the squad on the pre-season tour and integrate as quickly as possible.

Supporters will hope to see record £105m signing Declan Rice take to the field, as well as the other new arrivals Kai Havertz (£65m from Chelsea) and Jurrien Timber (£38m from Ajax).

USMNT international striker Folarin Balogun, who shone out on loan with 20 goals in Ligue 1 last season, is also a part of the travelling squad despite rumours of a move away from the Emirates. Below is the list of travelling pre-season tour squad:

Position

Players

Goalkeepers:

Aaron Ramsdale, Alex Runarsson, Karl Hein

Defenders:

William Saliba, Kieran Tierney, Ben White, Gabriel Magalhaes, Jurrien Timber, Jakub Kiwior, Rob Holding, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Auston Trusty, Oleksandr Zinchenko

Midfielders:

Martin Odegaard, Jorginho, Fabio Vieira, Mohamed Elneny, Kai Havertz, Declan Rice

Forwards:

Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli, Eddie Nketiah, Leandro Trossard, Folarin Balogun, Marquinhos, Amario Cozier-Duberry

Neymar is reportedly already planning his departure from Al-Hilal, with the Brazilian intending to return to Santos ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Left PSG for new challenge in the Middle EastConfusion over his lucrative dealPlans to head home before major tournamentWHAT HAPPENED?

The 31-year-old forward only took on another new challenge in his distinguished career when heading to Saudi Arabia backin August. There had been talk of the South American superstar agreeing a four-year deal in the Middle East, but that is supposedly not the case.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Reports of a two-year contract are said to be closer to the mark, with Neymar not intending to stick around at Al-Hilal for long. According to Brazilian journalist , the former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain playmaker will return to his roots at Santos in 2025.

WHAT THEY SAID

Quintino has said on his social media channels: “During conversations with friends of Neymar Senior and Neymar Junior, I received the information that they did not sign a four-year contract with the Saudis but rather a two-year contract so he can return (to Santos) a year before the World Cup. Neymar approached Santos and asked to return. I have friends in common with Neymar, whom I will not name, but he has a very strong desire to return to Santos.”

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

(C)Getty ImagesWHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

Neymar – who is now Brazil's all-time leading scorer – has only taken in three appearances for Al-Hilal so far and is still waiting on his first goal for the club. He has never shied away from the fact that he intends to head back to Santos at some stage, with the plan seemingly being to make that switch a year out from the World Cup finals in the United States, Canada and Mexico in 2026.

Former West Indies fast bowler Joel Garner, who is one of the directors on the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), has questioned the CARICOM cricket review panel’s suggestion of dissolving the WICB

Nagraj Gollapudi10-Apr-2016Former West Indies fast bowler Joel Garner, currently a director of the WICB, has questioned the CARICOM cricket review panel’s suggestion of dissolving the board and asking all its members to resign. Garner, who is also president of the Barbados Cricket Association (BCA), wondered how some members of the WICB could suddenly be called “illegal” when they were formed according to the individual constitutions of the region’s countries.”My questions are: is the BCA, which was constituted by an act of parliament in 1933, an illegal entity and my selection as president of the BCA an illegal act?” Garner asked while speaking at the association’s quarterly meeting on Thursday. “So I have to ask the question: is the GCB [Guyana Cricket Board] an illegal entity? Is the Jamaica Cricket [Association] an illegal entity? Is the Leeward Islands Cricket Association an illegal entity? Is the Windward Islands Cricket Board an illegal entity? Is the TTCB [Trinidad & Tobago Cricket Board] an illegal entity?”If they are so, they have all been established in countries in which the prime ministers are making noise, and they have to tell the public of the region, if these entities are illegal, how they were able to remain vibrant for so long.”The five-member CARICOM panel, comprising V. Eudine Barriteau, Sir Dennis Byron, Dwain Gill, Deryck Murray and Warren Smith, was appointed by the Prime Ministerial Committee on the Governance of West Indies Cricket in response to the crisis that engulfed the WICB after the BCCI suspended bilateral ties and slapped $41.97 million as damages following the West Indies team’s decision to pull out midway through their India tour in 2014. The panel concluded its report in October last year.After extensive discussions and interviews with various stakeholders that included the management of the WICB , the CARICOM panel concluded that the governance structure of the board was obsolete. “There is an inherent and as yet unresolved tension between the evolution of the game of cricket into a powerful, professionally-driven entertainment and sporting industry and a system of governance predicated on an earlier, more simplified set of requirements,” the panel stated. “In this regard, the panel strongly recommends the immediate dissolution of the West Indies Cricket Board and the appointment of an Interim Board whose structure and composition will be radically different from the now proven obsolete governance framework. These two key measures are absolutely necessary in order to transform and modernize the governance, management, administration and the playing of the game.”In its response, the WICB rejected the CARICOM panel’s report in January. According to WICB president Dave Cameron, the panel had not consulted either the six territorial boards – Trinidad & Tobago, Barbados, Jamaica, Guyana, Leeward Islands and Windward Islands – or its directors, clubs, representatives and, hence, the panel’s findings were not supported by facts.”This [lack of consultations] has caused or triggered findings and recommendations by the panel which are not supported by the facts. The panel made statements and conclusions related to the structure and governance of the WICB, while ignoring the sweeping structural and governance changes which have taken place at the WICB since 2002,” Cameron said.

