Liverpool fans have flooded Mohamed Salah’s first social media post since his explosive interview in which he accused the Reds of throwing him under the bus during what has become a testing season for everybody at Anfield. The Egyptian also claims that his relationship with Arne Slot has broken down. Supporters have urged him not to make things “personal” and risk tarnishing his legacy.

Salah rocked the Liverpool boat after being benched

Salah, who has earned legend status across eight memorable seasons with Liverpool, felt the need to speak out in public after being left on the bench for a dramatic 3-3 draw at Leeds. That fixture was the third in a row that the 33-year-old winger has found himself named among the substitutes.

The two-time Premier League title winner has claimed that certain people are trying to force him out of Anfield, a matter of months after committing to a two-year contract extension. He has also suggested that his past achievements – which include 250 goals for the Reds – should make him an almost guaranteed starter, regardless of collective struggles for form.

AdvertisementGetty/GOALSalah left out of Liverpool's squad for Inter clash

Many have been quick to condemn his comments, with the boat being rocked at a time in which Liverpool are looking to steer a course towards calmer waters. He has been left out of Arne Slot’s plans for a Champions League clash with Serie A giants Inter at San Siro on Tuesday.

Salah did train alongside the rest of his team-mates before they headed to Italy, but it remains to be seen whether he will pull on a famous red shirt again – with Africa Cup of Nations duty fast approaching. He will head off with his country following a meeting with Brighton on Saturday.

Fans urge outspoken Salah to apologise

Salah is being urged to eat a healthy portion of humble pie and build bridges with those that he has antagonised on and off the field at Liverpool. @carpbedlam has said on social media: “You ruined it Mo, time to apologise mate. Liverpool and it's real fans will forgive you this one.” On a similar note, @PresidentofTW added: “Come back to your senses, apologize to the coach, and trust that Slot will be kind enough to bring you back to the team and put you on the bench again.”

@ATexels said when advising Salah on what should happen next: “Legend at the club, but you are making this look like Isak leaving Newcastle. Please don’t make this personal.” @Lermbda has pointed out that there was “no need for that Mo”, but @W1LLSLive believes there could still be a way back. He said: “Training alone proves he still has the mentality for the club.”

They were all responding to a post from Salah which shows him hitting the gym at Liverpool’s training centre. He has little company there, with Slot’s side in Milan ahead of a return to European action.

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What Slot said in response to Salah's comments

When asked about Salah’s comments at his pre-match press conference, Slot told reporters: “I am a firm believer that there is always a possibility to return for a player. But that is not… I can leave it with that I think.” He added when pressed further on whether the Egyptian superstar will represent the club again: “I have no clue. I cannot answer that question at this point in time.”

Brazilian goalkeeper Alisson has stated his hope that Salah will not be phased out. The South American said of his absent team-mate: “I don’t think anything but I hope he plays again for the club.”

Salah, who previously struggled in English football at Chelsea, joined Liverpool from Roma in the summer of 2017. He has taken in 420 appearances for the club, helping them to domestic and continental honours.

His new contract is due to run until 2027, taking him to a decade of service on the red half of Merseyside, but serious questions are now being asked of whether said deal will be honoured. Slot is also seeing his future become the subject of intense debate, with the Dutch tactician overseeing just one win from Liverpool’s last six games in all competitions.

Luis Ortiz is currently on paid leave as Major League Baseball investigates gambling allegations against the Cleveland Guardians pitcher. It turns out the investigation was prompted by two individual pitches.

According to ESPN's Jeff Passan and David Purdum, betting integrity firm IC360 sent an alert to sportsbook operators about Ortiz in June.

From Passan's report:

Bets in Ohio, New York and New Jersey were flagged in the alert. Some sportsbooks allow betting on the result of first piches in a given inning.

Jomboy Media found video of the two pitches, both miss the strike zone by a mile.

Ortiz is currently on "non-disciplinary paid leave" through July 17 while MLB investigates the allegations.

Milwaukee Brewers rookie phenom Jacob Misiorowski toed the rubber Tuesday night against the formidable Los Angeles Dodgers offense. After surrendering a leadoff home run to Shohei Ohtani, Misiorowski dialed in and didn't allow another run.

He ended his night with 12 strikeouts, one walk and four hits allowed across six innings. The 23-year-old picked up his fourth win of the season while also out-dueling one of MLB's all-time great starting pitchers in Clayton Kershaw.

Kershaw had been asked about the up-and-coming Misiorowski prior to Tuesday's game, and admitted he wasn't even aware of who he'd be competing against on the mound and referred to the rookie as the "twisted-his-ankle guy."

"Is that the guy who twisted his ankle on the mound? The 'twisted-his-ankle' guy. I know he throws hard. I saw a couple highlights. He throws hard. But so does everybody," Kershaw said, referring to Misiorowski exiting his MLB debut in the midst of a no-hit bid after twisting his ankle.

