Following a meek performance in Sharjah, the onus is on Shoaib Malik and his men to stave off a series loss in Abu Dhabi

The Preview by Danyal Rasool26-Mar-2019Big PictureFollowing a meek, uninspired performance that saw Australia thump Pakistan in Sharjah – that could apply to either of the two ODIs, in all honesty – a seemingly throwaway comment from Shoaib Malik came in for sustained criticism.At the post-match presentation, Malik told Ramiz Raja that Pakistan were using this series to test their bench strength and “winning or losing doesn’t make a difference”. It was clumsily phrased, probably not what he meant in the manner it was interpreted, but it set off a firestorm of outrage, led by Ramiz himself, who questioned why the series was being played then. Either way, Malik and his men find themselves in the limelight squarely once again, looking to stave off a series loss in Abu Dhabi.Pakistan may be missing several key players, but even so, their toothless bowling attack will be of concern. The quicker bowlers in particular have struggled to put Australia under pressure with the new ball, having taken just four wickets all series, conceding 566 runs.As if these problems weren’t intractable enough, Faheem Ashraf has been rested for the remainder of the series, depriving Pakistan of a valuable all-round option. Mohammad Amir’s ODI drought shows no signs of abating, having taken just 5 wickets at 92.6 in the past 21 months. Mohammad Hasnain will probably be given another game, but Usman Shinwari and Junaid Khan could also be looked at as Pakistan seek to bring in changes in the fast bowling department.Leading up to the World Cup, Australia have quietly, efficiently, suddenly, moved into top gear, peaking at just the right time to sneakinto the contenders conversation. Aaron Finch and Usman Khawaja suddenly look so impregnable you wonder how David Warner can squeeze into an opening slot at present, while the both pace and spin bowlers have discomfited Pakistan enough to keep them well below par twice in a row.Jhye Richardson’s unavailability following a nasty dislocation of the shoulder opens up an opportunity for Jason Behrendorff or Kane Richardson in the remaining three ODIs. With Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood already battling to be fit ahead of the World Cup, Australia will hope to have as many fast bowling options as possible to choose from. The middle order hasn’t been tested this series, but if the India games were anything to go by, they will be up for the challenge. Pakistan’s job for now is to at least pose them some serious questions. Form guide Australia WWWWW (completed matches, most recent first)
Pakistan LLLWLIn the spotlightShan Masood was a shining beacon on a fairly grey Test tour to South Africa a couple of months ago, so much so he was selected for the ODI series here to see if he could be fast-tracked to the World Cup squad. It was a great opportunity to pile on the runs on gentle, docile pitches, but so far, Masood has fallen well short of doing that. He got starts in both games, scoring 40 and 19, but when the time came to kick on, he played ordinary, careless strokes to give his wicket away. His domestic limited-overs form over the past year has been exceptional, but with time running out to claim a World Cup slot, Masood needs a noteworthy display in the games that remain. If that doesn’t happen in the third ODI, Masood may well find himself trying to impress in two dead rubbers, where performances will understandably carry lesser weight.While his circumstances aren’t as dire as his Pakistani counterpart Yasir Shah, Adam Zampa hasn’t reaped the rewards a top spinner on Sharjah’s pitches normally should. He was disciplined and consistent in the first ODI, conceding just 44 in 10 overs, but discipline and consistency is what finger spinners are usually for. The wicket-taking menace that makes legspinners so revered and frustrating in equal measure hasn’t shone through in Zampa’s game thus far, and 1-57 in the second ODI indicated he hasn’t quite hit his straps yet. It was markedly different in the series against India, where, despite going for runs, Zampa took 11 wickets across five games. It is a trade-off any legspinner would be happy to accept, and Zampa’s ODI career average of 36.42 belies the promise of his talent.Team newsShoaib Malik was willing to be so clear about his intentions he didn’t mind copping heavy censure for it, so expect more rotation from Pakistan. Don’t be surprised to see at least one of Abid Ali and Saad Ali make their debuts.Pakistan (possible): 1 Imam-ul-Haq, 2 Shan Masood/Abid Ali, 3 Umar Akmal, 4 Haris Sohail, 5 Shoaib Malik (capt), 6 Mohammad Rizwan (wk), 7 Imad Wasim, 8 Mohammad Amir 9 Yasir Shah, 10 Usman Shinwari, 11 Mohammad HasnainAustralia will need to replace Jhye Richardson. They may opt for the safety of Pat Cummins, or give one of Jason Behrendorff or Kane Richardson some game timeAustralia (possible): 1 Usman Khawaja 2 Aaron Finch (capt) 3 Peter Handscomb 4 Shaun Marsh 5 Marcus Stoinis 6 Glenn Maxwell 7 Alex Carey (wk) 8 Pat Cummins/Jason Behrendorff/Kane Richardson 9 Nathan Coulter-Nile 10 Nathan Lyon 11 Adam ZampaPitch and conditionsSpin is expected to play an important role in Abu Dhabi, too, with both teams likely to opt for two spinners. The weather will be overcast, but rain is unlikely to play any part.Stats and trivia Australia have won 10 of the last 11 ODIs they have played against Pakistan. The only loss came at the MCG in a five-match series in 2017 that Australia won 4-1. If Usman Khawaja scores more than two runs, he will overtake Virat Kohli to become the leading ODI scorer in 2019. Half of Yasir Shah’s 20 ODI wickets have come in just two matches, a four-wicket haul against Sri Lanka and a six-wicket haul versus Zimbabwe.