Mikel Arteta admits that Arsenal “have to be in the conversation” for players like Kylian Mbappe, but accepts that he appears to be heading elsewhere.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

World Cup winner heading towards free agencyLinked with a move to the Premier LeagueAppears destined to head for Santiago BernabeuWHAT HAPPENED?

The France international forward is preparing to hit free agency in 2024. With his contract at Paris Saint-Germain running down, Mbappe has been free to enter into talks with teams outside of Ligue 1 since January.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

He has stopped short of making a public declaration on his future, but reports suggest that a deal has been agreed with La Liga giants Real Madrid. If Mbappe is to become another ‘Galactico’ at Santiago Bernabeu, then Premier League suitors will be left disappointed.

WHAT ARTETA SAID ABOUT MBAPPE

Arsenal fall into that category, amid talk of Mbappe being “willing” to join the Gunners in order to emulate Thierry Henry’s legacy in north London, but Arteta concedes that no move to Emirates Stadium will be made. The Spaniard has said when asked about links to the 2018 World Cup winner: “When there is a player of that calibre we always have to be in the conversation. But as you said it looks in a different way.”

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR ARSENAL?

The Gunners are considered to be in the market for more firepower, after seeing the likes of Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah fail to convince as a leading No.9, but attention will shift to alternative striker targets heading towards the summer transfer window.

Suresh Raina’s 32-ball 62 set Chennai Super Kings on course to 181 for 8, before Ashish Nehra’s four wickets for 10 runs sent Royal Challengers Bangalore’s chase into the Chinnaswamy Stadium dirt

The Report by Andrew Fidel Fernando22-Apr-2015
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details4:54

