عبّر الألماني ماتياس يايسله، المدير الفني لفريق الأهلي، عن فخره الكبير بأداء لاعبيه عقب العودة التاريخية من تأخر بثلاثية نظيفة إلى تعادل مثير 3-3 أمام الهلال، في قمة الجولة المسماة “عزّنا بطبعنا” من الدوري السعودي، مساء أمس الجمعة.
وأوضح يايسله في المؤتمر الصحفي عقب اللقاء أن البداية جاءت قوية من جانب فريقه، حيث أجبر الهلال على التراجع خلال أول ربع ساعة بفضل أسلوب الضغط العالي، لكن أخطاء فردية في التغطية الدفاعية سمحت لـ الزعيم بالتقدم بثلاثة أهداف، قبل أن ينجح الأهلي في العودة بقوة في الشوط الثاني.
ونقلت صحيفة “الرياضية” تصريحات يايسله والتي قال فيها: “الأهداف التي استقبلناها جاءت من سوء تغطية دفاعية وإصابة غير متوقعة لمجرشي، لكنني كنت واثقًا من إمكانية العودة، عززنا الحدة في الثنائيات، وخلقنا فرصًا عديدة حتى سجلنا ثلاثة أهداف أمام منافس بحجم الهلال”.
طالع أيضًا | فيديو | الأهلي يخطف تعادلًا مثيرًا من الهلال في الدوري السعودي
وأضاف يايسله أن إيمانه بقدرة فريقه على تحقيق ما وصفه بـ “المعجزة” لم يتزعزع، مشددًا على أن الاستمرار في الضغط العالي كان الخيار الوحيد لقلب النتيجة، كما نفى وجود أزمة في مركز المحور داخل الفريق، مؤكدًا: “الأهلي يملك قائمة متكاملة ولا نعتمد على لاعب واحد”.
وعن الدفع بالبرازيلي ماتيوس جونسالفيس منذ البداية، أوضح يايسله: “مشاركته جاءت تتويجًا لجهده في التدريبات، ورأيت أنه يستحق التواجد أساسيًا”.
كما خص يايسله جماهير الأهلي برسالة تقدير، بعدما رفعت “تيفو” ضخمًا يحمل صورته في المدرجات، قائلاً: “أشعر دائمًا بدعم هذا الجمهور العظيم، والتيفو دليل إضافي على ذلك”.
واختتم المدرب تصريحاته بالتطلع إلى حصد لقب بطولة كأس إفريقيا وآسيا والمحيط الهادي أمام بيراميدز المصري يوم الثلاثاء المقبل، مؤكدًا أن الهدف واضح: “نريد التتويج بالبطولة لأننا نمثل الوطن ونسعى لرفع اسمه عاليًا”.
Sheffield United look as if they’ll be narrowly missing out on automatic promotion at the very top of the Championship with their opponents on Easter Monday in Scott Parker’s Burnley perhaps clinching a return to the Premier League at their expense.
Indeed, the Clarets can seal an immediate return to the promised land of the top-flight if they beat the travelling Blades, with Leeds United also only one victory away if Burnley get the job done against Chris Wilder’s men and they win themselves.
The South Yorkshire titans don’t have the most glittering record when it comes to the lottery of the playoffs unfortunately, with the Blades losing out during their last five playoff adventures, away from triumphantly managing to go up via the more drama-free top-two.
Wilder has only ever got his side up via these automatic spots, with other bosses such as the passionate Neil Warnock also clinching a passage up to the top-flight at the end of the 2005/06 season without the agony of the playoffs courtesy of Phil Jagielka’s heroics at the back.
Jagielka's heroics at Sheffield United
Before Jagielka went on to cement himself as a Premier League regular at Everton, the Blades youth product would initially make a name for himself at his boyhood side.
The 40-time England international amassed a whopping 305 appearances for United across two spells, with his efforts at the back during the aforementioned 05/06 campaign more than helping his team leap up to the top-flight, having bagged a sizeable eight goals as a titan defensively.
He went on to help himself to a further four goals the following campaign even whilst Warnock’s men tragically fell straight back down to the EFL, leading to Everton swooping in to land the 5 foot 11 defender to make him a recognised name in the big time.
Amazingly, Wilder might well be brewing United’s next Jagielka now during the dramatic promotion run-in.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
Sheffield United's modern-day Jagielka
Wilder has shown this campaign that he’s unafraid to make a team selection that throws the cat amongst the pigeons, with faces such as £10m striker Tom Cannon regularly left out.
Last time out in the second tier, the Blades boss even left out ex-Liverpool defender Jack Robinson to gift Crystal Palace loanee Rob Holding a start, a decision that was immediately vindicated when assessing his top display against Cardiff City.
Minutes played
90
Goals scored
0
Assists
0
Touches
70
Accurate passes
58/61 (95%)
Accurate long balls
11/14
Clearances
4
Blocked shots
1
Tackles
1
Total duels won
4/8
The brand-new United number five was calm and controlled on the ball throughout, particularly considering it was just his second league start since a January switch.
That was epitomised by his pass completion rate, with only three of his 61 passes missing their intended target during his time on the field.