Just three points away from an Ipswich Town side who are stalling for the first time this season in the Championship, Southampton have a better chance than ever to move into the automatic promotion spots. It could quickly prove to be a vital month for Russell Martin, who will hope to see his side's excellent form continue to complete what would be a miraculous recovery in the race to go up.

Before they can even think about the top flight, however, the Saints must reportedly turn their attention to keeping hold of a key player this month amid an approach from a Premier League side.

Southampton transfer news

Southampton already suffered some big exits at St Mary's during the summer transfer window, with James Ward-Prowse and Romeo Lavia completing moves to West Ham United and Chelsea respectively. And they would have been hoping for that to be it for frustrating departures, as the January transfer window swung open, but reports suggest that may not be the case.

EFL Championship done deals: Every January 2024 transfer

As the January transfer window closes, FFC has you covered for every in and out involving your club in the EFL Championship.

ByLuke Randall Feb 1, 2024

According to Wayne Veysey of Football Insider, Wolverhampton Wanderers have made an approach for Che Adams in a recent development. Adams is on course to leave Southampton for free upon the expiry of his contract this summer and the Saints are reportedly weighing up whether to sanction the Scot's exit, with Wolves preferring a loan move to a permanent deal this month.

Given that they are set to lose Adams for free this summer, however, a loan move would not benefit Southampton, who have one more chance to cash in on the striker this month. As the window progresses, the forward could certainly be one to keep an eye on.

Promotion worth more than Adams fee

Whilst Adams' goals total of just seven in 24 appearances in all competitions this season is hardly a number that sets the world alight, the Scotland international's experience can still provide Martin's side with a vital boost.

And if he can find his best form at the business end of the campaign, then Southampton will have themselves a striker capable of starring at the highest level. Of course, it will be tempting to cash in this month, but the Saints would be wise to hold off for the sake of leapfrogging Ipswich in the race to go up, which would even make losing the striker for free bearable.

Adams has earned plenty of praise over the years, including from fellow Scot Ally McCoist, who has heaped praise on his compatriot: "First and foremost, we now have a striker who is a first pick every week for a very good team in the English Premier League. It’s been a long time since a Scotland manager has had that luxury.

"Adams has started his international career really positively and has scored in the last two games against Moldova and Denmark. Apart from that, his general play has been terrific. But take it from me, as a striker you want to be hitting the back of the net and those goals will have done him the world of good."

تقدم الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بالنادي الأهلي، على منافسه جورماهيا، في اللقاء الجاري الآن ضمن منافسات دوري أبطال إفريقيا.

وسجل الأهلي، هدفين في دقيقتين، في شباك جورماهيا خلال اللقاء المقام ضمن منافسات ذهاب دور الـ32 من دوري أبطال إفريقيا.

طالع.. رسميًا | الأهلي يعلن قيد 5 لاعبين جدد في القائمة الإفريقية

وتقدم رامي ربيعة، بالهدف الأول في الدقيقة 13 بعد عرضية قصيرة من حسين الشحات ليسددها في المرمى.

وبعدها بدقيقة سجل بيرسي تاو، الهدف الثاني في الدقيقة 14 بعد انفراد بحارس المرمى ليمر منه ويسددها في المرمى.

وكان الاتحاد الإفريقي لكرة القدم قد أعفى الأهلي، من المشاركة في دور الـ64 من البطولة كونه الأعلى تصنيفًا في القارة.

بينما جورماهيا وصل إلى دور الـ32 بعد الفوز على المريخ جوبا بنتيجة 5-2 بمجموع المباراتين.