Agarkar: Super Kings doing what they do best

Suresh Raina’s 32-ball 62 set Chennai Super Kings on course to 181 for 8, before Ashish Nehra’s four wickets for 10 runs sent Royal Challengers Bangalore’s chase into the Chinnaswamy Stadium dirt. Not even a half-century from Virat Kohli could lift his team off the bottom of the table, as Super Kings caught superbly, and bowled with discipline to find the hosts 27 runs short.Dwayne Smith struck his customary early boundaries, blasting two successive sixes and a four in David Wiese’s seventh over, but it was when Raina began to accelerate that Super Kings appeared to be headed to a daunting score.He had hit Harshal Patel for successive fours, then launched Wiese into the sightscreen in the Powerplay, having arrived soon after Yuzvendra Chahal’s legspin undid Brendon McCullum. But it was Raina’s dominance of spin that was the feature of his knock, and Iqbal Abdulla was his first slow-bowling victim. Raina advanced to send Abdulla’s first ball way back into the stands beyond long-on, before cracking him for a four past point then lifting him into the long on stand again two overs later.When Chahal came back into the attack, Raina became even more bloody-minded. A still out-of-sorts MS Dhoni turned the strike over to him at the start of the 13th over, and Raina went on the rampage. He ran down at the bowler and lifted him over long on, again, for six. He expected Chahal to drop the next one short, and stayed in his crease but, even when the bowler delivered a good-length ball, swung it high and hard over cow corner. The next slog-sweep was stuck less cleanly, but still comfortably cleared the rope. His undoing came when he tried to hit his first six against the spin, next ball. Rilee Russouw ran around from long off to pouch him comfortably.At 124 for 3 after 13 overs, Super Kings may have had designs for a score over 200, but Royal Challengers’ bowlers claimed wickets often enough to rein the run rate in. Dhoni holed out for a run-a-ball 13 attempting a big shot over cover, his promotion to no. 4 not having worked. Then Ravindra Jadeja and Dwayne Bravo both fell to Abdulla after mediocre knocks of their own.Faf du Plessis took a liking to Mitchell Starc towards the close, cracking two fours off the 17th over, while the remaining Super Kings batsmen gave him scant support. His unbeaten 33 from 18 balls lifted Super Kings above 180, even after Starc delivered a four-run final over.Having dropped Chris Gayle for this match, Royal Challengers’ chase began brightly enough. Manvinder Bisla hit a boundary either side of the wicket in Ishwar Pandey’s first over, then he and Russouw plundered 19 off Mohit Sharma. Nehra struck twice in the fourth over, and the hosts’ run rate plummeted from there.Virat Kohli began cautiously then freed his arms to hit two fours and a six off R Ashwin in the eighth over, but he could not hold onto his partners, thanks in part to Super Kings’ excellent fielding. Dinesh Karthik was out to a good diving catch from Dwayne Bravo at long-on, then when AB de Villiers turned to take a second run three overs later, Dhoni turned a mediocre throw into a run-out, by flicking the ball briskly onto the stumps to catch the batsman short of his ground.Kohli continued to watch wickets fall at the other end, and the chase foundered in the middle overs. With six overs to go, Royal Challengers needed 83 runs, with five wickets remaining. Kohli would battle on to 51 from 42 balls, but Nehra struck in successive balls to remove him and Harshal Patel in the 17th over, effectively sealing the game.

The two clubs meet in Nyon on Monday as the winners of the biggest European trophy in youth football are decided

Having come through semi-finals against Barcelona and Hoffenheim respectively, Chelsea and Porto face off in the UEFA Youth League final on Monday.

Both teams boast a wealth of young talent, with the clash in Nyon (kick-off 5pm BST/12pm ET) set to showcase some potential stars of the future.

But who should fans be paying particular attention to? Goal takes a look at the best players on each side…

GettyRomario Baro | Porto

An attacking midfielder, the 19-year-old captains Portugal at youth level and has already been approached by Juventus. Once of Sporting, he has scored six goals and laid on three assists in Porto's passage to the Youth League final.

AdvertisementGettyCharlie Brown | ChelseaDon't let his cartoon namesake fool you – Brown is serious talent when it comes to putting the ball in the net. With 12 goals in eight games he is the Youth League's top scorer this season while he has also scored 20 goals across Premier League 2 and the EFL Trophy for the Blues' Under-23 side.GettyDiogo Costa | PortoNo player has made more Youth League appearances than Porto goalkeeper Costa, with the Portugal Under-21 international already having trained with the club's first team. He missed the semi-final victory over Hoffenheim on Friday but will return for Monday's final.ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

GettyBilly Gilmour | ChelseaOnce a model for Burberry, Gilmour is one of the most exciting talents to emerge from Scotland in decades. Plucked from Rangers in 2017, he has already made his debut for the Under-21 side at international level despite not turning 18 until June. Compared to Cesc Fabregas due to his ability with the ball at his feet.

The Ukraine forward was a major disappointment as the Blues underwhelmed against Unai Emery's team, losing 2-0 at Stamford Bridge

Chelsea have dropped into the bottom half of the Premier League table as the pressure continues to mount on manager Graham Potter after they suffered a 2-0 home defeat against Aston Villa on Saturday.

Ollie Watkins and John McGinn fired the visitors to victory, lifting them above the Blues in the table, who have dropped to 11th.