Moreover, he also battled well against the relegation-threatened Bluebirds with four clearances tallied up alongside four duels being successfully won, leading to Wilder lauding the ex-Arsenal man as “outstanding” post-match.
As a result, the club may well have unearthed their next version of Jagielka. That’s considering Holding – much like his now retired counterpart – has a wealth of top-flight experience under his belt, having amassed 162 appearances for the Gunners in total away from injury issues.
With discussions centring in on the fact United could try to tie down Holding to a permanent deal, Wilder would love for the 29-year-old – like Jagielka – to continue putting in stern displays when called upon to try and clinch promotion.
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da bwin： When Liverpool beat West Ham United, responding after losing against Fulham one week earlier, it felt like a corner had been turned. Perhaps that defeat at Craven Cottage was the final twist in the overtures of a certain Premier League triumph.
da bet7： The ribbons will turn red this season. Later this afternoon, Liverpool have the chance to win the top-flight title against Leicester City at the King Power Stadium, should they return to winning ways on the road and second-placed Arsenal fall at Ipswich Town earlier in the day.
Though Mikel Arteta’s attention is almost solely focused on the continental stage, this feels improbable, if not out of the question. In any case, it’s a matter of when, not if, Arne Slot will join an exclusive list of managers to lift the Premier League trophy on their first attempt.
Managers Who Won Premier League in 1st Season
Season
Manager
Club
2004/05
Jose Mourinho
Chelsea
2009/10
Carlo Ancelotti
Chelsea
2013/14
Manuel Pellegrini
Man City
2016/17
Antonio Conte
Chelsea
Sourced via GIVEMESPORT
Leicester might be doomed but they still have quality in attack and will look to capitalise on any Liverpool complacency.
Liverpool team news
Trent Alexander-Arnold is back in first-team training after his ankle injury suffered against Paris Saint-Germain at Anfield last month.
However, Conor Bradley looks set to reprise his role at right-back, with the under-fire Andy Robertson pushing for a recall after his cameo last week, skewing into his own net off the bench following a mix-up with the skipper.
Joe Gomez remains absent due to an ankle injury, but Darwin Nunez could feature after missing out on Merseyside one week ago.
Darwin Nunez for Liverpool
Nunez might be destined for departure this summer, but his return does boost a Liverpool frontline looking to return to its best.
That’s not to say the Reds have been poor in attack lately, but Mohamed Salah hasn’t scored in five games, Diogo Jota and Nunez are out of sorts and Cody Gakpo hasn’t got going again since recovering from injury.
How Slot can respark Liverpool's frontline
Liverpool looked somewhat back to normal last weekend as they secured victory over West Ham, all but sealing the already overwhelming odds in the title race following Arsenal’s draw at Brentford.
Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah
Salah, after renewing his contract, produced a stunning trivela assist for Luis Diaz, the one man in Slot’s attack who is very much on form right now.
However, the Egyptian, 32, will be desperate to return his name to the scoresheet as he looks to build on his haul of 32 goals across all competitions
For whatever reason, it’s not quite clicking for Salah in front of goal. But it will again. With Trent not fit enough to start from the outset, Slot might be inclined to unleash Harvey Elliott in midfield, perhaps replacing Dominik Szoboszlai.
Liverpool enjoy the Hungarian’s tireless running but a more fixed creative point could be the perfect solvent of unfluent play in and around the final third.
Liverpool player Harvey Elliott
Having featured prominently under Jurgen Klopp last year during Liverpool’s injury-hit spell, Elliott has played a reduced part since the spinning of the managerial wheel, yet to even start in the Premier League this year. Still he’s got six goal involvements across the different competitions.
And it’s not as if he hasn’t demonstrated his capacities when given a shot. As per FBref, Elliott ranks among the top 1% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for all of goals, assists and shot-creating actions, the top 3% for progressive passes and the top 5% for progressive carries per 90.
This perfectly illustrates his ball-playing game and skill in driving into dangerous positions, but most importantly, it underlines his ability to maximise his output when reaching such junctures, something Salah will be eyeing hungrily.
Harvey Elliott in the Premier League (LFC)
Season
Apps (starts)
Goals
Assists
24/25
12 (0)
0
1
23/24
34 (11)
3
6
22/23
32 (18)
1
2
21/22
6 (4)
0
0
20/21*
0 (0)
0
0
19/20
2 (0)
0
0
*Spent season on loan at Blackburn
Stats via Transfermarkt
As you can see, Elliott’s playing a bit part for the first time since his debut campaign, having only featured six times in 2021/22 but starting on four of those occasions before suffering a season-ending injury at Elland Road.
Elliott, described as a “special talent” by Sky Sports’ Neil Mellor, hasn’t played all that much this season, but he has showcased his vast playmaking skills on numerous occasions. For example, Liverpool might have been abject in their Carabao Cup final defeat against Newcastle United, but subs combined to score a late consolation, the young midfielder expertly playing Federico Chiesa through.
Ultimately, claiming that Liverpool are out of sorts simply isn’t true, having won five of their past six Premier League matches, but fans have been frustrated by the lack of spark in the centre at times this term and Elliott surely deserves a starting berth having been limited to full appearances in the cup competitions.