After defeating the Dodgers in emphatic fashion, Misiorowski was asked about those remarks, and he remained classy in his response.

"I saw something online that he doesn’t know who I was. So I hope that he knows me now. It’s kind of cool," said Misiorowski, via Adam McCalvy of MLB.com.

The rookie added that he has "all the respect in the world" for Kershaw and said it was "awesome" to have the opportunity to pitch against the future Hall of Famer.

He certainly left a strong impression on L.A.'s lineup after mowing down 12 hitters, including some of the best batters in baseball, in the win. So, if Misiorowski wasn't on Kershaw's radar prior to Tuesday's game, he certainly is now.

The Bangladesh offie started out as a Test specialist bowler. Now he’s coming into his own in the white-ball sides, with bat and ball

Mohammad Isam21-Aug-2023Mehidy Hasan Miraz charges towards Umran Malik, making a bit of room as he laces the ball through extra cover and mid-off. Two deliveries later, he repeats the dose, though this time with more of a stand-and-deliver blast: he shapes to play a scoop but then switches to the tip in the end, and moves to his new highest score in ODIs.Three days before, in the first game of the series, he had chipped in with a tenth-wicket stand of 51 runs with Mustafizur Rahman to beat India by one wicket. That was an unlikely turnaround; surely, there couldn’t be an encore?Two big sixes take him to 97, then a two over mid-off and a single to long-on take him to a first white-ball century. Mehidy soaks in the applause, having rescued Bangladesh from a miserable 69 for 6, when it seemed unlikely they would last the full 50 overs, let alone get to 271 for 7. He became only the second batter to score an ODI hundred from No. 8 or lower.Related

• Mehidy and Shanto flex leadership credentials in partnership for the ages

• 'We want to win Asia Cup, World Cup' – Mehidy Hasan dreams big after South Africa upset

• Mahmudullah and Mehidy script cross-generational tale of strength in crisis

• Mehidy: 'I never believed I could get the hundred'

• Bowler to all-round match-winner – Mehidy Hasan Miraz comes of age

Mehidy said he did not think about his hundred until he found himself on 99 with one ball left in the innings. His focus till then had been on getting Bangladesh to a respectable total after their collapse. “I was telling [Mahmudullah] Riyad that we have nothing to lose from this position,” he said. “Either of us could get out. We might even have got bowled out before reaching 100 runs [from 69 for 6]. I told him, ‘Let’s drag the innings to 150 or 200 runs.’ I figured that both of us should have a clear mindset, play every shot with commitment. I kept this in mind when batting in that innings. I kept things positive and clear in my mind.”Those performances earned him a batting spot one place higher than his usual in Bangladesh’s next ODI series, against England a couple of months later. He also found a place in the T20I side, where he wasn’t a shoo-in even when he was doing well in ODIs. The hundred against India won the ESPNcricinfo Award for best men’s ODI innings of 2022, beating performances from the likes of Ishan Kishan and Travis Head. Mehidy also won a place in the ICC’s ODI team of the year.It has been just reward for a cricketer whose career hasn’t all been smooth sailing after his 19-wicket burst in his first Test series, against England. Save for some bright spots against West Indies in his matches against them, Mehidy failed to produce big hauls against most opponents. He also wasn’t much of a consistent white-ball performer, regularly losing his place in the ODI and T20I sides.Mehidy says practising his batting a lot more to prepare for his role as T20I opener has boosted his ODI batting•Ishara S Kodikara/AFP/Getty ImagesBe that as it may, age is on his side. His achievements before he turned 25 are impressive, if not outstanding. He is the tenth overall to score 1000 runs and take 100 wickets below that age. He plays for Bangladesh, a team known to give young cricketers early breaks. Even so, he has the most wickets for the team among all bowlers under 25. And as much as Bangladesh have given many young cricketers early breaks, they have also discarded most of them just as swiftly. Mehidy has stood apart with his durability, and now, seven years into his career, he is a pivotal player in Bangladesh’s World Cup plans.The twin performances against India marked the close of his best year since his breakthrough season in 2016. He won back his T20I place in 2022 through improved bowling and by showing willingness to open the batting in desperate times. He also took his first Test five-for against India, and picked up four-wicket hauls in ODIs in South Africa and West Indies. In February 2022, he played a crucial hand in a 174-run unbroken seventh-wicket partnership with Afif Hossain after Bangladesh slipped to 45 for 6 against Afghanistan in a home ODI.