ويستهل الأهلي، مشواره في النسخة الحالية من دوري أبطال أفريقيا بمواجهة جورماهيا من أجل الحفاظ على اللقب ورفع رصيده من الألقاب إلى 13 بطولة، حيث توج بالنسخة الماضية على حساب الترجي الرياضي التونسي.  هدف رامي ربيعة أمام جورماهيا الكيني في دوري أبطال إفريقيا

 هدف بيرسي تاو أمام جورماهيا الكيني في دوري أبطال إفريقيا

MatériaMais Notícias

Com problemas orçamentários para a temporada 2021agravados também pela queda para a Série B do Campeonato Brasileiro, o Figueirense teve que buscar ajuda no seu próprio celeiro para reforçar o elenco que será comandado por Jorginho no Catarinense e na Série C. Ao todo, seis meninos da base subiram para integrar o time profissional, dentre eles o jovem goleiro Antônio Martins, de apenas 17 anos de idade, porém já tendo incríveis 1,91m de altura.

Porém, por mais que seja jovem, Antôniosabe bem os caminhos nos corredores do Estádio Orlando Scarpelli e do CFT Cambirela. O jovem arqueiro soma sete anos vestindo as cores do Figueirense e é “Manezinho da Ilha” de berço, nascido e criado em Florianópolis.

– O Figueirense é um clube gigante. Comecei a jogar futebol com sete anos e
cheguei aqui ainda com 10 para 11 anos ainda como uma criança. Via o quão
gigantesca era essa instituição, tão acostumada a ganhar títulos e a
responsabilidade que a gente tem de vestir essa camisa. Infelizmente esses
últimos anos não vem sendo os nossos melhores, mas eu tenho certeza que
vamos voltar para o lugar de onde ele nunca deveria ter saído. Eu sou grato
ao Figueira por tudo que me ensinaram nesses sete anos, tanto como atleta e
pessoa – declarou.

Perguntado sobre como vem sendo a primeira experiência no elenco
profissional do único time que vestiu as cores na jovem carreira, o jovemmostrou tranquilidade e deixou claro que está em busca de “evoluir
sempre”, através dos ensinamentos e convivência com os mais experientes
da posição.

– Minha chegada ao profissional foi muito tranquila, já conhecia todo mundo
que tinha ficado do ano passado e isso está facilitando as coisas para mim.
Estou me sentindo em casa e buscando evoluir sempre. Procuro ouvir
sempre aqueles mais experientes como o Rodolfo (Castro), o Vitor (Caetano) e
o Emerson (Junior). Os ensinamentos do preparador de goleiro Alexandre
(Narbal) também tem ajudado muito. Sinto que vai ser um ano de muitos
aprendizados – afirmou, esperançoso com a oportunidade.

Assim como todos os/as atletas de base espalhados pelos clubes do Brasil,
Antônio Martins não estava treinando no Figueirense por conta da paralisação
das atividades nas categorias de formação geradas pela crise do coronavírus.

Entretanto, sabendo da sua responsabilidade de seguir em forma, Antônio
Martins vinha fazendo seu papel por conta própria, focado na ideia de que a oportunidade chegaria.

– Durante a paralisação eu estava realizando treinamentos particulares no
mínimo seis vezes por semana. Sabia que uma hora poderia ter uma
oportunidade grande pois ela sempre aparece pra todos, então eu precisava
estar preparado. Tinha que me cuidar – disse.

Por fim, questionado sobre suas características como jogador e um pouco de como teve seus primeiros contatos com o futebol, ele pontuou que a velocidade e alcance são pontos a serem destacados dentre suas caracteristicas mais marcantes.

– Fisicamente, sou um goleiro rápido com uma envergadura boa. Graças a
Deus tenho um poder de reação rápido e gosto do combate um contra um
com o atacante. Bato com as duas pernas também. Não sou centroavante de
área, mas para nós goleiros também é importante – finalizou.

Com o Campeonato Catarinense paralisado por conta da epidemia do Coronavírus até o dia 19 de março, o retorno

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Leeds United turn their attention back to Championship action this weekend as they travel away from Yorkshire to Wales to take on Cardiff City on Saturday.

The Whites are seven points off the automatic promotion places as it stands and need to hit a strong run of form over the coming weeks to pile the pressure on the likes of Southampton, Ipswich Town and Leicester City.

Daniel Farke's side have only won two of their last six league matches heading into their clash with the Bluebirds this weekend but did run out 3-0 winners against Peterborough in the FA Cup last time out.

Ethan Ampadu scored two and Patrick Bamford added a sensational volley to secure the club's passage through to the fourth round, where they will face Plymouth Argyle.