He’s come up trumps on several occasions, notably scoring the winner in the first leg against PSG, but now the £40k-per-week talent needs a chance to show he can pull strings in the Premier League and bring Salah back into goalscoring form.
Salah doesn’t dribble as much as he used to but he’s hardly averse to an electric burst, and with Elliott’s crisp timing, it could be the perfect tonic for his recent struggles to break the net.
Harvey Elliott celebrates for Liverpool
Elliott has acknowledged Salah for “teaching him” over the past several years at Liverpool, and now he has the chance to repay his tutor on what could be a momentous day for the Merseysiders.
Leicester won’t want to repeat some of their dismal displays of late, but if Elliott gets into a creative flow and connects with Salah, the Foxes simply won’t have a say in the matter.
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da premier bet： Eyeing one of the moves of the summer, Everton are now reportedly poised to join Liverpool in the race to sign an in-form forward who would instantly replace Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
Calvert-Lewin closing in on Everton departure
da fazobetai： As things stand, Calvert-Lewin is set to bow out of Merseyside as a free agent when his current Everton contract comes to an end this summer. The forward – once destined for great things – has seen his recent seasons controlled by injuries and looks destined to leave with a whimper rather than the goalscoring roar that Goodison Park hasn’t heard enough in the last few years.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin last 5 seasons
Goals (via Transfermarkt)
2024/25
3
2023/24
8
2022/23
2
2021/22
5
2020/21
21
It remains up for date whether the Toffees will miss Calvert-Lewin like they would have done in the past, especially given how Beto has stepped up since David Moyes’ return to the dugout.
The Everton boss hasn’t hesitated to hand the forward some tough love either, telling reporters earlier this season: “I have seen a difference in him. There’s just a wee bit more eye of the tiger.
“He was rightly praised for his performance at the weekend. I was still saying he should have probably scored a couple more, we talked about that as well. Maybe we need a wee bit of tough love with him. He needs to be told, but also given the confidence and shown what he can do, he’s got all the capabilities.
“If I’m a centre forward, I wouldn’t be complaining about the opportunities the team have made him in the last couple of games. He’s been given three or four really big chances. He’s taken one, we’d like him to take more.”
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Whether they’re better off or not this summer though, Everton must replace Calvert-Lewin if he departs and that has reportedly seen them join a hectic race to sign an impressive forward.
Everton join Liverpool in Liam Delap race
According to TeamTalk, Everton are now poised to battle Liverpool in the race to sign Liam Delap from Ipswich Town this summer. The former Manchester City youngster reportedly has a relegation release clause worth £40m, which looks almost certain to become available in the coming weeks given that Kieran McKenna’s side sit 12 points adrift of safety in the Premier League.
Whilst Ipswich will likely go down, Delap has done more than enough to earn a permanent place in the top flight and one that Everton can provide this summer. Unlike Liverpool, one advantage that the Toffees could have is the offer of guaranteed game time for Delap, who may not be ready to make such a major step into the top six.
Praised for a “superb” season by talent scout Jacek Kulig after scoring as many as 12 goals in all competitions – nine more than Calvert-Lewin – Delap is undoubtedly one to watch.
There is no escaping from it: this season has been a complete disaster for Tottenham Hotspur.
Ange Postecoglou’s side are 14th in the Premier League, out of the FA Cup, and while they have a chance of winning the Europa League, it feels incredibly slim.
Moreover, while the Australian has had to deal with a mountain of injuries this year, he had what was almost a full-strength team on Sunday and still lost away to Fulham.
So, following their 19th loss in all competitions over the weekend, it wasn’t a massive surprise to see a whole host of managers linked with the Lilywhites’ job, including Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola.
The Spaniard has done a marvellous job on the south coast, but what would his dream Spurs lineup look like if he was appointed in the summer and allowed to bring in some new signings?
Games (All Comps)
33
46
Wins
15
21
Draws
8
6
Losses
10
19
Points per Game
1.61
1.50
1 GK – Guglielmo Vicario
Perhaps a couple of months ago, just after Antonín Kinský’s impressive debut against Liverpool, this spot would have at least been up for debate.
However, as time went on, the young Czech shot-stopper made the sort of mistakes you’d expect a young goalkeeper to make, and since he returned from injury, Guglielmo Vicario has reminded everyone just how good he can be.
The Italian is a brilliant shot-stopper, and while he can sometimes make the odd mistake, he’s undoubtedly going to remain Spurs’ number one next season, regardless of who is in the dugout.
2 RB – Djed Spence
The first outfield player in the lineup is one of the few who can come out of this season with his head held high: Djed Spence.
Since he was given a proper chance to prove his worth in December, the “swashbuckling” right-back, as dubbed by Ian Wright, has been one of the Lilywhites’ best players.
Like Pedro Porro, the Englishman can be lethal in attack, but unlike the Spaniard, he can also be trusted to do the defensive side of the role and do it to a high standard as well.
3 CB – Marc Guéhi
Crystal Palace's MarcGuehiin action
Fans might not want to hear this, but based on recent reports, it looks like there is a real chance that Cristian Romero could be on his way to Real Madrid in the summer.