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Mehidy’s progress as a batter earned him the team management’s trust when they were looking to play a sixth bowler and so needed someone with enough batting ability at No. 7. Batters like Afif, Yasir Ali and Mosaddek Hossain were passed on. Mehidy won the vote of confidence.”I know that the team management relies on me,” he said. “You earn that trust in time – it doesn’t happen in one day. I had to bat well to get to this stage. I have batted at No. 7 in the last two series. It makes life easier for a player when he is given a specific role or position for a longer term. I know what I will face, so I can plan better.”Every position has its unique challenges, when you talk about openers and batters at Nos. 3, 4 or 5. Depending on the number of balls remaining, batting at No. 7 has another type of challenge. There’s a huge difference between batting with specialist batters and batting with bowlers,” he said.Mehidy with Afif Hossain at the end of the 2022 ODI in which the two of them put on a partnership of 174 to take Bangladesh to a win against Afghanistan after being 45 for 6•Munir Uz Zaman/AFP/Getty ImagesMehidy says his progress as an ODI batter owes a lot to the few months last year when he was being prepared to be an opener in the T20I side. Bangladesh had gone through several openers before Mehidy was suggested as an option. He took the challenge up, scoring 111 runs in five games across the Asia Cup and a tri-series in New Zealand in September and October, though the team management, despite ostensibly preparing him for the role, didn’t use him as an opener in the T20 World Cup shortly after.Still, that phase when he faced the new ball in training almost every day for three months, improved his overall batting significantly, he said. “I started to bat early in the practice sessions. I played a lot of good fast bowling. I could get the feel of ball on bat.”Mehidy is now being considered as a genuine allrounder for Bangladesh. It is an unusual development in the subcontinent that a player, having started as a specialist bowler, adds a prominent batting string to his bow a few years into his career. That’s not to say that Mehidy has focused on his batting to the exclusion of his main skill. In fact, he has become a better white-ball bowler in recent months, in contrast to early in his career, when he was thought of as something of a one-dimensional home Test specialist spinner.”I think I am a better bowler,” he said, “although I am working on specific areas for day-by-day improvement. I wouldn’t be able to survive as a bowler by being just of a certain type. As an offspinner, it is tough to survive in white-ball cricket at the international level. Batters can do a lot of things.”I can dominate a batter when he is in two minds, but when I am facing a very aggressive batter, either I will get smacked or I will get him out. Those batters need your extra focus as a bowler. I struggled against the England right-handers recently. A boundary and three singles in the over makes life difficult for the offspinner. If another bowler gets a breakthrough, then things become easier for me.”Mehidy says he plays into the conception that offspinners are easy meat for right-hand batters. “I focus on ensuring that the right-hand batter can’t handle me properly. They will target to hit me. If I can prevent it, I will be successful”•Joe Allison/Getty ImagesHe told the story of how he turned it around in the middle of the Centurion ODI against South Africa last year, when Bangladesh won their first game in that country in 20 years of trying, and he took his first four-wicket bag away from home. The South Africans took 38 runs off him in his first four-over spell. It left the captain, Tamim Iqbal, looking for a sixth bowler as he tried to defend 314 runs.”I didn’t bowl well in that game, at least in the first stages,” Mehidy said. “The batters charged at me, scored runs in my first four overs. But we had only five specialist bowlers, so if one got hit, the team could lose the game. Though we had a lot of runs to play with, I had to bowl tightly for the remaining six overs.”I didn’t know how it would happen. I told myself that I needed to bowl better. I was getting mentally prepared. Then I told Tamim to give me the ball. ‘I can do well. I will do something.’ When I went on my own to the captain, he found confidence in me,” Mehidy said.He slowed his pace against the lower-order batters. It was a simple-seeming adjustment, but any spinner will tell you that slowing it down against big-hitting batters takes courage. Mehidy took four of the last five wickets to fall, including that of David Miller, who had had the measure of him in his first spell. That precipitated a minor collapse and sealed the win.Mehidy said that he brought back memories of doing well against Afghanistan earlier in the year to gee himself up against South Africa. “Belief doesn’t come automatically. You will know yourself when you have a clear mind. You will have reference points and past records, which will give you the belief.Mehidy’s bowling in white-ball cricket has improved alongside his batting•Sanka Vidanagama/AFP/Getty Images”I have always spoken positively rather than negatively [to myself] during a match. If you research people’s psychology, you will find that there’s a higher percentage of negative thoughts. You have to grow the positive mindset, and once you let it grow, it brings down the negative percentage,” he said.