Despite the emphatic victory, the German head coach could look to make some alterations to his starting XI from that game, and here is FFC's predicted Leeds XI to take on Cardiff.

1 Illan Meslier

Farke has already confirmed that Illan Meslier will start between the sticks after serving a three-match ban for his sending-off against Preston North End on Boxing Day.

Kristoffer Klaesson started the last two games, against Birmingham in the league and Peterborough in the FA Cup, and Leeds won both clashes 3-0.

However, two clean sheets and two wins in two appearances has not been enough to tempt the manager to stick with the 23-year-old stopper for this one.

2 Archie Gray

Archie Gray could return to right-back for this clash after being selected in his natural central midfield position. He has been a regular starter in the number two role, with 22 starts, and has averaged 2.8 tackles and interceptions per match.

3 Joe Rodon

At the heart of the defence, there is no question that Joe Rodon should start once again for the Whites. He was named the club's Player of the Month for December, which illustrates how impressive the titan has been of late.

Pascal Struijk has been ruled out and Liam Cooper is a major doubt for this game, whilst Charlie Cresswell will not be involved, which has left the Wales international as possibly the only senior centre-back available.

4 Ethan Ampadu

Alongside Rodon, Ethan Ampadu could be forced out of his natural holding midfield position once more to play at centre-back due to the dearth of options available to Farke.

He produced two goals and one assist in that role against Peterborough and could look to use his ball-playing skills in possession to help the team to build up from the back.

5 Sam Byram

At left-back, Sam Byram could return to the starting XI after missing out against Peterborough through injury. Junior Firpo started in his place but the English stopper has been the first-choice in that position and is available to face Cardiff.

The former Norwich ace has started 18 Championship games so far this term and made 3.2 tackles and interceptions per match for the Whites.

Whereas, Firpo has only been trusted to start one of his six league appearances this season and this does not suggest that Farke sees him as a regular starter in his side.

6 Ilia Gruev

Another player who has struggled for starts this term is central midfielder Ilia Gruev but the need to play Ampadu at centre-back could provide the summer signing with an opportunity to start in the middle of the park, for the third time in the league.

This could be a huge chance for him to earn more game time moving forward by proving to the head coach that he has the quality to make a big impact from the start.

7 Glen Kamara

Farke could bring Glen Kamara back into the starting XI in midfield to partner Gruev. Gray started in this position against Peterborough but he could move to right-back over Jamie Shackleton, which would open the door for the Finland international to return.

The 28-year-old dynamo has been a metronome in possession for Leeds in the Championship with a phenomenal pass success rate of 93%, which shows that he rarely gives the ball away.

8 Dan James

Another change to the XI could be Welsh international Dan James being brought back into the side ahead of Italy international Wilfried Gnonto.

23/24 Championship

Wilfried Gnonto (via Sofascore)

Appearances

20

Starts

Seven

Goals

One

Assists

One

Big chances created

Zero

As you can see in the table above, the former Zurich star has not made a significant impact at the top end of the pitch with the opportunities that he has had to perform.

Whereas, James has produced eight goals, five assists, and nine 'big chances' created in 20 Championship starts for Leeds so far this season.

9 Georginio Rutter

In the number ten position, Georgino Rutter should come in to replace Joel Piroe, who has one goal and zero assists in his last eight outings for the club in all competitions.

Meanwhile, the French magician has been an outstanding creator for the side with nine assists and 17 'big chances' created in 24 league appearances this term.

10 Crysencio Summerville

On the left of the attack, Crysencio Summerville must be reinstated into the starting line-up after being handed a rest against Peterborough last weekend.

The Dutch whiz, who was once described as "unstoppable" by Statman Dave, has produced 12 goals, six assists, and 12 'big chances' created in 21 Championship starts.

Whereas, Jaidon Anthony – who started on the left against the Posh – has not provided consistent quality since his arrival from Bournemouth on loan last summer.

The English winger has scored one goal and is yet to register a single assist in 18 league appearances for the Yorkshire-based outfit this season.

Few Liverpool supporters would argue against the 2022/23 campaign marked the nadir of Jurgen Klopp's illustrious reign at Anfield, with the German manager failing to qualify for the Champions League for the first time in a full season.

But with the current campaign restoring both Liverpool's verve and credentials as challengers for silverware, there has been much to rejoice over since the starting line was crossed back in August.

Considering this, Football FanCast has perused the narrative of the term thus far and put together a comprehensive list of Liverpool's player ratings. All ratings are out of 10 and feature players to have made more than five starts in the Premier League so far this season.