However, while the Argentine would certainly be a loss, Iraola could potentially replace him with the incredible Marc Guéhi, who was the subject of a £70m bid from Spurs in the winter window.
The Englishman might not quite have the pedigree of the World Cup winner, but despite being just 24 years old, the 6 foot titan has already amassed 206 first-team appearances across his career, with 145 of those coming for Palace, 59 with Swansea City and two with Chelsea.
Moreover, he was an integral part of the England side that reached the final of the European Championships in the summer, so he is clearly someone who thrives in high-pressure situations, which could be just what the Lilywhites need.
4 CB – Micky van de Ven
Tottenham defender Micky van de Ven
Alongside Guéhi will be the sensational Micky van de Ven, who, when fit, is undoubtedly one of Tottenham’s most important players.
The Dutch international, who respected talent scout Jacek Kulig described as “complete & dominant”, is the perfect defender for a team that want to play aggressive and expressive football, as his record-setting speed means he can get back to stop counter-attacks when other centre-backs simply can’t.
Now, there are still serious question marks over his ability to remain fit, but you’ve got to live in hope, right?
5 LB – Destiny Udogie
Destiny Udogie for Tottenham
Rounding out the defence is another player who has battled with injuries, Destiny Udogie.
It would be fair to say that the Italian international has not had the best of campaigns this season, but it should not be forgotten just how good he was in his first year at the club.
Appearances
58
Starts
55
Minutes
4691′
Goals
2
Assists
4
Points per Game
1.77
In 23/24, the Verona-born “monster,” as dubbed by journalist Travis Levison, made 30 appearances, in which he scored two goals, provided three assists and became the first Tottenham player ever to be nominated for the Premier League’s Young Player of the Season award.
Therefore, it would make sense for Iraola to give him another season to see how he fares in a new system, as the talent there is undeniable.
6 DM – Angel Gomes
Moving into the midfield, the second new face in the lineup is that of LOSC Lille star Angel Gomes.
The Englishman’s contract with the French side expires this summer, meaning he’ll be available for free, and Spurs have made no secret of their admiration for him.
It’s easy to understand why the North Londoners would want to sign the “special” 24-year-old, as dubbed by former manager Jocelyn Gourvennec, as not only can he help mop up opposition attacks at the base of midfield, but he can start his own thanks to his brilliant passing range and impressive ball control.
For example, FBref has placed him in the top 1% of midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for expected assisted goals and penalty kicks won, the top 3% for goal-creating actions from take-ons, the top 5% for passes into the penalty area and the top 8% for key passes, all per 90.
7 CM – James Maddison
Slotting in just ahead of Gomes will be fellow Englishman James Maddison.
The former Leicester City star can be an incredibly frustrating player at times, someone who can fade out of games, but when he’s on song, the midfielder is undoubtedly one of the most creative and dangerous in the Premier League.
For example, in just 38 appearances this season, the Coventry-born star has scored 11 goals and provided seven assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.11 games.
8 CM – Dejan Kulusevski
Rounding out the midfield will be arguably Tottenham’s best player, Dejan Kulusevski.
Initially signed as a winger, the “world-class” Swede, as dubbed by Kulig, has been in scintillating form this season, much of which he has spent in the middle of the park.
Appearances
42
Minutes
3054′
Goals
10
Assists
10
Goal Involvements per Match
0.47
Minutes per Goal Involvement
152.7′
In all, the former Juventus star has scored ten goals and provided ten assists in 42 appearances for the Lilywhites this year, which comes out to a brilliant average of a goal involvement every 2.1 games.
9 RW – Antoine Semenyo
Starting at right-wing, it could be one of Iraola’s star men this season: Antoine Semenyo.
The “unplayable” Bournemouth winger, as dubbed by journalist Ed Aarons, has been in incredible form this season, racking up a tally of nine goals and five assists in just 32 appearances for the Cherries.
That means the 25-year-old, whom analyst Ben Mattinson described as possessing “powerful ambipedal ball striking,” is averaging a goal involvement every 2.28 games for a team outside the traditional ‘big six.’
10 ST – Dominic Solanke
Starting up top will be the club’s current record signing: Dominic Solanke.
While the former Bournemouth man has had to endure some time out due to injury this season, he’s looked great when he’s been on the pitch.
For example, in 33 appearances, the Basingstoke-born monster has scored 11 goals and provided eight assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.73 games and demonstrates that he’s more than just a goal threat.