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When the topic of match-ups came up, Mehidy grew animated. He has heard plenty about how offspinners are best off bowling against left-hand batters. “Let me tell you something,” he interrupted before the question was finished. “A right-arm bowler is apparently easy for a right-hand batter. But I feel that I have bowled more to right-handers. Had I only bowled well against only left-handers, I would have never played for Bangladesh.” The numbers more or less bear him out – Mehidy averages 33.67 against right-handers and about 30 against left-handers in all international cricket; the difference in strike rates and economy rates is even smaller. “An average offspinner can bowl two dots out of six balls against left-handed batters,” he said. “I focus on ensuring that the right-hand batter can’t handle me properly. They will target to hit me. If I can prevent it, I will be successful. This is my challenge.”One of those right-hander wickets was of Virat Kohli during the Mirpur Test against India in December last year. Mehidy built up to that dismissal superbly, having got rid of Cheteshwar Pujara and Shubman Gill in that spell on the third evening. He conceded just one run off nine balls to Kohli before Kohli lunged at a delivery spinning in, which had a bit of air on it. It took the inside edge and Mominul Haque took the catch at short leg. Mehidy had his dream wicket after trying for six years.”I always wanted to take his wicket,” Mehidy said. “He was saved by the review in Hyderabad [in 2017 ]. [Litton Das] Dada unfortunately dropped him during the ODI series [in December 2022]. It was a great feeling to get him out.”Mehidy plays the scoop towards the end of the innings against India late last year where he made his first ODI hundred•Munir Uz Zaman/AFP/Getty ImagesWhen asked about the upcoming World Cup in India, Mehidy said he has already started working on specifics with a view to the tournament. No doubt he will want to better his showing in 2019, when he only took six wickets and scored 37 runs. “I don’t have a set target [for the World Cup],” he said. “Setting a target doesn’t help my focus. It also attracts disappointment. I don’t want to feel this. I have usually done well when I have gone into a tournament well prepared.”We are five months out, so I don’t know if I am playing the World Cup. It is not in my hands. But I am preparing. If I put in the right amount of hard work, I believe it will come in handy. Whether it is this World Cup or the next one, or some other series or tournament. That’s where my focus is,” he said.Bangladesh’s new breed of cricketers have given the country hope with their match-winning acts over the last three years. The hope is of a strong World Cup performance, but unlike the last time, they will be hoping for a better outcome: a realistic hope for a team of Bangladesh’s standing currently, is of a semi-final spot.The likes of Mehidy, Litton and Taskin were fringe stars only a few years ago. Now they are frontrunners, with the more senior players probably in their last act. Mehidy’s new batting role and improved white-ball bowling, with occasional match-winning consequences, could be a key factor for Bangladesh. He is certainly preparing for it to be.

When defending a Premier League title, it is important to ensure you make signings of outstanding quality.

Liverpool did that, didn’t they? A record-breaking summer spending spree consolidated FSG’s new era, with Arne Slot at the helm. The league title was in the bank, and players like Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike arrived with a weight of expectation, regarded as elite talents.

Isak, in particular, was a banker, having been hailed by Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher as “the best striker in the Premier League right now” as Newcastle United rode the crest of a wave through last season’s winter period.

But, having forced his way out of St. James’ Park this summer, missing out on pre-season, the Sweden striker has found himself on a sticky wicket, lacking sharpness and coherence. Across 752 minutes of action this season, Isak has scored just two goals.

Better days will surely come for this world-class player. And it’s not like he’s alone in flattering to deceive, with Ibrahima Konate and Cody Gakpo among those to have put their jobs at risk with such poor performances.

The Liverpool players whose jobs are at risk

First, let’s address the elephant in the room: Mohamed Salah. The Egyptian’s incendiary interview after the recent Premier League draw at Elland Road has cast his Reds future into jeopardy, the 33-year-old having been left out of three successive starting line-ups before being dropped ahead of the win over Inter.

Salah has been poor this season, ineffective in front of goal and lacking work-rate in regard to pressing and defending. The intensity hasn’t been there, but Salah’s struggles have been a part of a wider malaise.

When he aired his frustrations, the Egypt superstar might have been referencing someone like Gakpo, who has reprised his starting berth regularly this term despite struggling for fluency and dynamism down the left flank. Liverpool need a more protean threat, for sure.

Konate may have been the worst of the bunch. Certainly, the France centre-back has been riddled with mistakes, lacking any semblance of the powerhouse of last season. He is out of contract at the end of the season, but FSG plan to renew his deal.

These are players who have not done their reputations justice this season, and many of a Liverpool persuasion would press for upgrades after such a wretched campaign.

However, there’s another man who has been in finer fettle than the lot, and yet he may need to be sold too, given Slot’s reluctance to hand him minutes.

FSG could sell Liverpool's "Origi regen"

Last season, Federico Chiesa flattered to deceive at Liverpool. The Italy international arrived in August 2024 as the sole summer signing of Slot’s first transfer window, a cut-price buy of just £12.5m as he entered the final year of his contract with Juventus.

Chiesa had to wait until the title was wrapped up before he earned a starting berth in the Premier League, and while Slot has yet to hand the 27-year-old an appearance from the outset in the Premier League and Champions League this season, Chiesa has redeemed himself with some impressive performances.

An intense and direct forward, the Italian scored the late winner against Bournemouth in August, sealing three points on the first game of the Premier League season. He bagged again against Crystal Palace in September, a consolation in defeat, while assisting twice against Southampton in the Carabao Cup.

This kind of potency has even seen the versatile forward hailed as a “Divock Origi regen” by reporter Lewis Oldham for his clutch quality in the final third, popping up when teammates around him were foundering.