Goalkeepers Alisson Becker

9/10: Now, it's a bold claim considering some of the efforts from Liverpool's starring outfield members, but Alisson Becker might just take the spot as Klopp's best player of the campaign.

Seemingly indomitable with his odd-defying saves, commanding presence and silky distribution, the Reds probably wouldn't find themselves in title contention if not for his machine-like motions between the sticks.

Caoimhin Kelleher

6/10: Caoimhin Kelleher has made ten appearances this season and while Alisson's presence has been missed when the Irishman is provided a starting berth, he is a competent back-up keeper and does his job for the Reds.

Full-backs Trent Alexander-Arnold

8/10: Simply sublime across recent weeks, and were it not for a shaky start to the campaign then Trent Alexander-Arnold's rating would be higher; the influential, role-reshaping creator has posted two goals and seven assists so far in 2023/24, and the best is surely still to come…

Joe Gomez

7/10: Recently, Joe Gomez appears to have decided that he is going to score a goal in professional football and there is nothing that anyone can do about it.

He's not perfect, but the 26-year-old is enjoying a "renaissance" – as said by writer Joel Rabinowitz – after an abject year, and often provides stability at right-back that allows Alexander-Arnold to foray forward and wreak havoc.

Andrew Robertson

7/10: Andy Robertson remains sidelined after injuring his shoulder on international duty with Scotland in October, but he impressed across his first eight Premier League fixtures of the term, scoring a crucial goal at Molineux, completing 87% of his passes and averaging 2.6 key passes and 7.1 ball recoveries per game, as per Sofascore.

Kostas Tsimikas

5/10: Handed an opportunity for a starring role following Robertson's setback, Kostas Tsimikas, aged 27, has ebbed and flowed from form, however, he has chalked up three assists from eight starts in the English top-flight.

One of the worst regular performers this season, noted for an "abysmal" display in the Europa League by one podcaster.

Centre-backs Virgil van Dijk

8.5/10: Virgil van Dijk has been a veritable wall in front of Alisson's goal this season, eradicating the concerns that his struggles last season bred with sustained performances of world-class distinction.

In the Premier League, as per Sofascore, he has scored one goal, supplied two assists and kept five clean sheets from 15 matches, completing 90% of his passes, making a key pass every other game, averaging 1.5 tackles and interceptions, 4.8 ball recoveries and 4.7 clearances per outing and winning 77% of his duels. Imperious.

He was sent off against Newcastle United in the early stages however, and for this reason, he's a smidge behind his shot-stopper in the ratings.

Joel Matip

7.5/10: One of the more poignant tales of the campaign, long-time servant Joel Matip's season ended in crushing circumstances after rupturing his ACL against Fulham earlier in December; he's out of contract in June. He'd been excellent to that point, and if this is it for his Anfield career, what a ride it's been…

Ibrahima Konate

7/10: Ibrahima Konate had not been starting regularly in the Premier League before Matip's injury, but he has started four of the past five Premier League matches and will hope to sustain his fitness over the coming months, particularly impressing against Arsenal last time out.

Jarell Quansah

8/10: Perhaps a slightly generous rating, but I doubt many will dispute it. Bursting onto the scene this season, 20-year-old Jarell Quansah is the real deal and looks every bit the commanding and controlled centre-half to perform for Liverpool over the coming years.

Midfielders Dominik Szoboszlai

7.5/10: Should Dominik Szoboszlai's rating be higher? Perhaps, but the Hungary captain has plateaued across recent weeks and will need to ramp it up a gear to return to that early-season form that tantalised greatness on Merseyside.

Alexis Mac Allister

7.5/10: Alexis Mac Allister has divided opinion since his £35m summer transfer from Brighton & Hove Albion, though this is largely because he has been forced into a deeper-lying role than he might have liked.

Nonetheless, the 2022 World Cup winner has proved to be an excellent signing, with his dynamism and energy in the centre invaluable in reviving the squad. Also scored an absolute worldie against Fulham.

Ryan Gravenberch

6.5/10: Ryan Gravenberch has demonstrated flashes of brilliance since joining in the summer but still needs plenty of refinement to cement a prominent spot in Klopp's Liverpool team.

Wataru Endo

7/10: Signed as a stop-gap option after Liverpool missed out on both Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia, Wataru Endo, aged 30, has been solid if unspectacular, lacking a bit in physicality and command but working tirelessly and popping up with some big moments.

Curtis Jones

7/10: Underrated and underappreciated by some, Curtis Jones is a “truly special” – as has been said by one analyst – midfielder with a complete technicality to rival many more salient names floating around the European scene. He'll want to start receiving more starting appearances.