Angelo Mathews had made peace with the circumstances that led to him not being a part of Sri Lanka’s initial World Cup squad, but wasn’t ready to throw in the towel yet.It didn’t matter that he had played all of seven ODIs since the start of 2020 – including three earlier this year in New Zealand – and the prospect of playing a fourth ODI World Cup seemed a distant dream. He decided to keep going anyway, training regularly at the High-Performance Centre in Colombo, hoping to keep himself fit at the very least.The hunger or the drive hadn’t dimmed despite all the injuries and surgeries, but little did he know a call-up was to come his way. When it eventually did, as an injury replacement for fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana, he knew the work he had put in was worth it.”Those things I can’t control, It’s not under my control,” he said of his initial exclusion. “So, what I can control is keep pushing myself individually in terms of fitness, bowling, batting, everything. I mean, when the opportunity comes, I have to be ready.Related
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“I just did that over the last month or so. I was training extremely hard at HPC with the other boys as well. So, I was giving myself a chance to… if I get the opportunity, to be prepared. But as I said, I didn’t expect [the call-up], because after the 15 was selected, I was not expecting. But it is what it is, the opportunity came.”It can at times be a blow to the ego, especially when someone as senior as Mathews is named a traveling reserve, as he initially was. However, he looked at it as an opportunity to contribute to the group in whatever way he could.Mathews is “grateful” to the opportunity, and hopes to rekindle the “fun” and try to keep Sri Lanka alive in the competition. But how does one explain the suddenness of his call-up? Mathews himself couldn’t. All he knows is he has a wealth of experience to bank on.For starters, he is keeping his mantra simple: contribute wherever he can, with bat and “if required” with the ball. The last bit a giveaway that he’s ready to bowl, something he has often been reluctant to do in recent years because of injury.”Yeah, look, I’ve probably seen it all over the last 15 years,” he said with a smile, when asked about the twists and turns of an eventful career that has now brought him here. “So it’s quite easy for me to sort of focus on what I have to do rather than getting too affected on what’s happening around me because cricket has taught me so much over the years.”And then now I am, I would say, a little more mature than who I was before to sort of shut down the things which I have to and then focus on what I have to focus on. So, all I am trying to control is the controllables, and I try not to worry too much. Well, obviously, we are people with emotions and then reacting for those emotions is going to damage you, so I try to keep calm and then focus on what I have to do and then obviously always do the right thing.”The wheels of fortunes may have turned for Mathews at the Lanka Premier League this year, when he led B-Love Kandy to the title. Mathews contributed equally with bat and ball, hitting 210 runs and picking up seven wickets across 11 matches. He drew confidence from that performance.”I played only like three [white-ball] games over the last two or three years,” he said. “But I had a good LPL. I bowled batted and fielded well. So that gave me the confidence. And also, as I always say, I just try to focus on my fitness, trying to be fit, bowl a few overs, and keep myself fit and trying to give myself a chance. If I do get the opportunity, then to grab it with both hands.”1:54
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A gentle smile appeared on Mathews’ face when he was asked of Sri Lanka’s previous World Cup outing against England. At Headingley in 2019, his 85 had shored up a floundering innings before Lasith Malinga put in a match-turning spell.Asked what his message to his mates would be, Mathews, genial at the best of times, said in no uncertain terms that the only option against England would be to “fight fire with fire”.”Whether you play at home or away or in England or any other neutral venue, it’s always a contest between the English because we know the brand of cricket that they play and it’s all about you got to be positive with them,” he said. “If you if you take a backward step, they are going to jump on to you and then they’re going to take the advantage but we need to sort of be positive with them.”As I keep saying, you have to fight fire with fire. We know that they are a high-quality team. They are a very well-balanced team. And they can hurt us badly if we are being complacent. I mean, obviously we have to play our A game to win against a strong English team. Even though they haven’t played to their potential [at the World Cup so far], they are a very dangerous team.”
كشف ياري مينا، مدافع نادي برشلونة السابق وكالياري الحالي، أن نادي ريال مدريد حاول التعاقد معه من قبل، وذلك عندما كان الدولي الكولومبي لاعبًا في صفوف بالميراس.
وقدم مينا مستويات جيدة مع بالميراس، قبل أن يتعاقد معه برشلونة خلال عام 2018 مقابل 12 مليون يورو.
لكن مينا لم يستطع تقديم المستوى المطلوب مع برشلونة، ليغادر الفريق الكتالوني في نفس العام وينتقل إلى صفوف إيفرتون مقابل 30 مليون يورو.
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وأشار مينا في مقابلة مع صحيفة “لاجازيتا ديلو سبورت” الإيطالية: “كان ريال مدريد مهتمًا أيضًا، لكنني أردت اللعب لبرشلونة”.
وعن سبب رحيله عن صفوف برشلونة: “لم يتحدث معي إرنستو فالفيردي إلا في اليوم الأول، لمدة سبعة أشهر، لم يتحدث معي ولو بكلمة، على الرغم من فوزنا بالدوري الإسباني وكأس الملك، لم ألعب إلا قليلًا، وتعرضت لإصابة في القدم بعد خطأ من راكيتيتش في التدريب”.
وأوضح: “أردت مغادرة برشلونة، رغم حب الجماهير لي، لكنني أردت اللعب، اتصل بي مورينيو، الذي كان يدرب مانشستر يونايتد آنذاك، وقال لي: ‘إذا كنت لائقًا، فستلعب معنا، لكن كان علي التعافي من إصابتي”.
وأتم مينا: ”أقنعني ماركو سيلفا بالانتقال إلى إيفرتون، كانت تلك خمس سنوات رائعة، اعتمد كارلو أنشيلوتي علي، بدأنا الموسم بشكل جيد، لكن بعد ذلك تعرض خمسة لاعبين منا للإصابة وتراجع مستوى الفريق”.