The problem: Slot clearly doesn’t favour Chiesa as a prominent member of the squad. And we have to believe that Liverpool will turn a corner sooner rather than later, challenging again for silverware, rather than scraping the gutter for points.

Would Chiesa fit into grand plans of greater ambition? Could the plain truth be that we saw how that transpired last year?

Given that he earns £150k per week, more than most of his teammates, FSG may feel that they are not getting bang for their buck, and that they need to invest in a wide forward better aligned with Slot’s vision.

For this reason, it might be worth cashing in while Liverpool can still recoup something of their shrewd, low-risk investment.

As pointless as Chiesa: Liverpool flop belongs in the Rodgers era

Liverpool’s transfer dealings have a Brendan Rodgers feel about them right now…

1

By
Robbie Walls

5 days ago

Arsenal have held ‘new’ talks with the representatives of a Juventus star who Xabi Alonso has recommended to Real Madrid, according to a report this week.

Arsenal face Brentford after Man City steal dramatic win at Fulham

Arsenal return to the Emirates Stadium tonight seeking to reclaim their winning touch when they host Brentford in a vital Premier League clash, made all the more important by Man City’s dramatic 5-4 win at Fulham last night.

The Gunners have seen their lead at the top cut to just two points following their frustrating 1-1 draw at Chelsea over the weekend, even if Arsenal’s impressive 17-game unbeaten run continues since that early-season defeat to Liverpool.

Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest

Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 1-1 Man City

Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal

Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 2-0 Olympiacos

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

Fulham 0-1 Arsenal

Arsenal 4-0 Atlético Madrid

Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace

Arsenal 2-0 Brighton

Burnley 0-2 Arsenal

Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal

Sunderland 2-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 4-1 Tottenham

Arsenal 3-1 Bayern Munich

Chelsea 1-1 Arsenal

Mikel Arteta’s side dominated possession at Stamford Bridge but could only manage a point, despite Chelsea playing with ten men for much of the contest.

Arsenal face a significant injury conundrum with Gabriel Magalhaes sidelined due to a thigh problem picked up on Brazil duty.

Fabrizio Romano: Berta eyeing "bargain" move for player likened to "top" Arsenal star

He could be a snip.

ByEmilio Galantini Dec 2, 2025

Arteta recently hinted that he could be unavailable until 2026, while Kai Havertz continues his recovery from a knee injury which has kept him out since the opening weekend.

William Saliba is also a doubt after missing the Chelsea trip, though Arteta has provided a seemingly positive update suggesting the Frenchman is just days away from returning.

Away from the pitch, sporting director Andrea Berta reportedly continues plans to reinforce Arsenal’s squad, even if they spent nearly £270 million on eight major signings in the summer.

Real Madrid star Rodrygo is believed to be a target for Arsenal, with Berta sensing an opportunity amid the Brazilian’s increasingly uncertain future at the Bernabeu.

Ironically, Arsenal are also after someone who Real could replace Rodrygo, as per Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport.

Arsenal hold 'new' talks with Juventus star Kenan Yildiz

Corriere state that Alonso has personally recommended Juventus sensation Kenan Yildiz to Real as a target, but they now face stiff competition from north London.

Juve are attempting to tie the 20-year-old down with fresh terms and ward off suitors, but these negotiations are still ongoing and there is currently significant ground to cover when it comes to Yildiz’s wages.

Yildiz is demanding nearly quadruple his current salary to bring him in line with top earners like Jonathan David, while the Old Lady have offered below his desired amount so far.

The forward also wants assurances about his role and Juve’s plan to win major trophies, so while the priority is to continue in Turin, talks over a new deal are believed to have stalled for now.

Corriere reports that Arsenal have made ‘new moves’ to discuss conditions with Yildiz’s representatives, and Arteta’s side are said to be ‘captivated’ by the Turkey international.

Unfortunately for Berta, other recent reports from Italy claim that Juve want around £88 million to part company with their young superstar, so it could require a major investment on Arsenal’s part after an already-massive summer outlay.

أكد آرني سلوت، مدرب نادي ليفربول، أنه يريد بجانب لاعبي فريقه مصالحة جماهير الريدز، وذلك قبل مباراة سندرلاند بالدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

ويعتقد سلوت في حديثه إلى موقع ليفربول الرسمي، أن الانتصار الذي حققه فريقه على وست هام يوم الأحد الماضي كان خطوة في الاتجاه الصحيح بالنسبة للريدز.

ليفربول سوف يستضيف نظيره سندرلاند مساء اليوم الأربعاء على ملعب آنفيلد، ضمن الجولة الـ14 من عمر الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز على ملعب آنفيلد.

ويسعى ليفربول لمواصلة صحوته بعد الانتصار على وست هام، والذي كسر سلسلة سلبية من الهزائم المتتالية لرجال سلوت.