As per FBref, he ranks among the top 2% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for pass completion and the top 5% for assists per 90. That says it all.

Harvey Elliott

8/10: Like Jones, Harvey Elliott is desperate to rise up the pecking order, but the 20-year-old need only have faith in his prodigious qualities and bide his time.

Fleet-footed, graceful and brimming with guile, the England U21 star has been mesmerising most of the time he's been on the pitch, and his last-gasp winner against Crystal Palace earlier in December could be crucial in the gripping title battle.

Forwards Mohamed Salah

9/10: Mohamed Salah. The Egyptian is comfortably one of the greatest forwards in Premier League history and continues to prove his odd-defying brilliance this season. Need more be said?

Games

Goals

Assists

Premier League

18

12

7

Europa League

5

3

1

Carabao Cup

2

1

0

Total

25

16

8

*Sourced via Transfermarkt

Darwin Nunez

7/10: This was a strenuous rating to decide upon. Darwin Nunez is a fan favourite and rightly so. He's brilliant, he really is, and he embodies many of the best qualities of watching your forward terrorise opposition defences.

Unfortunately, he hasn't quite found his shooting boots despite improving from last year's woes and will need to snap an 11-match goalless streak to truly start proving himself as one of Europe's very best.

Cody Gakpo

6/10: Possibly a victim of his own versatility, Cody Gakpo has scored seven times this season but is not quite producing the glittering performances that his exploits with PSV Eindhoven and the Netherlands at the World Cup tantalised. He needs to go up a gear.

Diogo Jota

8/10: Having been ruled out since a shoulder injury sustained against Manchester City in November, Liverpool have clearly been lacking Diogo Jota's incisive goal threat.

Eight goals from just 11 starts across all competitions underscores the Portugual star's value to Klopp's team.

Luis Diaz

6/10: Luis Diaz will feel aggrieved for having a wonderful goal inexplicably ruled out for offside against Tottenham Hotspur, but he's scored just one league goal since August, and for his standards, he's flattered to deceive and will need to increase his output.

When Liverpool wrapped up a £34m deal for Bayern Munich's Ryan Gravenberch, the door was shut at the final hour to conclude a summer of far-reaching change at Anfield.

Jurgen Klopp had decided that the dismal 2022/23 campaign called for change, with the sapped midfield replaced by four shiny new signings to restore the club's credentials to compete at the forefront of European football.

Wataru Endo, aged 30, was brought in to replace the declining Fabinho – who was sold to Al Ittihad for £40m – after the Reds missed out on both Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia to Chelsea, and while the Japan international has been an underrated star of late, the long-term solution to the No. 6 position remains unsettled.

It's unlikely that Liverpool will make any moves to complete the midfield this month but there is little question that Klopp and co would be wise to make a move for a specialist deep-lying midfielder who could anchor the engine room for many years to come.

Liverpool transfer news – Fabinho heir

According to a report from Football Transfers, Newcastle United are begrudgingly willing to let the jewel of their midfield, Bruno Guimaraes, realise his dream of playing in Spain and join either of Spanish suitors Barcelona or Real Madrid for less than his £100m release clause.

Liverpool – alongside Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain – are also known suitors but will not receive any such ministrations, with the La Liga sides not in the same financial situation, ensuring the Reds will have to meet that £100m clause.

Profit & Sustainability regulations are inhibiting the Magpies from heavy spending and have now opened the door to potential outgoings to husband resources and ensure that investment can be made going forward.

Bruno Guimaraes' style of play

Chiefly, Guimaraes operates in the deepest reaches of the midfield, with his brilliant range of passing, high energy and relentless recycling of possession establishing him as one of the Premier League's leading midfielders since signing from Lyon for £40m back in January 2022.

Having chalked up 86 appearances for Eddie Howe's outfit, the 26-year-old has scored 11 goals, supplied nine assists and pronounced himself to be the team's "piano carrier", a footballing term highlighting a player who does the unseen work on the pitch.

Last season, as Newcastle defied expectations to surge toward a fourth-place finish and a spot in the Champions League, Guimaraes played 32 times, earned nine goal contributions, completed 85% of his passes, averaged 1.3 key passes and 2.4 tackles per game and succeeded with 63% of his dribbles, as per Sofascore.

The catalyst for success, he has still showcased his myriad of qualities this term but with Newcastle blighted by injury problems and something of a virulent case of 'second-season syndrome', he has perhaps not been quite so influential.

# Passing

# Tackling

# Dribbling

# Through balls

# Concentration

*Sourced via WhoScored

Nonetheless, the £160k-per-week machine ranks among the top 15% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for shot-creating actions, the top 12% for progressive passes and the top 8% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref.