Leeds United dropped down to second in the Championship table over the weekend after Sheffield United secured all three points in their clash with Luton Town.
The Whites are now second in the division but can move straight back to the top of the league with as little as a point in their match against Sunderland this evening.
Daniel Farke’s side welcome the Black Cats, who are fourth in the table and can move level with Burnley with a win, to Elland Road for a big match-up tonight.
The West Yorkshire outfit come into this clash off the back of a terrific 4-0 win away at Watford in their last outing in the Championship, and will be hoping to follow up with another impressive showing.
Leeds are currently gunning for automatic promotion back to the Premier League at the second time of asking and that means that every point counts, with Sheffield United and Burnley providing stern competition.
Leeds United manager DanielFarkeapplauds fans
The Whites came close to a huge three points when they visited the Stadium of Light in the reverse fixture earlier this season, only for disaster to strike…
What happened when Leeds visited Sunderland
Farke’s men travelled to Wearside at the start of October, in the early stages of the 2024/25 campaign, and played out an entertaining, for the neutral, 2-2 draw.
It was the Black Cats who struck first, though, as teenage sensation Chris Rigg converted from close-range after a scramble in the box provided him with a huge chance to score after just nine minutes.
Sunderland'sChrisRiggand Wilson Isidor celebrate after the match
Joel Piroe did not need long to find an answer for Leeds, however, as the Dutch centre-forward met Wilfried Gnonto’s beautiful cross from the right flank to head into the bottom corner in the 22nd minute.
It was then a stalemate until Junior Firpo drove forward down the left flank and played a one-two with Gnonto, who put it on a plate for the left-back to find the far corner in the 56th minute.
Leeds appeared to be on course for all three points at the Stadium of Light as they repelled attack after attack, with Joe Rodon making six clearances and three blocks in total.
However, with just seconds left in the match, Illan Meslier inexplicably allowed the ball to bounce through his grasp and into the back of his net after Firpo deflected an effort that seemed to be going straight towards the French goalkeeper.
It was a big mistake by the former Lorient man and one that he will surely be keen to avenge by putting in a fantastic performance against Sunderland this evening.
All of the players across the defence could need to be at their best, though, because Black Cats centre-forward Wilson Isidor has been in phenomenal form of late.
Wilson Isidor's form this season
The 24-year-old number nine failed to score in the reverse fixture but he did create a ‘big chance’ for his teammates and won four of his seven duels, which shows that it was far from a poor performance.
Sunderland's Wilson Isidor
Isidor, who joined the club on a permanent deal in the winter window after initially being on loan from Zenit, has proven himself to be a reliable striker at Championship level so far this season.
The French whiz has racked up 11 goals and seven ‘big chances’ created in 26 starts in the second tier for Regis Le Bris’ side, and has been in particularly impressive form of late.
Plymouth Argyle (H)
7.0
1
0
Middlesbrough (A)
7.3
1
0
Watford (H)
7.2
0
1
Luton Town (H)
7.5
1
0
As you can see in the table above, Isidor has registered one goal contribution in each of his last four matches in the league, which shows that Leeds are up against a striker who is confident and ready to produce tonight.
The Sunderland star, who scored the winner in a clash with Sheffield United last month, is a huge threat at the top end of the pitch and one that the Whites have to be wary of ahead of this game this evening at Elland Road.
In order to silence the in-form French marksman, Farke must ruthlessly ditch Ilia Gruev from the starting line-up in order to bring Pascal Struijk into the side.
Why Pascal Struijk could silence Wilson Isidor
Firstly, it will be harsh to drop the Bulgarian dynamo from the XI after he played the full 90 minutes against Watford last time out, but Struijk is now back from injury and bringing him into the team would allow Ethan Ampadu to play in his natural midfield role.
Gruev lost seven of his 11 duels against the Hornets and the captain, who has won 64% of his duels this season, could move up into midfield to offer more physicality in the middle of the park.
As well as improving the physicality of the midfield set-up, moving Ampadu into the midfield alongside Ao Tanak and dropping the Bulgaria international to the bench would provide Farke with the chance to reinstate Struijk next to Rodon.
The £50k-per-week Dutch defender, who was once dubbed “unbelievable” by former teammate Liam Cooper, recently missed four matches through injury and has been on the bench in the last three league outings, but should be brought into the XI for this game in order to utilise his defensive skills up against Isidor.
Appearances
32
27
Tackles + interceptions per game
1.4
1.7
Duels won per game
3.8
4.4
Aerial duel success rate
54%
64%
Error led to shot/goal/penalty
3
0
As you can see in the table above, Struijk could have a better chance of dealing with the in-form Sunderland centre-forward than Rodon, based on his superior defensive statistics in the Championship this season.
The former Ajax youngster has won the ball back more frequently than the Wales international, without making any major mistakes that have led to shots, goals, or penalties, and this suggests that he could be the man to silence Isidor this evening.