وقال سلوت: “لن يحتاج أي شخص يحضر هذه المباراة إلى أن أخبره أن أدائنا الأخيرين أمام جماهيرنا لم يرق إلى المستوى المطلوب، دون أن أطيل الحديث عن تلك المباريات، من الواضح أن هذا أمر لا نريد تغييره فحسب بل نحن بحاجة إلى تغييره جذري”.

وأضاف: “كلمة مستوى أساسية في وضعنا الحالي، يتعلق الأمر بالمستوى الذي وضعناه لأنفسنا الموسم الماضي والتوقعات التي وضعها النادي لنفسه لسنوات عديدة سابقة، هذا لا يضمن دائمًا نتائج جيدة ولكنه بالتأكيد يعزز فرصنا في تحقيقها، هكذا كان الحال دائمًا وهو كذلك الآن بالتأكيد”.

وأوضح: “لهذا السبب كان فوز يوم الأحد على وست هام خطوة في الاتجاه الصحيح بعد هذه الفترة الصعبة، لم تكن أفضل مباراة خاضها فريق ليفربول على الإطلاق، ونعلم أن هناك حاجة إلى مزيد من التحسينات ولكن الأداء كان المطلوب في ظل هذه الظروف”.

أقرأ أيضًا .. فيرتز: سعيد بترك بصمتي أمام وست هام.. ولاعب ليفربول بارع

وأردف: “حافظنا على نظافة شباكنا، ولم نمنح أي فرصة حقيقية لوست هام باستثناء الدقيقة الأخيرة ، وبذل اللاعبون جهدًا كبيرًا من بداية المباراة وحتى صافرة النهاية، علاوة على ذلك، سجلنا هدفين رائعين منحانا المكافأة التي نستحقها في ذلك اليوم”.

وتابع: “هذه هي أبرز ما قدمناه كفريق وفوق كل ذلك، حظينا بدعم يحدث فرقًا كبيرًا في مثل هذه الأوقات، إلى كل من سافر إلى لندن ليقدم لنا هذا الدعم، لا يسعني إلا أن أشكركم جزيل الشكر”.

وواصل: “لقد مررنا جميعًا باختبار صعب في الأسابيع الأخيرة، ومع ذلك استطاع المشجعون تجاوز خيبة أملهم ودفعنا للأمام، كنت أعرف قبل قدومي إلى ليفربول أن جماهيرنا معروفة بهذا، لكن معايشة ذلك عن كثب أمر مميزٌ حقًا مع أنني كنت أتمنى ألا يكون ولاءكم قد خضع للاختبار كما حدث مؤخرًا”.

واستكمل: “في الشوط الأول من المباراة ضد وست هام سمعت هتاف الأبطال من جانب الفريق الضيف في أكثر من مناسبة، وقد جسد هذا الهتاف روح التحدي التي سنظل بحاجة إليها في الأيام والأسابيع القادمة”.

وقال: ”نعم، أعلم أن هذه الأغنية تغنى بدافع الفخر لما حققناه معًا في الموسم الماضي، لكنها في هذه الفترة تكتسب معنىً إضافيًا بالنسبة لي ، معنى ذكرنا بهويتنا وما نؤمن به”.

وأضاف: ”ليس من قبيل الصدفة بالنسبة لي أن هذا النوع من التحدي في المدرجات لاقى صدى في الملعب، في لحظة عصيبة وقفنا جميعًا معًا وقاتلنا من أجل ليفربول، هذه الروح قادرة على المضي قدمًا، حتى بعد فترة سأكون أول من يعترف بأنها لم تكن كافية”.

وأوضح: ”التحدي الآن هو البناء على هذا الفوز، لا يمكننا أن نصدق أننا تجاوزنا مرحلة صعبة أو أن التعافي قادم، علينا أن نبقى متواضعين وأن نعمل بجد وأن نواصل الكفاح، إذا فعلنا ذلك، فربما نتمكن من مواصلة اتخاذ الخطوات الصغيرة للأمام وهي خطوات ضرورية للغاية”.

وأردف سلوت في حديثه: ”أود أن أرحب بريجيس لو بري ولاعبيه وجهازه الفني بالإضافة إلى جماهير سندرلاند ومجلس إدارته، في ملعب أنفيلد لمباراة الليلة، إن ما قدموه في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز هذا الموسم يعكس بشكل إيجابي للغاية أداء جميع أفراد النادي بعد صعودهم إلى الدوري الممتاز في مايو الماضي”.

وتابع: ”أكد فوز سندرلاند على بورنموث يوم السبت على العديد من الصفات التي لا تزال تميزهم في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، نتوقع منهم أن يصلوا بثقة عالية وعزم على تعزيز سمعتهم”.

واختتم سلوت: ”علينا أن نكون مستعدين وأن نظهر رغبتنا في تحسين وضعنا الحالي، إذا تمكنا من تحقيق ذلك فسنرى إلى أين سيقودنا”.