Having also averaged 2.1 tackles and 6.2 ball recoveries per fixture in the English top-flight this season, it's clear to see why Liverpool might want this all-encompassing midfielder to dictate the play and ward off opposition advances.

For all intents and purposes, he would be the perfect replacement for Fabinho, albeit offering a different style to his compatriot, who is less inventive with his distribution but undoubtedly one of the finest holding midfielders of the last decade, crucial in the club's success.

How Bruno Guimaraes compares to Fabinho

Guimaraes has been hailed as a "world-class" member of the Newcastle project by teammate Dan Burn and with his dynamic approach it is clear to see why so many illustrious (and pass-centric) outfits across the continent are eager to secure his services.

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But he would differ from Fabinho, who completed 219 matches for Liverpool and played a central role in every major honour won under Klopp's guidance thus far, carrying out his duties in the centre of the park – where he usually remained glued – with a singular industriousness that was not replicated anywhere else on the pitch.

Gini Wijnaldum too played his role to perfection but he bounced up and down the midfield passages and influenced play with his intelligence and robustness.

Fabinho was the anchor and this allowed his peers to surge forward and wreak devastation on opponents, emboldened by the knowledge that this pillar of Brazilian power was erected in front of the rearguard, commanding and cultured.

Of course, his final year on Merseyside was not one of success and he was even branded "awful" by pundit and former Red Jamie Carragher for his lacklustre displays.

But the 30-year-old still averaged 2.5 tackles and 1.5 interceptions on average across the duration of his professional career – as per WhoScored – while never dropping below an 87% pass success rate in the Premier League after his maiden year on English shores.

Liverpool have now evolved, and with Alexis Mac Allister shoehorned into a defensive midfield role on many occasions this season, Guimaraes certainly appears to offer the right style to flourish in this revamped Liverpool team, effectively more suited to the placement than the Argentine while flourishing many of the same core qualities.

Liverpool might be flying high but this is certainly not the same team that was once assembled by Klopp's hand, and Guimaraes would be a stunning acquisition to spearhead the illustrious success that is desired over the coming years.

Of course, Newcastle are demanding that divisional rivals pay his full £100m release clause and this is somewhat infeasible, even in the summer, but that's not to say that something won't give at the end of the campaign and Liverpool can't then make their move.

Ricardo Vasconcelos made 86 but fell in wasteful fashion to leave Sussex on top

Jon Culley at Wantage Road21-May-2019A day that began with the Northamptonshire captain sidelined by a freakish concussion injury suffered nowhere near the field of play ended with another of their number possibly ruled out of the game after a more conventional blow to the head.Luke Wood, the left-arm pace bowler on loan from Nottinghamshire, ducked into a short, quick ball from Chris Jordan at the start of the final scheduled over and reeled away from the impact, which looked to be on the side of the the helmet.He stayed on his feet and seemed prepared to continue with new headgear but after an examination by the Northamptonshire physio it was deemed sensible not to expose him to anything else with close of play so near and he was led from the field.”He is a bit groggy and we are hoping he will be okay but it was a pretty hard blow and he will be assessed for concussion in the morning,” the county’s assistant coach, Phil Rowe, said.Alex Wakely’s absence was in altogether more freakish circumstances, the captain having left the ground in fine fettle on Monday evening only to walk into a low beam in his house. He drove to the ground to prepare for the second day as normal, but began throwing up in the dressing room, a classic symptom of delayed concussion.He went to hospital for assessment later but doctors are confident he has done no serious damage to himself and he was allowed home, although he will take no further part in this match. Josh Cobb has replaced him as a concussion substitute under ECB rules, even though his injury was not incurred during play.Cobb, who had made way for Adam Rossington in the original XI, took his unexpected chance well enough, sharing a stand of 137 for the second wicket with Ricardo Vasconcelos, but might have made more of it, which could also be said of his partner.Vasconcelos, a South African with a handy Portuguese passport among his possessions, is a decent young player, well organised and with some shots in his armoury, and already with a couple of centuries to his name this season.He might well have had another here had the excitement not gone to his head with the last ball before tea when, for reasons he could not explain even himself given the way he threw his head back at his foolishness, other than perhaps the couple of lovely cover drives for four that had taken him to 86 in the same over, he went for an ambitious sweep against Danny Briggs and was leg before.”I felt like I was playing well and I know I should have blocked it really,” he said afterwards. “It was a shame because the session had gone well for us up to that point.”Sussex would argue that he was lucky to be there are all, having survived a fairly routine chance to second slip off David Wiese on 7 just before lunch, but a hundred looked his for the taking nonetheless.Cobb had some way further to go before he could start thinking along similar lines but will feel he could have made more than 63. Facing the first delivery of a new spell from Abidine Sakande after tea, the right-hander was tempted into a hook, the ball going a long way up but finding the safe hands of Mir Hamza at long leg when it came down.Hamza, the Pakistan left-arm seamer, was tidy and testing every time he bowled, claiming the wickets of Ben Curran and South Africa Test batsman Temba Bavuma, both caught at slip. Wickets for Jordan and the legspin of Luke Wells late on left Northants 180 adrift at the close.It was the Vasconcelos dismissal that created an opportunity for Sussex, who took maximum batting points despite Jordan and Ben Brown being unable to add substantially to their 302-run partnership and will believe they can press on from here to claim a second win of the season.