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That is why Farke must drop Gruev down to the bench to shuffle his side around, with Ampadu moving into midfield to dominate in the middle of the park and Struijk coming into the XI to deal with the French striker.
da betobet： Liverpool are set to continue their pursuit of the Premier League title when they host Wolverhampton Wanderers at Anfield on Sunday afternoon.
da dobrowin： The Reds will be expected to pick up all three points at home against relegation-threatened Wolves, who could fall into the relegation zone depending on results elsewhere this weekend.
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1 ByRoss Kilvington Feb 10, 2025 Liverpool vs Wolves team news
Liverpool'sJoeGomezwalks off the pitch after sustaining an injury
Liverpool
Having a fully fit squad to choose from can be a major advantage in a title race, and Arne Slot is blessed to have almost all of his players available for selection, although there could be some absentees.
Defender Joe Gomez is set to miss out due to a hamstring issue, having been substituted after just 11 minutes at Plymouth and missing the draw at Everton, whereas Curtis Jones received a red card after the full-time whistle and Cody Gakpo is a fresh doubt.
Wolves
Vitor Pereira has a few injury concerns to deal with, although the only key first-team players out are strikers Jorgen Strand Larsen and Hwang Hee-Chan. Both forwards missing will leave Pereira a little light on options in attack.
Where to watch Liverpool vs Wolves on TV
Liverpool v Leicester City -Anfield
In the United Kingdom, viewers will be able to tune in on Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Premier League and NOW TV, with kick-off at 2pm (GMT).
Viewers in the USA can watch on USA Network.
Liverpool vs Wolves referee & VAR
The referee for the clash at Anfield is Simon Hooper, who will be assisted by Adrian Holmes and Simon Long. Sam Barrott is the fourth official after officiating Leicester vs Arsenal, whereas John Brooks and Adam Nunn are on VAR and assistant VAR duty respectively.
As can be seen, Hooper is yet to give the Reds a penalty in the 12 games he’s been in the middle.
Simon Hooper record
Liverpool
Wolves
Games
12
27
Record
7W, 3D, 2L
11W, 4D, 12L
Cards received
17 Yellow, 2 Red
37 Yellow, 1 Red
Cards to opponents
26 Yellow, 1 Red
55 Yellow, 3 Red
Penalties for/against
0/1
2/2
Liverpool vs Wolves form Liverpool
Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk celebrates scoring their fourth goal with Mohamed Salah
The Reds suffered a shock 1-0 defeat at Plymouth Argyle in the FA Cup at the weekend, however, they fielded a weakened starting XI, and remain in good form in the Premier League.
Slot’s side are seven points clear at the summit of the Premier League table following a 2-2 draw against Everton on Wednesday night, placing them in a very strong position to secure a 20th English title.
Liverpool’s last five results (all competitions)
Date
Opponent
Competition
Result
Wed 12th Feb
Everton
Premier League
D 2-2
Sun 9th Feb
Plymouth
FA Cup
L 1-0
Thu 6th Feb
Tottenham (h)
EFL Cup
W 4-0
Sat 1st Feb
Bournemouth (a)
Premier League
W 0-2
Wed 29th Jan
PSV (a)
Champions League
L 3-2
Wolves
WolverhamptonWanderers' Matheus Cunha,WolverhamptonWanderers' Pablo Sarabia andWolverhamptonWanderers' Rayan Ait-Nouri
Wolves find themselves embroiled in a relegation battle, having picked up just 19 points in 24 Premier League games, but they have had some tricky fixtures since the turn of the year, succumbing to defeats against Nottingham Forest, Chelsea, Newcastle United and Arsenal.
The Old Gold’s form has started to pick up in recent weeks, however, moving out of the bottom three with a 2-0 victory against Aston Villa in their last Premier League outing, before winning by the same scoreline at Blackburn Rovers in the FA Cup.
Wolves’ last five results (all competitions)
Date
Opponent
Competition
Result
Sun 9th Feb
Blackburn (a)
FA Cup
W 0-2
Sat 1st Feb
Aston Villa (h)
Premier League
W 2-0
Sat 25th Jan
Arsenal (h)
Premier League
L 0-1
Mon 20th Jan
Chelsea (a)
Premier League
L 3-1
Wed 15th Jan
Newcastle (a)
Premier League
L 3-0
Liverpool vs Wolves head-to-head
WolverhamptonWanderers' Rayan Ait-Nouri celebrates scoring their first goal
As you’d expect, Liverpool have a strong record against Wolves, winning the majority of the historical matches between the two sides, including 15 of the last 16 in the Premier League.
Slot’s side prevailed 2-1 at Molineux earlier this season, with Mohamed Salah providing the winner from the spot just after the hour mark, and they will be expected to pick up all three points again this Sunday if they are to go on and win the title.