Leeds United are on a roll at the moment. Daniel Farke’s side have gone unbeaten in their last two games, beating Chelsea and drawing against Liverpool, with both games coming at Elland Road.

The game prior to playing the Blues, Manchester City only beat them due to a stoppage-time winner.

At the start of the gameweek, the Whites were out of the relegation zone. Now, a clash away to Brentford in the prime time slot on Sunday afternoon represents a chance for the West Yorkshire side to put even more distance between themselves and the drop zone.

Leeds will not have a full squad for their trip to West London to face the Bees, however.

Leeds’ team news vs. Brentford

Unfortunately for Farke, he has a few players missing for the game against Keith Andrews’ side. Someone who remains sidelined after picking up an injury in November is midfielder Sean Longstaff.

He is yet to recover from the calf injury he suffered against Aston Villa.

The Whites will also be without winger Daniel James. He suffered a long-term injury against Man City, with the hamstring tendon issue keeping him out for at least two months.

Leeds will be hoping to have him back sooner rather than later, but that layoff could be longer depending on whether he needs surgery.

The player who might have made it back for this game was Lukas Nmecha. However, Farke confirmed that the striker’s injury has “still not completely healed,” before going on to confirm that the German is “definitely out” against Brentford.

That is a huge blow for Leeds. Although he missed the game against Liverpool, Nmecha has been one of their most in-form players.

He’s bagged four goals in 14 Premier League games this season, a tally surpassed by no other Leeds player.

Despite these injuries in attack, there is a Leeds forward who Farke might well need to drop after a poor performance against Liverpool.

The Leeds star who Farke must axe

Despite managing such a brilliant result against Arne Slot’s side last weekend, there was one Leeds player in particular who struggled to make an impact.

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That was a rarity across the board, with Farke’s side generally impressing.

It was a really poor performance from Noah Okafor. The Swiss star was one of Leeds’ summer additions from AC Milan, but he has struggled to hit the ground running since moving to West Yorkshire.

25-year-old Okafor, who earns £72.5k per week at Elland Road and is one of the top earners, has only managed two goals for the club so far.

Those have come in 12 Premier League appearances, including the club’s 800th in the competition against Tottenham Hotspur.

Against Liverpool, Okafor put in a 5/10 performance and ‘didn’t add a huge amount’, according to Graham Smyth of The Yorkshire Evening Post.

He did struggle to get into the game, having just 14 touches, completing five out of six passes and losing the ball five times.

Okafor stats vs. Liverpool

Stat

Number

Touches

14

Passes completed

5/6

Number of times ball lost

5

Duels won

2/6

Shots

2

Expected goals

0.13xG

Stats from Sofascore

It was certainly a disappointing performance from the Swiss attacker, who showed great promise in the first few days of his Leeds career, with content creator Alex Moneypenny even suggesting that he is “so close to exploding”.

Perhaps playing as a number nine alongside Dominic Calvert-Lewin is not how to get the best out of him.

If Farke is to drop Okafor this weekend against Brentford, there are options to replace him despite the injury issues.

Wilfried Gnonto is the most likely one, with the Italian getting back to full fitness after a fitness issue himself. Jack Harrison could also slot into the team, although he might not thrive as a number nine, or Farke could even bring teenager Harry Gray into the fold.

Regardless, Leeds will want to keep this impressive, and crucial, run of form going.

Thus, Okafor may be rotated out of the side after a poor showing last weekend, with Farke choosing someone who can have more of an overall impact.

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Tottenham number one Guglielmo Vicario faces an uncertain long-term future amid reports of Inter Milan’s interest, with his personal stance on an exit now also coming to light.

Guglielmo Vicario criticised after recent Tottenham outings

Vicario’s tenure at Tottenham appears increasingly uncertain following his costly error against Fulham, which added to the concerns surrounding his capability as their first-choice goalkeeper.

The 29-year-old endured a nightmare moment during Spurs’ 2-1 home defeat to Fulham last Saturday, rushing needlessly off his line before playing a weak clearance straight to Josh King.

Harry Wilson capitalised spectacularly, curling home from near the touchline to double the visitors’ advantage inside six minutes.

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The blunder sparked an immediate negative reaction from frustrated Tottenham supporters, who booed Vicario throughout the remainder of the first half.

Thomas Frank defended his goalkeeper afterward, questioning whether those jeering could be considered true Spurs fans, with damage to the relationship between keeper and supporters appearing pretty significant.

Much was already made of the Italy international’s weak command of his area, with pundits suggesting that opposition teams should target Vicario as a weak link in Spurs’ side.

Frank has also been urged to drop the ex-Empoli star by former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy, who called Vicario ‘nervous as a kitten’ with his distribution.

Despite his torrid time lately, Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Inter hold a serious interest in Vicario, and the prospect of a 2026 transfer back to Italy isn’t ruled out.

Now, Italian newspaper La Gazetta dello Sport have shared their own update on the matter.