Mykhailo Mudryk passed up two great chances to rescue Chelsea but fluffed his lines in yet another disappointing display by the Ukraine international, who is still searching for his first goal since joining the club in January.

🏆 TOP STORY: Mbappe wants Madrid move in 2024📣 HAVE YOUR SAY: Can Man City catch Arsenal?🚨 MUST READ: The players who could leave Chelsea

Chelsea looked stronger after going 2-0 down, but were unable to get the ball in the net as they lost for the first time in five matches.

GOAL rates Chelsea's players from Stamford Bridge…

Getty ImagesGoalkeeper & Defence

Kepa Arrizabalaga (6/10):

Beaten from distance once again as McGinn's effort sailed past him and into the corner.

Reece James (5/10):

Another defensively tame performance as he was caught ball watching and out of position a few times.

Kalidou Koulibaly (6/10):

Chelsea's best defender in the game. He made some strong tackles to keep Villa at bay.

Marc Cucurella (4/10):

At fault for the opening goal with a bad header that sent Watkins in to finish.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesMidfield

Ruben Loftus-Cheek (5/10):

Saw enough of the ball but did not make much of an impact before going off early in the second half.

Enzo Fernandez (6/10):

Tried to keep the ball circulating and support his team's attack but let down by his team-mates.

Mateo Kovacic (6/10):

Tried to get his side back into the game with a few long-range shots but could not lift his team.

Ben Chilwell (7/10)

Dangerous in attack as he got into the box a lot and hit the post on one occasion before having a goal disallowed.

Getty ImagesAttack

Kai Havertz (6/10):

Had a few chances on goal and dropped back to link up with team-mates but nothing really worked for him.

Joao Felix (7/10):

Tried his best to create some danger for the visitors but was unable to find the net.

Mykhaylo Mudryk (5/10):

Had a shot saved from close range and then ruined a great chance with a weak shot straight at Emi Martinez.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

Getty ImagesSubs & Manager

N'Golo Kante (6/10):

Made his first appearance since mid-August and got forward a lot to help create some trouble.

Noni Madueke (6/10):

Came on before the hour mark and tried to make something happen on the wing, but Villa were too strong.

Conor Gallagher (5/10):

Introduced for the last 10 minutes but had little impact on the game.

Christian Pulisic (6/10):

A late addition, he had an effort saved by Martinez late on and looked lively in his brief appearance.

Graham Potter (4/10):

A poor set up from the coach, whose team looked weak defensively since the beginning and were not as threatening as they should have been with Felix, Havertz and Mudryk all in the line up.

Gary Neville was left outraged by the red card shown to Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones in the first half of their clash against Tottenham.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Jones initially given yellow cardChanged to red after VAR reviewDecision angered pundit NevilleWHAT HAPPENED?

Jones was initially shown a yellow card for a challenge on Yves Bissouma, but play was delayed as VAR reviewed the challenge. Referee Simon Hooper was soon called over to have a look at the replay and the punishment was soon upgraded to a red card.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The sending off was a key moment in the game as Jones was sent off just 26 minutes in with the match still tied at 0-0.

Less than 10 minutes later, Luis Diaz had the ball in the net for Liverpool, but it was ruled out for offside and, shortly afterwards, Spurs went up to the other end and snuck in the opening goal through Son Heung-min.

WHAT THEY SAID

Neville predicted that the red card would be a turning point as he said it would spoil the match during the VAR review.

"A yellow is right, they are checking it. [VAR is] showing [referee Simon Hooper] the end motion, which looks bad," Neville said while on commentary duty for . "That's not how it's ended up there. His foot just slips off the top of the ball. Not for me a red card. He's probably going to get one and it's going to ruin the game, probably.

"You can slow it down all day long and it looks like a leg breaker but I think he's gone in genuinely and his foot's just slipped over the top of the ball. My initial reaction as an ex player was that wasn't a player looking to do the opposition player."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

GettyWHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

After Saturday's game, Liverpool are in action against Royale Union Saint-Gilloise in the Europa League on Thursday, while Tottenham's next match is away to Luton on October 7.