Liverpool v Wolves head-to-head (all competitions)
By 10am, the queue for entry at Lord’s North Gate was quite frankly eye-popping. It stretched past the Wellington Hospital, past the BP garage, down towards the road that provides a shortcut to the Beatles’ zebra crossing. But for the buses tiptoeing past those punters who had spilled off the pavements, it would have wormed all the way across the road to the aisles of Panzer’s delicatessen, from whence more than a few of today’s Nursery Ground picnics are sure to have been picked up.And to view the splendid scene that lay beyond those gates – with near-packed stands on all four sides of the ground, and the sun burning through in the early afternoon to complement that uniquely contented hum that passes for atmosphere at Lord’s – you’d be forgiven for assuming that you were watching a sport in the rudest of health. Until, that is, you drilled down into the actual details of the contest.But no! Don’t go peering behind the curtain … that’ll only spoil the illusion. And yet, everything that was right about the Lord’s experience today – the steady flow at the bars and the happy chat of reunited friends, and out in the middle, that languid sense of life gently meandering before you, like an afternoon’s fishing on a quiet corner of the Thames – was everything that’s wrong with the contemporary Test experience. And startlingly, that fact remained true even though England laid on a(nother) batting display of historic, genre-bending, dominance.Related
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Have we been spoilt by the exploits of Ben Stokes’ rebooted Test team? I’m not convinced it’s that simple, for you’d be hard-pressed to find any genuine criticism of the manner in which England have overwhelmed their opponents.In his notes for the souvenir match programme, Stokes restated his team’s battleplan in the same stark, uncompromising tones that they have so far served up for the scorecard. “We’re out here to score runs, take wickets and win games – and we like to do all three as quickly as we can,” he wrote. And on the evidence to date, there’s little reason to believe England will be detained much beyond lunch on Saturday afternoon. Job done, a round of golf and the FA Cup final awaits.Instead, the worry is that today’s exploits in particular reflect the same levels of privilege that were on display within the walls of Lord’s. It’s easy to ignore the signs that all is not well with the Test world when everything looks quite as serene as it was made to feel this afternoon. And in three weeks’ time, when Australia rock up here for the second Test of the most anticipated Ashes summer since 2005, it would be self-loathingly righteous not to get swept up by the excitement.But if Ireland’s toils on this extraordinary stage don’t give you pause for thought, and reason to reflect on the lot of the less fortunate members of Test cricket’s brotherhood, then not only are you probably dead inside, then your beloved format is likely to follow suit in pretty short order. Never mind being in possession of the most storied ground in the world, with the right to turn a vast profit from two Tests per summer. England’s opponents right now are a team that burned €1 million on hosting their first Test match in temporary facilities back in 2018, and have been so scarred by the experience, they’ve barely dared to carry any hosting costs since.And so there’s no point in complaining, either, that Ireland are not worthy of their Test status. The reasons are writ large in the back-story to this contest, and so are the wealth of mitigations. And, as one or two of the jazz-hatters in the crowd today ought to know if they’ve ever donned the black, red and gold colours of another famously nomadic team, I Zingari, if you plan to get out of the darkness and reach the light, you generally have to walk through the fire. There’s only one way for Ireland to get the experience they need to compete in the future, and that’s the hard way.”What is cricket without its fans?” Ben Stokes said in his first pre-match comments as captain•Gareth Copley/Getty Images
The cracks in the façade were clearly visible last year, even at Lord’s. Prior to England’s five-wicket win over New Zealand in the first Test of the summer – the contest that kicked off the Bazmania that followed – there was more than a little disquiet about the price of entry for that match. Most tickets then ranged between £100 and £160, and there were still some 16,000 seats unsold in the week before the game. “What is cricket without its fans?” Stokes said in his first pre-match comments as captain. “What is sport without its fans?”It is clearly to MCC’s credit that they reduced their prices for this Ireland Test – between £70 and £90 in the main, with Under-16s at £20 – although you’d have to assume that England’s style of play was the decisive factor in today being so packed out. But amid the ongoing tussle over the ICC’s future revenue distribution, there’s an onus on England in particular to provide more than just a glorious stage on which their less-well-off opponents can get beaten – because if Stokes’ fantastic team is to succeed in its mission to make Test cricket great again, they will need more than just India and Australia to give them a run for their money.This fact was brought home to the ECB in no uncertain terms during the pandemic, when many of the same England players produced mental miracles to “keep the lights on”. But they were only able to do so thanks to the goodwill of their opponents that summer – most particularly West Indies and Pakistan who endured lengthy bio-bubbles for the Test series, although Ireland were also an important factor as they, along with Australia, agreed to fulfil their white-ball obligations.The extent of England’s subsequent gratitude, however, has been mixed. Both West Indies and Pakistan benefitted from being able to host extended T20 series last year, but not before Pakistan had been outrageously fobbed off by the unilateral cancellation of England’s goodwill stop-over in 2021-22 – a shameful episode that led to the departure of the previous ECB chairman, Ian Watmore.Happily, the new chair and CEO combo, the former Surrey pairing of Richard Thompson and Richard Gould, seem to be more attuned to the true needs of the sport – with Gould acknowledging on a recent Final Word podcast that the time is nigh to pay visiting teams a fee for fulfilling their side of a bilateral agreement, to “encourage people not just to play Tests but make sure they can pay their players, and pay them well, so that they want to play Test cricket again.”It’s surely a critical step in shoring up a creaking format. But if an unprecedented run-rate of 6.34 across 82.4 overs in a home England Test is insufficient to set pulses racing, it may be that the sport has already been bled too dry to save those sides on the extremity.