Guglielmo Vicario yearns for Tottenham exit and sends message to his agents

Indeed, Vicario has apparently communicated his growing frustration with life at Tottenham to his representatives, revealing his weariness and how he’s ‘yearning’ for a Serie A return.

La Gazzetta claim the shot-stopper has grown tired of difficult seasons at Spurs and has informed his agents that the current term could mark his final year in English football.

The newspaper suggests a powerful emotional pull toward his homeland is driving his thinking, with a permanent return to Italy now firmly on his mind.

Inter have emerged as the frontrunners for his signature, with reports in Italy indicating the Nerazzurri have already opened discussions with Vicario’s representatives.

The Serie A champions are said to view him as an ideal long-term replacement for veteran Yann Sommer, whose contract expires at the end of the season.

Meanwhile, Tottenham are reportedly already scouring the market for potential replacements.

Brighton’s Bart Verbruggen has been identified as a potential option, with TEAMtalk reporting earlier this week that Spurs have made contact over the keeper who Bayern are also looking at as an heir to Manuel Neuer.

MatériaMais Notícias

Corinthians e Cruzeiro se enfrentam neste domingo (14), às 18h (horário de Brasília), na Neo Química Arena, em São Paulo (SP), pela Copa do Brasil. O confronto traz como destaque a presença de dois grandes personagens no gol e um histórico importante em decisões por pênaltis.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasCorinthiansDupla preocupa o Corinthians às vésperas da decisão contra o CruzeiroCorinthians13/12/2025CorinthiansCorinthians tem queda de 23% na receita e deixa ‘clube do bilhão’ do futebol brasileiroCorinthians12/12/2025CorinthiansOrganizada do Corinthians terá encontro com MP por presença em decisão contra o CruzeiroCorinthians12/12/2025

Na temporada atual, os números reforçam o desempenho dos goleiros em decisões por pênaltis. Cássio acumula três pênaltis defendidos, com participação em uma disputa de pênaltis que terminou em eliminação, na qual defendeu uma cobrança. Já Hugo Souza soma quatro pênaltis defendidos no período e ainda não participou de disputas completas nas penalidades.

Hugo Souza nos pênaltis

Hugo Souza chegou ao Corinthians em agosto do ano passado e rapidamente caiu nas graças da torcida. Um dos motivos está na capacidade de defender pênaltis, inclusive de rivais do clube, como Estêvão e Raphael Veiga, ambos do Palmeiras.

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➡️ Tudo sobre o Timão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Corinthians

Com oito defesas de pênaltis, Hugo Souza ultrapassou Dida, um dos grandes nomes da história do Corinthians, e se aproximou do top-3 do ranking do clube, que conta com Cássio, com 32 defesas, Ronaldo Giovanelli, com 27, e Gilmar, com 11.

A defesa mais marcante aconteceu na final do Campeonato Paulista de 2025, na Neo Química Arena. Após a vitória corinthiana por 1 a 0 no primeiro jogo, o goleiro defendeu a cobrança de Raphael Veiga na segunda partida, segurou o 0 a 0 e garantiu o título estadual.

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Pênaltis defendidos por Hugo Souza:

Oito pelo CorinthiansSeis pelo FlamengoE os números de Cássio?

Até pela diferença de idade, o goleiro Cássio soma 41 defesas de pênaltis na carreira, número superior ao de Hugo Souza. A maioria dessas intervenções aconteceu com a camisa do Corinthians, clube no qual se tornou ídolo.

Além disso, o arqueiro contabiliza quatro defesas pelo PSV, três pelo próprio Cruzeiro e duas pela Seleção Brasileira Sub-20.

➡️Tudo sobre o Cabuloso agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso canal Lance! Cruzeiro

Com a camisa do clube celeste, Cássio realizou três defesas de pênaltis. A mais importante ocorreu na Copa do Brasil, em duelo contra o CRB. O Cruzeiro vencia por 1 a 0 quando a equipe alagoana teve a chance de empatar, mas o goleiro defendeu a cobrança. Na sequência, o time mineiro marcou o segundo gol e confirmou a classificação.

Pênaltis defendidos por Cássio:

32 pelo Corinthians4 pelo PSV3 pelo Cruzeiro2 pela Seleção sub-20Chance de Corinthians x Cruzeiro nos pênaltis

Para levar a decisão aos pênaltis, o Cruzeiro precisa vencer por um gol de diferença, já que o primeiro jogo terminou com vitória do Corinthians por 1 a 0, com gol de Memphis Depay. Diante do resultado, a equipe comandada por Dorival Júnior entra em campo na segunda partida precisando apenas de um empate para garantir vaga na final do torneio nacional.

Para se classificar no tempo normal, o time de Leonardo Jardim precisa vencer por dois gols de diferença. Não há prorrogação.

Tudo sobre

CorinthiansCruzeiroFutebol Nacional