Leeds United slipped further away from the race to secure automatic promotion back to the Premier League at the first time of asking as they were beaten 1-0 by West Bromwich Albion on Friday night.

The Whites are now nine points behind Ipswich Town in second and six points adrift of Southampton in third, having now lost their last two Championship matches.

It was another disappointing performance and result for the Yorkshire-based outfit and one that makes the prospect of finishing in the top two all the more unlikely for Daniel Farke's side.

The usually-reliable defensive midfielder Ethan Ampadu was caught out for the match-winning goal from Grady Diangana but it was Joel Piroe who let the head coach down with another poor display.

Ethan Ampadu's performance against West Brom in numbers

The Wales international was not aware of his surrounding in the penalty area as the West Brom forward was able to ghost behind him to score from Jed Wallace's cut-back during the first half.

Ampadu was not switched on around the penalty spot and allowed the ball to go past him and to the Baggies attacker, when he was in the perfect position to cut out the cross.

He did, however, win 50% (1/2) of his duels in the middle of the park and completed 89% of his attempted passes to keep things ticking for Leeds.

No West Brom player was able to dribble past him all match and this also suggests that the midfielder stood his ground and was not beaten easily outside of Diangana getting the better of him for the goal.

Meanwhile, Piroe started in the number ten position and struggled once again to make a tangible impact on the match behind Georgino Rutter.

Joel Piroe's performance against West Brom in numbers

The Dutch attacker was described as "invisible" by analyst @Louorns on X after the loss to Preston and that was the case once again on Friday.

He has now managed one goal, which came in the 4-0 rout over Ipswich, and zero assists in his last six Championship appearances for the Whites.

Piroe did not offer much in the way of a physical outlet for his side to hit as the left-footed lightweight lost 75% (3/4) of his duels, which included both of his battles on the deck and one of his two aerial contests.

In possession, the former Swansea star did little to justify his place on the pitch. He did not create a single 'big chance' or complete a dribble in 90 minutes on the pitch.

The Leeds number seven also saw all three of his attempted shots blocked by the opposition, which suggests that his decision-making in front of goal was poor as West Brom found it too easy to cut out his efforts before the goalkeeper was troubled.

These statistics show that Piroe offered very little to the side in and out of possession throughout the game as he let Farke down badly in the final third.

Therefore, he was worse than Ampadu, who was solid enough in midfield aside from that split-second lapse in concentration for Diangana's goal, and needs to improve his level of performance quickly to keep his place in the XI moving forward.

Alisha Lehmann was spotted partying with Wolves star Matheus Cunha in Brazil during her post-WSL vacation.

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Lehmann has jetted off to BrazilEnjoying her post-season breakWas spotted partying with Cunha & friendsWHAT HAPPENED?

The Aston Villa star has jetted off to Brazil to unwind after the 2023-24 Women's Super League campaign. And after a grinding campaign, the Swiss international has let her hair down in the South American continent with her close friends.

@alishalehmann7 InstagramAdvertisement@alishalehmann7 InstagramTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Lehmann was filming Cunha who was setting the dance floor on fire along with his partner Gabriela Nogueira. The Wolves player got wedded to his long-term girlfriend Nogueira on May 21 and the wedding celebrations are in full swing.

@alishalehmann7 InstagramDID YOU KNOW?

Lehmann had an underwhelming campaign with Villa as she managed to find the net just twice in 15 WSL appearances. She would have liked to contribute more to the cause as Villa could only manage a seventh-place finish with 24 points from 22 matches.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR LEHMANN?

Lehmann will soon return to action with the Swiss national team as they are slated to take on Hungary in two Euro 2025 qualifiers on May 31 and June 6, respectively.